EURASIAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS

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Interpersonal Communication, Relational Crafting's and Language Portfolio Impact on Job Stress: Exploring Moderating Role of Expatriates Experience

Sheriff Y. Ahmed
Department of Management, School of Business, King Faisal University, P.O Box: 400, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia.
Sanjar Mirzaliev
Tashkent State University of Economics, Uzbekistan
Keywords: Language Portfolio, Interpersonal Communication Competence, Relational Crafting, Job Stress, Workplace Stress Management ,

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of interpersonal communication competence, relational crafting, and language portfolio on job stress by examining both direct and mediating effects. Additionally, it explores whether these relationships differ between employees with below and above average experience levels through multi-group analysis. A quantitative research approach was employed, collecting data from 234 employees (121 with below average experience, 113 with above average experience) through a structured survey. The study utilized validated measurement scales and analyzed the data using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via Smart-PLS. Reliability, validity, discriminant validity, and structural relationships were assessed, along with mediation and multi-group analysis (MGA) to compare differences across experience levels. Results indicate that interpersonal communication competence and relational crafting significantly reduce job stress. Conversely, language portfolio increases job stress, suggesting that while multilingual proficiency enhances communication, it may also introduce work-related pressures. Mediation analysis confirms that language portfolio partially mediates the relationships between interpersonal communication competence, relational crafting, and job stress. The MGA findings reveal that the impact of language portfolio on job stress is stronger for below average experience employees. However, one hypothesis regarding the mediation of language portfolio between interpersonal communication competence and job stress was not supported in the MGA, indicating that this effect may not vary significantly across experience levels. This study contributes to workplace stress literature by integrating communication skills, proactive relational behaviors, and multilingualism as key determinants of stress. The findings offer theoretical advancements in job stress research and provide practical insights for organizations to enhance communication training, relationship-building initiatives, and language management strategies.