Strategies for Sustainable Employee Performance in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Qualitative Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37641/jimkes.v13i2.3361Keywords:
Workplace Well-Being, Mental Health, Human Resource Management, Employee Performance, Post-Pandemic StrategiesAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed workplace dynamics, placing employee mental health and well-being at the forefront of Human Resource Management (HRM) priorities. As organizations navigate the post-pandemic era, ensuring continued employee performance requires a strategic emphasis on psychological resilience, work-life balance, and organizational support systems. This study uses a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach following the PRISMA framework to identify effective HRM strategies that promote workplace mental health and well-being. The study’s findings highlight key strategies, including flexible work arrangements, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), leadership-driven well-being initiatives, and the promotion of a supportive organizational culture. These strategies not only reduce mental health risks but also improve employee engagement, productivity, and retention. This study presents a comprehensive framework for HR practitioners to integrate well-being into organizational policies, ensuring long-term resilience and competitiveness in an increasingly volatile work environment.
Downloads
References
Aboobaker, N., & Shanujas, V. (2025). Towards a sustainable workplace: Investigating workplace cyberbullying and its relationship with employee wellbeing and intention to stay in remote and hybrid work settings. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 74(2), 453–470.
Adil, A., & Kamal, A. (2020). Authentic leadership and psychological capital in the job demands-resources model among Pakistani university teachers. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 23(6), 734–754.
Allen, J., Alpass, F. M., Szabó, Á., & Stephens, C. V. (2021). Impact of Flexible Work Arrangements on Key Challenges to Work Engagement Among Older Workers. Work, Ageing and Retirement, 7(4), 404–417.
Alsulami, A., Mabrouk, F., & Bousrih, J. (2022). Flexible Working Arrangements and Social Sustainability: Study on Women Academics Post-COVID-19. Sustainability, 15(1), 544.
Attridge, M. (2022). Profile of Small Employers in the United States and the Importance of Employee Assistance Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic. American Journal of Health Promotion, 36(7), 1229–1236.
Attridge, M., & Dickens, S. P. (2022). Health and Work Outcomes of Brief Counselling From an EAP in Vermont: Follow-Up Survey Results, Client Satisfaction, and Estimated Cost Savings. Sage Open, 12(1).
Babapour Chafi, M., Hultberg, A., & Bozic Yams, N. (2021). Post-Pandemic Office Work: Perceived Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Work Environment. Sustainability, 14(1), 294.
Bahasoan, A. N., Anwar, C., Khaldun, R. I., & Tahawa, T. H. B. (2019). The influence of economic growth on manpower absorption in Central Sulawesi. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 343(1), 012253.
Baird, K., Tung, A., Phan, T., & Bhuyan, M. (2024). The influence of human resource management policies on employee behaviour-related outcomes and organisational resilience during COVID-19. International Journal of Manpower, 45(7), 1474–1491.
Basar, M. (2024). Enhancing outcomes in IVF laboratories: navigating the human element through leadership and emotional intelligence. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 41(10), 2557–2567.
Catapano, P., Luciano, M., Cipolla, S., Pascolo, S., Sampogna, G., Perris, F., ... & Fiorillo, A. (2024). How to manage work-related stress in healthcare professionals: organizational and individual interventions. European Psychiatry, 67(S1), S600-S600.
Chan, S., Kwan, R., Ng, F., Hi-Po Lau, B., & Chan, A. (2024). S17: The translation of digital technology to promote mental health of older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 36, 28–32.
Chang, Y.-P., Lee, D., Lee, Y.-H., & Chiu, M.-H. (2024). Nurses’ perceived health and occupational burnout: A focus on sleep quality, workplace violence, and organizational culture. International Nursing Review, 71(4), 912–923.
Cheng, H., Yang, H., Ding, Y., & Wang, B. (2020). Nurses’ mental health and patient safety: An extension of the Job Demands–Resources model. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(3), 653–663.
