Empirical Evidence on the Relationship between Pandemic Stress and Job Performance : Moderating Mechanism of Sports Programs from a Social Capital Perspective

This study examines the moderating role of social capital through sports programs in the relationships among perceived COVID-19 stress (threat), job insecurity, and job performance. Employees (N = 458) enrolled in fitness clubs participated in an online survey in December 2021. The questionnaire measured perceived threat appraisal, job insecurity, contextual job performance, and social capital through sports programs. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted to test the proposed relationships. The findings show that perceived COVID-19 threat does not affect contextual job performance, whereas individuals who perceive higher threat report greater job insecurity. Additionally, job insecurity has an adverse effect on contextual job performance. Participation in sports programs helps employees build social capital, which attenuates the negative association between perceived threat and job insecurity.