Job demands and job resources on well-being among staff nurses of general hospitals in Malaysia: the moderating effect of job involvement / Nurazuwin Kursiah Mat Tahir

Employees’ health and happiness have been at the forefront of organizations’ concerns as large numbers of people in this modern age spend a significant proportion of their lives at work every day. A healthy and happy worker can be reflected by the increase in organizational efficiency and productivity. Hence, well-being becomes a major concern for an organization that leads to favorable outcomes. Specifically, nurses’ well-being is a necessary focus as they are the backbone of the healthcare sector and are primarily involved in various job demands. The objectives of this study are: (1) to determine the relationship between job demands and well-being of nurses; (2) to determine the relationship between job resources and well-being of nurses; (3) to examine the job involvement as the moderator in the relationship between job demands and well-being of nurses; and finally (4) to examine the job involvement as the moderator in the relationship between job resources and well-being of nurses. Based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study hypothesized that job demands and job resources would influence well-being. Data were collected using a questionnaire distributed to Grade U29 staff nurses through a contact person in each state capital general hospital in Peninsular Malaysia after access to staff nurses was obtained from the Medical Research and Ethics Committee (MREC). A total of 352 usable responses were obtained and used for the purpose of analysis. The results of the Structural Model of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) indicated that there were only two dimensions under job demands, which are quantitative demands and emotional demands that were found to be negative and significant with one dimension of well-being, namely job satisfaction. All dimensions under job demands, which are quantitative demands, sensorial demands, cognitive demands, and emotional demands were found to be significant with one dimension of well-being, namely general health. Meanwhile, only one dimension under job resources, which is the degree of freedom was found positive and significant with one dimension of well-being, namely life satisfaction. Only one dimension under job resources, which is social support, was found to be positive and significant with one dimension of well-being, namely job satisfaction. In addition, only one dimension under job resources, which is social support, was found to be negative and significant with one dimension of well-being, namely general health. However, the moderating of job involvement was found significant only in relation to the link between sensorial demands and life satisfaction relationship. The findings can form a basis for useful recommendations for top management of hospitals, nurses, and all hospital staff in promoting well-being to achieve a high-quality hospital.