Chmiel, M. (2024). Loneliness, office space arrangement and mental well-being of Gen Z PR professionals. Falling into the trap of an agile office? Journal of Communication Management.
Chu, F., Zhang, J., Pellegrini, M. M., Wang, C., & Liu, Y. (2024). Staying connected beyond the clock: a talent management perspective of after-hours work connectivity and proactive behaviours in the digital age. Management Decision, 62(10), 3132–3154.
Clarke, E., Näswall, K., Masselot, A., & Malinen, S. (2025). Feeling safe to speak up: Leaders improving employee wellbeing through psychological safety. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 46(1), 152–176.
Cloutier, A. E., & Barling, J. (2023). Expectations of Leaders’ Mental Health. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 30(3), 276–296.
Cogan, N., Kennedy, C., Beck, Z., McInnes, L., MacIntyre, G., Morton, L., Tanner, G., & Kolacz, J. (2022). ENACT study: What has helped health and social care workers maintain their mental well‐being during the COVID ‐19 pandemic? Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(6).
Cortés-Denia, D., Pulido-Martos, M., Bosak, J., & Lopez-Zafra, E. (2024). The impact of transformational leadership on workers’ personal resources: latent profile analysis and links with physical and psychological health. BJPsych Open, 10(5), e135.
Daoud, H., Sellami, I., Ben Chabene, C., Ghrab, M. A., Haddar, A., Hajjaji, M., Jmal Hammami, K., & Masmoudi, M. L. (2024). The impact of working conditions on the mental health of workers in a confectionery factory. European Psychiatry, 67(S1), S596–S596.
Deng, Y., Frey, J. J., Osteen, P. J., Mosby, A., Imboden, R., Ware, O. D., & Bazell, A. (2024). Engaging Law Enforcement Employees in Mental Health Help-Seeking: Examining the Utilization of Interactive Screening Program and Motivational Interviewing Techniques. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 1-15.
Deschênes, A.-A. (2024). Digital literacy, the use of collaborative technologies, and perceived social proximity in a hybrid work environment: Technology as a social binder. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 13, 100351.
Dutta, D., & Mishra, S. K. (2024). Bots for mental health: the boundaries of human and technology agencies for enabling mental well-being within organizations. Personnel Review, 53(5), 1129–1156.
Eng, N., Sun, R., Meng, J., & Neill, M. S. (2024). Promoting employee well-being and commitment in communication industries. Journal of Communication Management.
Ertiö, T., Eriksson, T., Rowan, W., & McCarthy, S. (2024). The role of digital leaders’ emotional intelligence in mitigating employee technostress. Business Horizons, 67(4), 399–409.
Extremera, N., Mérida-López, S., Quintana-Orts, C., & Rey, L. (2020). On the association between job dissatisfaction and employee’s mental health problems: Does emotional regulation ability buffer the link? Personality and Individual Differences, 155, 109710.
Foster, K., Shakespeare‐Finch, J., Shochet, I., Maybery, D., Bui, M. V., Steele, M., & Roche, M. (2024). Psychological distress, well‐being, resilience, posttraumatic growth, and turnover intention of mental health nurses during COVID‐19: A cross‐sectional study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 33(5), 1543–1552.
Fraboni, F., Brendel, H., & Pietrantoni, L. (2023). Evaluating Organizational Guidelines for Enhancing Psychological Well-Being, Safety, and Performance in Technology Integration. Sustainability, 15(10), 8113.
Greiner, B. A., Leduc, C., O’Brien, C., Cresswell-Smith, J., Rugulies, R., Wahlbeck, K., Abdulla, K., Amann, B. L., Pashoja, A. C., Coppens, E., Corcoran, P., Maxwell, M., Ross, V., de Winter, L., Arensman, E., & Aust, B. (2022). The effectiveness of organisational-level workplace mental health interventions on mental health and wellbeing in construction workers: A systematic review and recommended research agenda. PLOS ONE, 17(11), e0277114.
