Trust Mitigates the Negative Effects of COVID-19 Stressors on Employee Well-being

Abstract

This study examines the role of managerial and institutional trust in mitigating the detrimental effect of stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989), we posited that trust in management and state government would mitigate the negative effects of individual-level (changes in work and family role overload) and state-level (infection rates and population density) stressors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using multisource, multilevel data from the United States, including a sample of Americans still working during the first wave of infections (N = 437), we found that changes in individual-level stressors (work and family role overload) were positively associated with changes in stress; however, these effects were mitigated among those with high trust in state government. Results indicated that state-level COVID-19 stressors (infection rates and population density) did not have a direct effect on changes in stress; however, the effect of population density on changes in stress was mitigated among those with high trust in management. This study highlights a potential mechanism – trust – through which organization leaders and government officials can mitigate the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and perhaps other large-scale adverse events, on workers. This study also demonstrates the cross over effects of trust, such that managers can protect workers from community stressors, while government officials can protect workers from work and family stressors. Theoretical and practical implications, future directions, and limitations are discussed.