JD-R model on job insecurity and the moderating effect of COVID-19 perceived susceptibility

The present research applied a triangulation approach in order to examine the mediating effect of job insecurity and the moderating effect of perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 (PSC) in the Job demands and resources model (JD-R model). Questionnaire and follow-up interview data were collected at two points in time from 292 hotel front-line employees and 15 hotel senior and department managers in Phuket, Thailand. Quantitative results indicated that job insecurity fully mediated the relationship between job demands and job burnout, as well as the relationship between job demands and work engagement. In addition, PSC partially moderated the research model. More specifically, the impact of job insecurity on work engagement is reduced when PSC is low and increased when PSC is high; the impact of job insecurity on job burnout is reduced when PSC is high and increased when PSC is low. Qualitative results further verified the findings of the quantitative study.