Effects of Social Media Usage on Job Crafting for Female Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from China

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of social media platforms for working online has become a global phenomenon. For female employees, social media usage has made it easier to balance work and family, but the pressures have also multiplied. Especially in China, the COVID-19 prevention policies led to dramatic changes in working patterns, which significantly affected the emotions, cognitions, and behaviors of female employees. Based on the job demands resource theory, this study explores the double-edged effect of social media usage on job crafting for female employees. Survey data were collected from 563 female employees in Chinese enterprises. Hierarchical regression analysis and the bootstrap method by SPSS and AMOS software were used to test the hypotheses. The results show that work-related social media usage has a negative effect on job crafting, while social-related social media usage has a positive effect. Moreover, job autonomy and workplace friendship mediate the relationship between them. This study extends the research on the double-edge effect of female employees’ social media usage and enriches the antecedents and influencing mechanisms of job crafting. It also provides theoretical and practical guidance for managers on how to promote the sustainability of human capital during the COVID-19 pandemic.