New ways of working: a comparative empirical analysis appertaining to health and well-being and psychosocial hazards

Abstract

ABSTRACT The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fourth industrial revolution have resulted in a major shift in the way organisations conduct their operations, with a significant number of them implementing flexible work practices. As a result, these changes have a significant effect on employee health and well-being. The study aims to examine the impact of psychosocial factors on employee health and well-being. Furthermore, this study investigates the moderating role of the mode of work (offline and online) on the proposed relationships. Based on Selye’s theory of stress and physical environment theory, a research framework has been developed. The data are collected from 399 office workers in the Malaysian Oil and Gas sector through an online questionnaire. The collected data are analysed through the PLS-SEM technique. The study found that work-demand control disparity and work-family conflict negatively impact the health and well-being of online workers more than traditional office workers, but no significant difference was found in the effect of effort-reward disparity on health and well-being between the two groups. The study suggests management should prioritise employee health and well-being and address psychosocial factors in both work settings.