Job insecurity and moral disengagement in frontline employees: A moderated mediation effect of perceived organizational support and occupational regret

Abstract

Purpose: The study's purpose is to analyze the effect of job insecurity on the moral disengagement of frontline employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also analyzes the moderated mediation model incorporating occupational regret and perceived organizational support.

Design/Methodology: This study used analytical research design to analyze the moderated mediation effect. Frontline employees working at least three days a week were selected as the respondents and data were collected through the structured questionnaire survey. Hayes's approach was used to examine the moderated mediation model adopting a 95% level of confidence.

Findings: The result revealed that job insecurity is a significant predictor of moral disengagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, occupational regret mediated the predicting ability of job insecurity and moderated by organizational support. This study highlights the essence of organizational support to reduce moral disengagement as a consequence of job insecurity and occupational regret.

Implications: This study contributes to the social cognitive theory. In addition, it recommends that management practitioners ensure organizational support to minimize employees’ disengagement. Further, it supports minimizing employees’ feelings of job insecurity and occupational regret by maintaining a supportive organizational environment. 

Originality/Value: This study adds value by examining the mediation effect of occupational regret in the relationship between predicting variable job insecurity and outcome variable moral disengagement. It also  examines the moderation effect of perceived organizational support in the mediation model. Thus, this study suggests an integrated model. Further, this study provides recommendations for future research that gauge the level of understanding to manage employees’ moral disengagement during the crisis because of intense job insecurity feelings and occupational regret.