How does social isolation in a context of dirty work increase emotional exhaustion and inhibit work engagement? A process model

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 1620-1634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Bentein ◽  
Alice Garcia ◽  
Sylvie Guerrero ◽  
Olivier Herrbach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the consequences of experiencing social isolation in a context of dirty work. Relying on an integration of the job demands-resources model (Schaufeli and Bakker, 2004) with the social identity approach (Ashforth and Kreiner, 1999), the paper posits that perceived social isolation prevents the development of defense mechanisms that could counter the occupational stigma, and thus tends to increase perceptions of stigmatization, and to decrease perceptions of the prosocial impact of their work. Through these two perceptions, perceived social isolation indirectly affects emotional exhaustion and work engagement. Design/methodology/approach Research hypotheses are tested among a sample of 195 workers in the commercial cleaning industry who execute physically tainted tasks. Findings Results support the research model. Perceived prosocial impact mediates the negative relationship between perceived social isolation and work engagement, and perceived stigmatization mediates the positive relationship between perceived social isolation and emotional exhaustion. Research limitations/implications This research contributes to the dirty work literature by empirically examining one of its implicit assumptions, namely, that social isolation prevents the development of coping strategies. It also contributes to the literature on well-being and work engagement by demonstrating how they are affected by the social context of work. Originality/value The present paper is the first to study the specific challenges of social isolation in dirty work occupations and its consequences.

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 542-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hélène Henry ◽  
Donatienne Desmette

Purpose In the context of workforce aging, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of occupational future time perspective (OFTP) in the relationship between work–family enrichment (WF-E) and two well-being outcomes (i.e. work engagement and emotional exhaustion). In addition, the moderating role of age on the relationship between WF-E and OFTP, and consequently, on the indirect effects of WF-E on work engagement and emotional exhaustion through OFTP, will be examined. Design/methodology/approach Cross-sectional survey research (n=263) was conducted in a public sector company in Belgium. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap analyses were performed to investigate the hypothesized relationships. Findings The dimension “remaining opportunities” of OFTP mediated the positive relationship between WFE and work engagement, and the negative relationship between WFE and emotional exhaustion. Chronological age moderated the positive relationship between WFE and the dimension “remaining time” of OFTP, with stronger effects among older workers. Research limitations/implications This research has confirmed that OFTP is influenced by WFE and that WFE matters, especially for older workers. Future research should continue to study the effects of the work–family interface on older workers. Practical implications Age management practices should take WFE into consideration when managing an aging workforce. In particular, older workers may benefit from WFE to increase their perception of remaining opportunities at work, which, in turn, increase well-being. Originality/value This study contributes evidence for the role of personal resources (i.e. remaining opportunities) in the relationship between WF-E and well-being at work.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Garg ◽  
Wendy Marcinkus Murphy ◽  
Pankaj Singh

PurposeThis paper examines whether employee-driven practices of reverse mentoring and job crafting lead to work engagement and, in turn, to higher levels of prospective mental and physical health.Design/methodology/approachIntegrating social exchange theory and the job demands and resources model as theoretical frameworks, survey data were collected from 369 Indian software developers to test the research model. Latent variable structural equation modeling was used to empirically test the hypothesized associations.FindingsThe findings reveal that both reverse mentoring and job crafting are significantly associated with work engagement. Work engagement fully mediated the negative relationship between 1) reverse mentoring and mental ill-health and 2) job crafting and physical ill-health, while it partially mediated the negative relationship between 1) reverse mentoring and physical ill-health and 2) job crafting and mental ill-health.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate that by implementing the practices of reverse mentoring and job crafting, managers can achieve desired levels of engagement among employees and sustain organizational productivity by promoting employee health and well-being.Originality/valueThis study is one of the early attempts to empirically demonstrate the associated health outcomes of reverse mentoring and job crafting.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1150-1168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shazia Nauman ◽  
Usman Raja ◽  
Inam Ul Haq ◽  
Waqas Bilal

Purpose The extant research on emotional labor (EL) has focused on positive and negative outcomes observed in the workplace; however, many fundamental questions remain unanswered. The research has yet to consider what factors buffer the negative outcomes of EL. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between workload job demand and employee well-being with mediating effects of surface acting (SA) and moderating effects of emotional intelligence (EI) in service organizations. Design/methodology/approach The authors used two wave data from a sample of 207 emergency medical technicians to test the hypotheses. Findings By integrating SA, EI and employee well-being with the conservation of resource theory, the authors found evidence of an indirect effect of workload job demand on emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction via SA. The results of moderated mediation show that the negative relationship between SA and job satisfaction was low when EI was high and the positive relationship between SA and emotional exhaustion was low when EI was high. Research limitations/implications A major limitation of the present study is that all the participants were male and drawn from a single profession within the same organization. Another limitation is that the data were collected through self-reports. Practical implications This research has important theoretical and practical implications for service organizations wishing to buffer the harmful effects of SA on employees. This study presents key theoretical implications for the EL and well-being literatures. An important practical implication is that EI is a good resource for managing SA’s negative outcomes. Originality/value The current study contributes to the extant research by showing that workload job demands have negative effects on employee well-being via SA resulting in reduced job satisfaction and increased emotional exhaustion. Further, the negative outcomes of SA on employee well-being can be buffered through EI by taking EI as an emotional resource. High level of EI helps employees to mitigate the harmful effects of SA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manjiri Kunte ◽  
Parisa RungRuang

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of job demands, job resources and personal resources on work engagement using the job demands–resources (JD–R) model.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilized a longitudinal research design in a sample of Thai employees (n=182). The data were collected by questionnaires administered in two waves over a period of four months, and the hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analysis.FindingsThe results supported the negative relationship between role ambiguity and work engagement. In addition, the findings suggested self-efficacy as a moderator in reducing the effect of increasing workload on work engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study will be helpful for managers in designing appropriate human resources policies and practices; in recruiting, selecting and developing engaged employees; and in ensuring workplace well-being.Originality/valueThis is the first notable study establishing the applicability of the antecedents of work engagement in the JD–R model in a Thai work setting.


