Tackling the negative impact of COVID-19 on work engagement and taking charge: A multi-study investigation of frontline health workers.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic, as a stressful event, has posed unprecedented challenges for employees worldwide. This research investigated whether and when an employee's perceived COVID-19 crisis strength affected his or her work engagement and taking charge at work. In a time-lagged field study of health workers on the coronavirus frontline (Study 1), we found that when work meaningfulness was lower, a health worker's perceived COVID-19 crisis strength exerted a more negative effect on his or her work engagement and taking charge at work. In a longitudinal field experiment (Study 2), we collaborated with a hospital to carry out two organizational interventions based on event system theory and work meaningfulness research. The interventions significantly decreased perceived COVID-19 crisis strength and increased work meaningfulness for medical staff in an intensive care unit (ICU), who were tasked with caring for COVID-19 patients in critical condition. The findings of Study 2 demonstrate the effectiveness of organizational training and interventions in alleviating the negative impact of COVID-19 on an employee's work engagement and taking charge at work.