New publication at the International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior!

In this paper, Yarid Ayala (Business School Tecnológico de Monterrey), Núria Tordera (IDOCAL, Universitat de València), Aysegul Karaeminogullari & Jaime Andrés Bayona (Department of Business Administration, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), analyze how COVID-19 health beliefs—perceived probability, severity, and worry—shape social isolation and, in turn, impact mental health, life satisfaction, and job performance.

The study, based on data from 678 employees at a private university in Mexico, reveals the role social isolation plays in linking COVID-19-related worries to declines in well-being and workplace performance. The research also shows that psychological capital serves as a powerful tool to counteract these negative effects.

This work offers valuable insights for organizations and leaders navigating social restrictions and workplace challenges in times of crisis. By bridging affective events theory with the health belief model, we provide a fresh perspective on how specific health concerns shape employee emotions and behaviors.

Ayala, Y., Tordera, N., Karaeminogullari, A. and Bayona, J.A. (2025), "As lonely as the moon? When and how health beliefs of COVID-19 affect mental health, life satisfaction and performance", International Journal of Organization Theory & Behavior, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOTB-05-2024-0093