Psychological and Organizational Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Similar...

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted technical workers who work more often in the field (e.g., engineering, mechanical, health safety environment (HSE), quality control, and production workers) with increasingly complex workloads and work pressures. Few studies have yet to examine the job satisfaction of such workers using a combination of psychological and organizational factors during difficult times, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aims to explain whether psychological and organizational factors affect employee job satisfaction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This quantitative research uses Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling. A survey with a questionnaire was used to collect data in this study. Using the non-probability sampling technique, data from 103 respondents spread throughout four Similar Exposure Groups (SEGs) in Indonesia were collected. Data analysis in this study used SmartPLS 3.0.

Male workers in this study constituted more than 90% of the respondents, the majority with a long working period (more than five years). Worker experience was directly proportional to worker age; most workers were between 41 and 56 years old. The results, with a majority of SEGs from engineering, found that out of five hypotheses (H1-H5), four are accepted while one is rejected. Employee job satisfaction during this pandemic is influenced by the feeling of safety (H1) and work pressure (H3). Work pressure is further influenced by the feeling of safety at work (H2). Moreover, work pressure acts as a mediator on the feeling of safety and job satisfaction (H4). However, job satisfaction is not influenced by management commitment (H5).

Management commitment to work safety during pandemic situations must be adjusted, especially regarding policies to ensure the availability of additional standards on health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. In addition, the guarantee that the company is committed to ensuring that workers feel safe will be covered if exposed to COVID-19. Occupational safety and health standards are no longer fully focused on work equipment or facilities. The feeling of safety and work pressure during a pandemic require attention from companies in accordance with their existing limitations and capabilities.