Stressed at work and distressed out of work: Unveiling the implications of time-related work stress on work climate in the nonprofit sector

Abstract

Time-related work stress is prevailing in today’s society. This is especially true in the nonprofit sector, where people are willing to self-sacrifice in order to contribute to organizational performance. Although literature highlights the shortcomings of time-related work stress, little is still known on its negative impact on work climate. The article contributes to fill this gap, shedding light on the consequences of time-related work stress on work climate in a large sample of people employed in the nonprofit sector. Secondary data were obtained from the latest wave of the European Working Condition Survey. Conditional process analysis was used to investigate the effects of time-related stress on work climate, considering the mediating role of work-life conflicts and work engagement. Stress caused by time constraints did not have direct implications on work climate. However, it expanded exposure to work-life conflicts and impaired work engagement, thus indirectly impoverishing work climate. Since it is hard to escape time pressures in modern work environments, precautions should be taken to protect employees against the backlash of time-related stress on work climate. Alongside empowering people to cope with work-related stress, tailored human resource management practices should be designed to address the sources of time pressures in the workplace.