Examining employees under stress by pandemic, hurricane, and bridge closure

Hilmi A. Atadil, University of West FloridaFollow
Alison J. Green, University of West FloridaFollow
Nestor M. Arguea, University of West FloridaFollow

Abstract

As researchers, recognizing and capturing once-in-a-lifetime events in real-time is essential. The researchers felt compelled to document the impacts of the natural disasters, pandemics, and bridge closures that directly affected the geographical area in which they lived. These sequential crises touched countless lives in the region. Most critically, disseminating and recording these rapid developments has been vital so that others may learn from this time when faced with similar situations. It is the duty of researchers immersed in such extraordinary circumstances to acknowledge and examine the implications in the moment, given the singularity of living through consecutive disasters of this nature. Drawing on the propositions of the social exchange theory SET), the purpose of this study is twofold, (a) evaluating the predictive power of natural disasters (i.e., Hurricane Sally, COVID-19 pandemic) and a related event (i.e., Pensacola Bay Bridge closure) toward the average stress felt, and (b) exploring the outcomes of these disasters and the related event on employees’ work lives and local economy. The data were gathered from a sample of 305 individuals via an online survey instrument. The respondents were those impacted by the closure of a critical bridge while commuting to and from their place of employment. Multiple regression, graphical, and descriptive analyses were conducted. The bridge closure was found to be the event associated with the highest level of stress. Findings provide valuable practical implications for global business in employee stress management, especially during natural disasters and corresponding events. Further practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, global business, employee stress

Chinese Abstract

调查疫情、飓风和桥梁关闭为员工带来的压力

作为研究人员，实时识别和捕捉千载难逢的事件至关重要。研究人员感到有必要记录直接影响他们居住地区的自然灾害、疫情和桥梁关闭的影响。这些接连发生的危机触及该地区无数人的生命。更重要的是，记录和传播灾难的快速发展至关重要，以便其他人在面临类似情况时能够从中吸取教训。鉴于这种连续灾难的独特性，深陷在这种特殊情况的研究人员有责任承认并研究当前的影响性。本研究借鉴社会交换理论（SET），目的有两方面，(a) 评估自然灾害（如飓风莎莉、COVID-19疫情）和相关事件（如彭萨科拉湾大桥关闭）的预测能力，和(b) 探讨这些灾难以及相关事件对员工工作生活和当地经济的影响。这些数据是通过在线调查工具从305名受访者中收集的。受访者是那些在往返工作地点时受到主要桥梁关闭所影响的人。为此，研究进行了多元回归、图形和描述性分析。研究发现桥梁关闭与高强度压力相关。研究结果为环球企业员工在自然灾害和相应事件期间的压力管理提供了宝贵和实际意义。研究也进一步讨论了的实践和理论的含义。

关键词: COVID-19 疫情、自然灾害、环球企业、员工压力

ORCID Identifiers

Hilmi A. Atadil: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2438-8372

Alison J. Green: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9618-2237

Nestor Arguea: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5367-8742

DOI

10.5038/2640-6489.9.1.1287

Recommended Citation

Atadil, H. A., Green, A. J., & Arguea, N. M. (2024). Examining employees under stress by pandemic, hurricane, and bridge closure. Journal of Global Business Insights, 9(1), 29-41. https://www.doi.org/10.5038/2640-6489.9.1.1287