Human Capital Development Programs, Employee Performance, and Employee Well-Being During Poly-Crisis: The Role of Work–Family Conflict and Technostress at SMEs in Lebanon

Lebanon is currently going through a multi-faceted crisis with what appears to be an unrelenting cycle of economic and banking defaults, unstable infrastructure, market uncertainty, and difficult working conditions for employees who are trying to support the economy. This study examines whether opportunities for human capital development in SMEs are associated with less work–family conflict and higher employee productivity and well-being in turbulent times. Furthermore, the study investigates whether technostress and coping mechanisms moderate the association between work–family conflict and employee outcomes. Data were collected through a quantitative cross-sectional survey targeting 207 employees working for SMEs in Lebanon and analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results indicated that human capital development opportunities were negatively associated with work–family conflict and that work–family conflict was, in turn, negatively associated with employee productivity and well-being. Further, technostress and coping mechanisms moderated the negative association between work–family conflict and employee outcomes. From a theoretical perspective, this research offers an integrated framework that synthesizes organizational, technological, and psychological dimensions within the SME context during times of crisis. From a practical standpoint, these associations may help inform how Lebanese SMEs approach workforce development, digital-work management, and coping-support practices.