BALANCING THE SCALE: EXPLORING THE MEDIATING ROLE OF WORK ENGAGEMENT AND WORKAHOLISM IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL SUPPORT AND PERCEIVED STRESS IN PAKISTAN’S BANKING SECTOR

Abstract

This study investigates the dual role of work engagement and workaholism as mediators in the relationship between work-related social support and perceived stress among employees in Pakistan’s banking sector. Drawing upon the Self-Determination Theory and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the research explores how three distinct sources of social support—perceived organizational support, supervisor support, and coworker support—affect employee stress levels through different pathways. Data were collected from 354 bank employees via a structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS. Results reveal that while supervisor and co-worker support significantly enhance work engagement and reduce workaholism, organizational support exhibits a weaker influence. Work engagement is associated with lower perceived stress, whereas workaholism intensifies stress. The findings underscore the nuanced impact of proximal (supervisor, co-worker) versus distal (organizational) support sources, offering critical insights for HR managers aiming to mitigate workplace stress. This study contributes to the social support literature by identifying key mediators and offering practical strategies for stress reduction in high-demand service environments.