Grimmond, T., King, T., LaMontagne, A. D., Oostermeijer, S., Harrap, B., Newberry‐Dupé, J., & Reavley, N. (2024). Workplace‐related determinants of mental health in food and bar workers in Western, high‐income countries: A systematic review. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 67(8), 696–711.
Hengboriboon, L., & Yukongdi, V. (2024). Enhancing Employee Assistance Programs for Stress Management in Thailand: Employees’ Perspectives. Sage Open, 14(4).
Herkes, J., Ellis, L. A., Churruca, K., & Braithwaite, J. (2019). A cross-sectional study investigating the associations of person-organisation and person-group fit with staff outcomes in mental healthcare. BMJ Open, 9(9), e030669.
Hopkins, J., & Bardoel, A. (2023). The Future Is Hybrid: How Organisations Are Designing and Supporting Sustainable Hybrid Work Models in Post-Pandemic Australia. Sustainability, 15(4), 3086.
Hunt, D. F., Bailey, J., Lennox, B. R., Crofts, M., & Vincent, C. (2021). Enhancing psychological safety in mental health services. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15(1), 33.
Ihm, J., Kim, Y., & Lee, C.-J. (2024). Whom Does Remote Work Make Happy? The Digital Divide in Remote Workers’ Well-Being. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 27(8), 550–561.
Jeannotte, A. M., Hutchinson, D. M., & Kellerman, G. R. (2021). Time to Change for Mental Health and Well-being via Virtual Professional Coaching: Longitudinal Observational Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(7), e27774.
Jogulu, U., Green, N., Franken, E., Vassiley, A., Bentley, T., & Onnis, L. (2024). Work arrangement “yo-yo”: forced flexibility from the office to home and back again. Personnel Review, 53(5), 1224–1243.
Johnson, W., Searby, A., & Alexander, L. (2025). Can Emotionally Intelligent Mental Health Nurse Leaders Influence Workforce Sustainability? A Scoping Review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 34(1).
Kaiser, S., Patras, J., Adolfsen, F., Richardsen, A. M., & Martinussen, M. (2020). Using the Job Demands–Resources Model to Evaluate Work-Related Outcomes Among Norwegian Health Care Workers. Sage Open, 10(3).
Katou, A. A., Koupkas, M., & Triantafillidou, E. (2022). Job demands-resources model, transformational leadership and organizational performance: a multilevel study. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 71(7), 2704–2722.
Li, L. Z., & Wang, S. (2022). Do work-family initiatives improve employee mental health? Longitudinal evidence from a nationally representative cohort. Journal of Affective Disorders, 297, 407–414.
Lowe, G. (2024). Promoting Psychological Health and Safety in Canadian Healthcare Organizations. Healthcare Quarterly, 27(3), 22–27.
Lungu, A., Boone, M. S., Chen, S. Y., Chen, C. E., & Walser, R. D. (2021). Effectiveness of a Cognitive Behavioral Coaching Program Delivered via Video in Real World Settings. Telemedicine and E-Health, 27(1), 47–54.
Marsh, H. W., Dicke, T., Riley, P., Parker, P. D., Guo, J., Basarkod, G., & Martin, A. J. (2023). School principals’ mental health and well‐being under threat: A longitudinal analysis of workplace demands, resources, burnout, and well‐being. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 15(3), 999–1027.
Matthews, L. R., Gerald, J., & Jessup, G. M. (2021). Exploring men’s use of mental health support offered by an Australian Employee Assistance Program (EAP): perspectives from a focus-group study with males working in blue- and white-collar industries. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15(1), 68.
Mehta, L. S., Churchwell, K., Coleman, D., Davidson, J., Furie, K., Ijioma, N. N., Katz, J. N., Moutier, C., Rove, J. Y., Summers, R., Vela, A., & Shanafelt, T. (2024). Fostering Psychological Safety and Supporting Mental Health Among Cardiovascular Health Care Workers: A Science Advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 150(2), e51–e61.
Menshikova, M., Bonacci, I., Scarozza, D., & Zifaro, M. (2025). The employee satisfaction with the new normal ways of working: a cluster analysis. Journal of Asia Business Studies.
