Employee job security and job performance: the mediating role of well-being and the moderating role of perceived organizational support and psychological capital

Purpose Grounded in social cognitive career theory, this study investigates how employees' perceptions of job security and well-being affected their performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examines the moderating effects of perceived organizational support and psychological capital on well-being and performance. Design/methodology/approach Using a two-wave time-lagged design, data were collected from 279 frontline employees in public service organizations in Saudi Arabia. Findings The study’s results show that perceived job security significantly affects job performance. Employee well-being significantly and positively influences job performance and partially mediates the relationship between perceived job security and job performance. Additionally, perceived organizational support and psychological capital positively moderated the relationship between employee well-being and job performance during the pandemic. Practical implications This study suggests that policymakers and practitioners need to prioritize addressing the job security concerns and well-being of frontline employees during a pandemic to enhance employee performance. Originality/value Our findings present significant implications for policymakers in the context of job security and performance within public organizations in emerging countries.