Determinants of job insecurity during COVID-19: quantitative insights from the Romanian labor market

Abstract

Purpose

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues related to job insecurity became even more prominent than before. This paper sets out to identify the determinants of job insecurity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among Romanian workers, a topic than was scarcely addressed in previous studies.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a representative sample at the national level (N = 744), the authors performed a multilinear regression analysis that pinpoints the factors predicting job insecurity.

Findings

This study findings indicate that high-skilled workers employed on permanent arrangements, having higher workloads, who had received organizational support, and managed to harmonize work demands with family responsibilities experience the lowest levels of job insecurity. In this study, teleworking does not influence the level of job insecurity. Gender (being male), working in the public sector and approving the political management of the COVID-19 pandemic also count in securing the feelings employees have about their job.

Originality/value

Besides filling a geographical gap in the literature, another innovative contribution of the paper is the emphasis on the importance for the employees of how public authorities manage the public health crisis. Also, this study explores the workload as a factor of job insecurity which was unaddressed previously. Implications for research and practice are emphasized.

Citation

Rusu, M.S., Popa, A.E., Pogan, L.D. and Gutoiu, G.I. (2023), "Determinants of job insecurity during COVID-19: quantitative insights from the Romanian labor market", Employee Relations, Vol. 45 No. 5, pp. 1199-1215. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-11-2022-0531