Mohammad, S., Miguet, M., Rukh, G., Schiöth, H. B., & Mwinyi, J. (2023). Job satisfaction and job tenure of people with mental health disorders: a UK Biobank cohort study. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 51(8), 1248–1257.
Mtombeni, A., Chisango, S., Mapuranga, R., Mlilo Mabwe, L., & Manimhanzi, G. (2025). COVID-19 and the Work-Life Balance in Zimbabwe Private Sector Companies. Oikos: The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Bulletin of Ecology, Science Technology, Agriculture, Food Systems Review and Advancement, 26–42.
Muijeen, K., Kittiteerasack, P., Rungrojwatanasiri, P., Rochanahastin, A., Chumwichan, S., & Phanphairoj, K. (2025). Impact of Online Work Mode on Personal Well-being: Exploring Paradigm Shifts in the Relationship Between Resilience Coping, Life Orientation, Hope, and Purpose in Life. ABAC Journal, 45(1), 135–153.
Nguyen, M. Van, Khanh, H. D., Phan, C. T., & Thuc, L. D. (2025). Investigating the impacts of psychological safety climate on mental ill health in the Vietnamese construction industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management.
Nikunlaakso, R., Selander, K., Oksanen, T., & Laitinen, J. (2022). Interventions to reduce the risk of mental health problems in health and social care workplaces: A scoping review. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 152, 57–69.
Nowrouzi-Kia, B., Haritos, A. M., Long, B.-Z. S., Atikian, C., Fiorini, L. A., Gohar, B., Howe, A., Li, Y., & Bani-Fatemi, A. (2024). Remote work transition amidst COVID-19: Impacts on presenteeism, absenteeism, and worker well-being—A scoping review. PLOS ONE, 19(7), e0307087.
Osorio, M. L., & Madero, S. (2025). Explaining Gen Z’s desire for hybrid work in corporate, family, and entrepreneurial settings. Business Horizons, 68(1), 83–93.
Petitta, L., & Ghezzi, V. (2025). Remote Work and Psychological Distance: Organizational Belongingness as a Resource Against Work Stressors and Employee Performance Impairment and Distress. Sustainability, 17(4), 1342.
Qiu, D., Li, R., Li, Y., He, J., Ouyang, F., Luo, D., & Xiao, S. (2021). Job Dissatisfaction Mediated the Associations Between Work Stress and Mental Health Problems. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12.
Quinane, E., Bardoel, E. A., & Pervan, S. (2021). CEOs, leaders and managing mental health: a tension-centered approach. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(15), 3157–3189.
Radic, A., Arjona-Fuentes, J. M., Ariza-Montes, A., Han, H., & Law, R. (2020). Job demands–job resources (JD-R) model, work engagement, and well-being of cruise ship employees. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 88, 102518.
Sarfaraz, M., Sarfaraz, S., Maqsood, A., Ahmed, N., Vohra, F., Abduljabbar, T., & Abduljabbar, A. S. (2022). Assessing the impact of workaholism and work engagement on medical university employee stress and satisfaction levels. PeerJ, 10, e12565.
Shen, Y., Li, Y., Ju, C., Ashraf, H., Hu, Z., He, C., & Memon, S. A. (2023). Foundational Effects of Organizational Climate on Perceived Safety Climate: A Multiple Mediation Model. Sustainability, 15(22), 15759.
Shih, F.-C., & Yeh, S.-C. J. (2024). Conservation of resources perspective on authentic leadership and employee well-being: The influence of job stress and emotional intelligence. Health Care Management Review, 49(4), 323–330.
Silver, A. M., Farabaugh, J. L., & Holland, D. (2020). 11. Time is of the essence: one residency programs approach to breaking down barriers to accessing mental health resources. Academic Pediatrics, 20(7), e7–e8.
Soga, L. R., Bolade-Ogunfodun, Y., Mariani, M., Nasr, R., & Laker, B. (2022). Unmasking the other face of flexible working practices: A systematic literature review. Journal of Business Research, 142, 648–662.
