TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of psychosocial safety climate on flexible work from home digital job demands and work-life conflict
AU - Parkin, A.K.
AU - Zadow, A.J.
AU - Potter, R.E.
AU - Afsharian, A.
AU - Dollard, M.F.
AU - Pignata, S.
AU - Bakker, Arnold
AU - Lushington, K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of employees in flexible work from home has increased markedly along with a reliance on information communication technologies. This study investigated the role of an organisational factor, psychosocial safety climate (PSC; the climate for worker psychological health and safety), as an antecedent of these new kinds of demands (specifically work from home digital job demands) and their effect on work-life conflict. Data were gathered via an online survey of 2,177 employees from 37 Australian universities. Multilevel modelling showed that university level PSC to demands, y=-0.09, SE=0.03, p<0.01, and demands to work-life conflict, y=0.51, SE=0.19, p<0.05, relationships were significant. Supporting the antecedent theory, university level PSC was significantly indirectly related to work-life conflict via demands (LL -0.10 UL -0.01). Against expectations PSC did not moderate the demand to work-life conflict relationship. The results imply that targeting PSC could help prevent work from home digital job demands, and therefore, work-life conflict. Further research is needed on the role of digital job resources as flexible and hybrid work takes hold post COVID.
AB - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of employees in flexible work from home has increased markedly along with a reliance on information communication technologies. This study investigated the role of an organisational factor, psychosocial safety climate (PSC; the climate for worker psychological health and safety), as an antecedent of these new kinds of demands (specifically work from home digital job demands) and their effect on work-life conflict. Data were gathered via an online survey of 2,177 employees from 37 Australian universities. Multilevel modelling showed that university level PSC to demands, y=-0.09, SE=0.03, p<0.01, and demands to work-life conflict, y=0.51, SE=0.19, p<0.05, relationships were significant. Supporting the antecedent theory, university level PSC was significantly indirectly related to work-life conflict via demands (LL -0.10 UL -0.01). Against expectations PSC did not moderate the demand to work-life conflict relationship. The results imply that targeting PSC could help prevent work from home digital job demands, and therefore, work-life conflict. Further research is needed on the role of digital job resources as flexible and hybrid work takes hold post COVID.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165300650&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2486/indhealth.2022-0078
DO - 10.2486/indhealth.2022-0078
M3 - Article
C2 - 35934791
SN - 0019-8366
VL - 61
SP - 307
EP - 319
JO - Industrial Health
JF - Industrial Health
IS - 5
ER -
