Title: Job stress and well-being: the moderating role of pet attachment

Authors: Jehn-Yih Wong; Ying-Ying Cheng; Chia-Ying ChouHua; Shih-Hao Liu

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Ming Chuan University, 250 Zhong Shan North Road, Sec. 5, Taipei 111, Taiwan ' Department of Business Administration, Ming Chuan University, 250 Zhong Shan North Road, Sec. 5, Taipei 111, Taiwan ' Department of Business Administration, Ming Chuan University, 250 Zhong Shan North Road, Sec. 5, Taipei 111, Taiwan ' Department of Tourism, Ming Chuan University, 5 De Ming Road, Gui Shan District, Taoyuan City 333, Taiwan

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the impact of job stress on pet owners' well-being (life satisfaction and emotional exhaustion). It further explored the moderating effect of pet attachment on the relationship between job stress and well-being. For this study, 228 questionnaire responses were collected. Structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis were used for data analysis. The study results revealed that job stress was negatively related to life satisfaction and positively associated with emotional exhaustion. It further found that pet attachment had no significant effect on life satisfaction. Pet owners with strong pet attachments perceived higher emotional exhaustion than those with weaker attachment. Moreover, pet attachment moderated the effect of job stress on life satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. The findings emphasise the importance of human-animal interactions. Accordingly, recommendations for benefit design are provided for enterprises to maintain employees' mental health.

Keywords: human-animal interactions; pet attachment; job stress; emotional exhaustion; life satisfaction; well-being.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMP.2024.139697

International Journal of Management Practice, 2024 Vol.17 No.4, pp.448 - 462

Received: 11 Feb 2023
Accepted: 16 Jun 2023
Published online: 05 Jul 2024 *

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