Srivastava, S., & Gupta, P. (2022). Workplace spirituality as panacea for waning well-being during the pandemic crisis: A SDT perspective. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 50, 375–388.
Tawfik, D. S., Adair, K. C., Palassof, S., Sexton, J. B., Levoy, E., Frankel, A., Leonard, M., Proulx, J., & Profit, J. (2023). Leadership Behavior Associations with Domains of Safety Culture, Engagement, and Health Care Worker Well-Being. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 49(3), 156–165.
Teng-Calleja, M., Mactal, M. T. de G., & Caringal-Go, J. F. (2024). Examining employee experiences of hybrid work: an ecological approach. Personnel Review, 53(6), 1408–1424.
Terry, P. E. (2022). Well-Being and Evolving Work Autonomy: The Locus of Control Construct Revisited. American Journal of Health Promotion, 36(4), 593–596.
Tran, H. T. D., & Kim, M. (2023). Factors Influencing the Continued Intent to Use Virtual Interactive Platforms in Korean Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises for Remote and Hybrid Work. Sustainability, 15(13), 9972.
Upadyaya, K., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2020). Social demands and resources predict job burnout and engagement profiles among Finnish employees. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 33(4), 403–415.
Urrila, L., Siiriäinen, A., Mäkelä, L., & Kangas, H. (2025). Sense of belonging in hybrid work settings. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 157, 104096.
Van Der Feltz-Cornelis, C. M., Shepherd, J., Olaya, B., Vanroelen, C., Gevaert, J., Borrega Cepa, O., Bernard, R. M., Merecz-Kot, D., Sinokki, M., Hakkaart-van Roijen, L., & Haro, J. M. (2023). Empower: Design of a digital intervention for workplace stress and mental health. A European study. European Psychiatry, 66(S1), S160–S161.
Vito, R. (2020). Key variations in organizational culture and leadership influence: A comparison between three children’s mental health and child welfare agencies. Children and Youth Services Review, 108, 104600.
Vyas, L. (2022). “New normal” at work in a post-COVID world: work–life balance and labor markets. Policy and Society, 41(1), 155–167.
West, A. B., Guo, Y. V., & Bucher, A. (2023). Leveraging behavioral science and artificial intelligence to support mental health in the workplace: a pilot study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14.
Wheatley, D., Broome, M. R., Dobbins, T., Hopkins, B., & Powell, O. (2024). Navigating Choppy Water: Flexibility Ripple Effects in the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Future of Remote and Hybrid Working. Work, Employment and Society, 38(5), 1379–1402.
Willett, J. F., LaGree, D., Warner, B. R., Brian Houston, J., & Duffy, M. (2024). Flourishing With Flexibility: Leader Communicative Support of Flexible Work Arrangements Enhances Employee Engagement and Well-Being. International Journal of Business Communication.
Williams, G. (2024). Where should health system investments be made to protect the mental health of healthcare workers? European Journal of Public Health, 34(Supplement_3).
Wright, S. A., Walker, L. F., & Hall, E. E. (2023). Effects of workplace stress, perceived stress, and burnout on collegiate coach mental health outcomes. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5, 974267.
Yang, L., Murad, M., Mirza, F., Chaudhary, N. I., & Saeed, M. (2022). Shadow of cyber ostracism over remote environment: Implication on remote work challenges, virtual work environment and employee mental well-being during a Covid-19 pandemic. Acta Psychologica, 225, 103552.
Zeshan, M., Morelli, M., Rasool, S., Centobelli, P., & Cerchione, R. (2025). Empowering sustainable workplaces: A perspective on employee well‐being in the light of the job demand resource model. Sustainable Development, 33(2), 1861–1878.
Zieringer, R. C., & Zapf, D. (2024). The effects of an employee assistance program on productivity at work, workability, absenteeism, and smartphone measures of heart rate and heart rate variability. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 29(4), 280–298.
