Fear of terror and employees’ behaviour in terrorist-ridden areas

Abstract

<jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title> <jats:p>This study aims to investigate the impact of fear of terror (FOT) on employee organizational commitment (OC) working in terror-induced areas through examining the role of rumination as a mediator and perceived organization support (POS) as a moderator.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title> <jats:p>The authors develop a model in which the mediating role of rumination in the FOT relationship is conditional to the values of OC. Using a sample size of 268 respondents, questionnaires were used to collect data from Pakistan during a period when terrorist attacks were at a peak. Results from the hierarchical regression analyses provided support for the developed model.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title> <jats:p>Overall, the statistical model is significant (p &lt; 0.05); the authors found negative relationships between FOT and OC. The authors found that FOT positively led to rumination, which then negatively led to OC. It was also found that POS significantly moderated FOT and OC.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Practical implications</jats:title> <jats:p>This study revealed that FOT is a deterring factor that changed employees’ OC. It further revealed that organizations providing support to employees working in terrorist-ridden areas showed positive commitment. This paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title> <jats:p>This paper provides an examination of the relationship between FOT and employee OC. It expands our knowledge of the stress theory and terror management theory for employees working in discontinuous areas.</jats:p> </jats:sec>

Job Stress and Burnout Among Employees Working in Terrorist-Ridden Areas

“…In existing research, employee higher efforts at the workplace cause their health as they receive no appropriate rewards in return. Under those circumstances, the feeling of physical danger and mental tiredness is pervasive in dangerous areas (Bader and Manke, 2018 ; Soomro et al, 2020 ). According to the literature, Bader and Berg ( 2014 ) also reported a significant negative relationship between sensitivity to terrorism, with compensation for expatriates (−0.113 * ).…”

“…The relationship between employee job stress working in terrorism-ridden areas is less explored (Bader et al, 2015 ). The extant literature on the effects of terrorism on employee behavior and the working practices of organizations is limited and empirical evidence is relatively low in the context of Pakistan (Soomro et al, 2020 ). The present study attempts to address this gap by studying Pakistan's businesses that are affected by terrorist incidents.…”

Effort–reward imbalance and job burnout: Examining cross-lagged relationships and the moderating role of sensitivity to terrorism.

“…Psychological effects resulting from terrorism are not limited to those directly exposed to terrorism; subjective perception also plays a role (Soomro et al, 2020). Several studies have documented the negative consequences of working in a harmful working environment on employees’ work and health-related factors (e.g., De Clercq et al, 2017; Soomro et al, 2020). Burke and Cooper (2008) argued that working in an environment where terrorist incidents occur might ignite fear of death and cause well-being issues.…”

“…Moreover, little published data exists on the concept of employee STT in the workplace setting, especially in the context of terrorism-ridden areas. According to Soomro et al (2020), terrorism-ridden areas are added drivers of stress for employees. Similarly, McNally et al (1987) conducted an experimental study and found that individuals who were more sensitized to distressing events experienced greater stress as compared to those who were less sensitized to distressing events.…”

“…Terrorism creates a feeling of threat, anxiety, and personal lack of security (Soomro et al, 2018), and it causes traumatic psychological effects (Cohen-Louck, 2016). Psychological effects resulting from terrorism are not limited to those directly exposed to terrorism; subjective perception also plays a role (Soomro et al, 2020). Several studies have documented the negative consequences of working in a harmful working environment on employees’ work and health-related factors (e.g., De Clercq et al, 2017; Soomro et al, 2020).…”