Too small to care? Developing a model explaining managers' decision to adopt employee stress prevention practices in micro and small enterprises

Abstract

Employee work stress jeopardizes employee well-being and enterprise performance in micro and small enterprises (MSEs). Although previous studies show that formal stress prevention practices effectively improve employee well-being and, in turn, foster enterprise performance, MSE managers rarely adopt such formal prevention practices. Based on qualitative evidence, we explore the attitudes and perceptions underlying MSE managers' decision to adopt formal stress prevention practices (i.e., their perceived closeness with employees, perceived expertise in stress prevention, attitude toward formal practices, attitude toward external support, attitude toward work stress, and perceived employee buy-in). Moreover, we develop a theoretical model explaining how the extracted attitudes and perceptions influence MSE managers' adoption decisions. Our study contributes to the research on MSE managers' experience with managing work stress and their role as employers. Furthermore, we provide practical recommendations for external providers of formal stress prevention practices on how to engage with MSE managers.