Pregnancy-related discrimination and expectant workers' psychological well-being and work engagement: understanding the moderating role of job resources

• Published in: International journal of workplace health management Vol. 16; no. 2/3; pp. 188 - 204
• Main Authors: Hassard, Juliet, Wang, Weiwei, Delic, Lana, Grudyte, Ieva, Dale-Hewitt, Vanessa, Thomson, Louise
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bingley Emerald Publishing Limited 16.06.2023; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Colleagues; Concept formation; Discrimination; Employees; Employers; Employment discrimination; Equality; Family support; Female employees; Health status; Hostility; Job satisfaction; Legislation; Maternity & paternity leaves; Mental health; Moderation; Occupational health; Occupational stress; Physiology; Pregnancy; Psychological factors; Psychological well being; Sampling methods; Social interactions; Social media; Social support; Stereotypes; Stigma; Stress management; Well being; Womens health; Workers; Workplaces; United Kingdom > UK; Pregnancy; Work engagement; Discrimination; The Job Demand-Resource model; Psychological well-being
• ISSN: 1753-8351; 1753-836X
• DOI: 10.1108/IJWHM-01-2022-0005

PurposeIn this paper, the authors apply the Job Demand-Resource Model to investigate the association between pregnancy-related discrimination (conceptualised as a job demand) and expectant workers' psychological well-being and work engagement, and the moderating role of workplace support (co-worker and supervisor social support and perceived organisational family support (POFS); conceptualised as job resources).Design/methodology/approachThe paper conducted a cross-sectional online survey of vocationally active British workers in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy using purposive sampling techniques. Participants were recruited through online forums and social media platforms. A sample of 186 was used to conduct multiple regression and moderation analysis (SPSS v28 and STATA v17).FindingsThe authors observed that higher levels of pregnancy-related discrimination were associated with poorer psychological well-being and work engagement among surveyed expectant workers. Perceived co-worker social support moderated both these relationships for psychological well-being (demonstrating a buffering effect) and work engagement (an antagonist effect). POFS and supervisor support did not moderate this association.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights the importance of pregnancy-related discrimination at work as a work stressor, necessitating its reduction as part of organisations' strategies to manage and prevent work-related stress above and beyond their legal requirements to do so under national-level equality legislation. It also sheds light on the potential value of resource-based interventions.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate pregnancy-related discrimination and work-related health outcomes within a British sample, and to explore the potential protective health and motivational value of job resources there within.