Linking perceived job insecurity and work passion: The mediating role of mindful self‐care in academic staff

Self‐care is proactive action that involves a repertoire of practices aimed at developing, maintaining and improving physical health and mental well‐being. Although there is a growing number of studies on mindfulness in a variety of academic fields, there is a dearth of studies that look at academics' mindful self‐care in relation to job insecurity and work passion in the higher education institutions. This study aims to examine how job insecurity is related to academic staff's work passion in Ethiopia. It also looks at the role of mindful self‐care in lessening the impact of job insecurity. A cross‐sectional study was carried out, and snowball sampling was used to collect data from a total of 251 academics, ranging in age from 23 to 66 years, who voluntarily consented to participate in the self‐report survey. Job insecurity was inversely related to passion for work and mindful self‐care. Mindful self‐care was a mediator in the link between job insecurity and passion for work. The study encourages workplace mental health professionals to consider the role of mindful self‐care in their psychological intervention programs aimed at minimizing job insecurity and increasing passion for work. Practitioner points Passion for work predicts job insecurity in academic staff. Mindful self‐care can be a protective factor against perceived job insecurity. Mental health professionals may plan and offer mindful self‐care oriented interventions to boost work passion and reduce job insecurity in academic staff.