The Mediating Role of Work Engagement in the Relationship Between Job Security, Work-Family Conflict, and Emotional Burnout Among Office Workers

Zahra  Barkhordarian; Shadi  Saeidi; Seyed Abolfazl  Zakerian

doi:10.18502/jhsw.v15i3.21417

Zahra Barkhordarian Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Shadi Saeidi Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Abolfazl Zakerian Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jhsw.v15i3.21417

Keywords: Job burnout, Work-family conflict, Job security, Job engagement, Office workers.

Abstract

Introduction: Job factors play a critical role in shaping employee health and mitigating burnout. Work-family conflict leads to outcomes such as burnout, emotional exhaustion, and decreased performance.Similarly, employees’ perception of job insecurity can negatively affect their burnout, work attitudes, well-being, commitment, and interpersonal relationships. This study investigates the interplay between jobsecurity, work-family conflict, and burnout, with a focus on the mediating role of work engagement amongoffice workers.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024, collecting data from 119employees in administrative units at a medical university in Iran. Structural equation modeling wasemployed for data analysis. The measurement tools included standardized questionnaires for workengagement, work-family conflict, job security, and job burnout. The questionnaires were utilized basedon a Likert scale, with confirmed validity and reliability.

Results: The findings from the correlation analysis indicated that job security had a significant positiverelationship with work engagement. In contrast, burnout showed a negative correlation with job securityand work engagement, while it had a positive correlation with work-family conflict. Results from thestructural equation modeling revealed that work-family conflict had a direct relationship with burnout butdid not significantly affect work engagement. Work engagement acted as a protective factor in reducingburnout and served as a mediator between job security and burnout; however, its mediating role betweenwork-family conflict and burnout was not confirmed.

Conclusion: Numerous factors impact the psychological health of administrative employees. Organizationsshould tailor their interventions based on these factors and their interrelations. Overall, employeeempowerment programs aimed at increasing work engagement and reducing work-family conflict canenhance the quality of working life and decrease burnout within organizations.