Stress
Does work stress hurt performance through mental health?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Among 196 Chinese SME employees surveyed in the COVID-19 period, work stress predicted worse mental health and performance; mental health fully mediated the stress–performance link, and servant leadership did not moderate stress.
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cross-sectional — Email survey of Chinese SME employees during COVID-19; hierarchical linear regression of work stress, mental health, performance, and servant leadership
- N
- N=196 · 450 questionnaires emailed; 196 valid (43.6% response)
- Population
- Employees of Chinese SMEs (mostly 21–200 staff; 63.8% non-high-tech), typically ≥2 years tenure
- Outcome
- Self-reported work stress, mental health, employee performance, and servant leadership
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Key findings
Work stress negatively predicted performance (β = −0.193, p < 0.01) and mental health (β = −0.517, p < 0.001). Mental health fully mediated stress→performance (stress became ns when health was in the model). Servant leadership’s stress × leadership interaction was not significant.
Methodology
Emailed 450 questionnaires (196 valid, 43.6%) via campus/industry contacts. Used translated multi-item scales and hierarchical linear regression (plus Pearson correlations) to test H1–H4 on stress, mental health, performance, and servant leadership.
Limitations
A cross-sectional self-report sample cannot prove causation or that hiring servant leaders would protect mental health during a pandemic.
How this study connects
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