2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 2139-2159
Author(s):  
Amer Ali Al-Atwi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to adapt the job demands–resources perspective to extend social network literature by examining the effectiveness of psychological (work engagement and emotional exhaustion) and instrumental (access to benefits) mechanisms as mediators of the relationship between employees’ centrality in positive and negative ties networks and job performance. Design/methodology/approach The survey data were collected from 103 employees working at a public bank in three stages. Findings The study results supported the hypotheses that an individual’s centrality in a negative network increases his/her experience of emotional exhaustion, while individual centrality in a positive network increases his/her work engagement. In addition, the findings showed that centrality in positive networks will be more predictive of work engagement when negative ties centrality increases, and the relationship between centrality in the negative network and emotional exhaustion is weaker when centrality in the positive network is higher. Originality/value The study extends out to the social ledger model (Labianca and Brass, 2006) by examining the dual pathways of effects of positive and negative ties in predicting employee outcomes. In addition, the authors’ model enriches the understanding of the nature of social network ties more broadly by suggesting that its effects in the workplace can extend beyond psychological effects to include instrumental impact.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanna Nuutinen ◽  
Salla Ahola ◽  
Juha Eskelinen ◽  
Markku Kuula

PurposeThis study aims to provide insight into the relationship between job resources (job control and possibilities for development at work) and employee performance, measured as employee productivity and technology-enabled performance, by examining the role of employee well-being (work engagement and emotional exhaustion).Design/methodology/approachThe data comprised two overlapping data sets collected from a large financial institution; Study 1 employed survey data (N = 636), whereas study 2 employed register data on job performance collected over a one-year period combined with survey data (N = 143). The data were analysed through structural equation modelling.FindingsStudy 1 indicated that job resources were positively associated with technology-enabled performance more strongly through work engagement than emotional exhaustion. Study 2 revealed that emotional exhaustion was associated with lower employee productivity, whereas work engagement was not. Furthermore, the results indicated that job control was related to higher productivity through a lower level of emotional exhaustion.Practical implicationsThe study's findings point to the importance of developing interventions that decrease emotional exhaustion.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to measure employee productivity longitudinally as a ratio of inputs (working time) to outputs (relevant job outcomes) over one year. This study contributes to the job demands–resources model (JD-R) literature by showing the importance of job control in fostering both employee productivity and more positive perceptions of technology.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Dias ◽  
Sílvia Lopes ◽  
Ricardo Peixoto

Purpose This study aims to examine the associations among mastering new technologies, teleworkers’ voluntariness and involuntariness and employee well-being (i.e. work engagement and exhaustion). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies have explored the relationships among these constructs in the same conceptual model. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a sample of 451 individuals performing telework in Portugal. AMOS was used to test all hypotheses of the study. Findings The findings showed a positive relationship between mastering new technologies and teleworkers’ voluntariness and a negative relationship between mastering new technologies and teleworkers’ involuntariness. However, contrary to expectations, voluntariness in teleworking was not significantly related to either work engagement or exhaustion. However, consistent with the theoretical background of self-determination theory, involuntariness in teleworking was negatively related to work engagement and positively related to exhaustion. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by addressing the analysis of telework-related variables that may impact workers’ well-being. Implications for human resource management policies and knowledge management are discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-97
Author(s):  
Arne Lindseth Bygdås

Purpose – The literature on knowledge transfer is dominated by a one-way transmission model logic where knowledge is captured and transferred from one source to another, assuming the source and receiver resemble each other and have some common knowledge. The social learning processes, what is learned and the phases and sequences of the developmental processes by which learning take place are more or less black boxed in the literature. This paper investigates the social dynamics of the formation and shaping of organizational practice from scratch in a greenfield organizational setting where no prior organizational practice exist. Design/methodology/approach – The paper builds on a case study approach applied in two greenfield organizational settings. A descriptive process model is developed to analyze the translocation and sociogenesis of organizational practices. Findings – A transfer-approach provides a too simplistic and narrow understanding of the process of “moving” organizational practices. Establishing an organizational practice can be described as a community of knowing “in the making” following various modes of cultural learning characterised by mutual adjustments, joint interactions, and alignment of shared understandings, and as such is more learned than transferred. Practical implications – The process model developed in the paper provides a platform for better understanding, planning and execution of intra-firm knowledge transfer and regeneration. Originality/value – The paper provides an in-depth empirical analysis of organizational practice generation from scratch emphasizing the social dynamics and co-construction of meaning when a collective capability is being acquired and built up.


Author(s):  
Antonia-Sophie Döbler ◽  
André Emmermacher ◽  
Stefanie Richter-Killenberg ◽  
Joshua Nowak ◽  
Jürgen Wegge

The present study provides evidence for the important role of job crafting and self-undermining behaviors at work, two new concepts that were recently integrated into the well-known job demands-resources (JD-R) theory (Bakker and Demerouti, 2017). We investigate how these behaviors are associated with work engagement, emotional exhaustion, and work ability as a long-term indicator of employee’s well-being. Furthermore, we examine the moderating role of personal resources in the stress-strain process by comparing groups of employees representing the five types of job satisfaction defined by Bruggemann (1974). Data was collected in a cross-sectional study within a German DAX company’s manufacturing plant from 1145 blue- and white-collar workers. Results of structural equation modeling provided, as expected, support for an indirect effect of job demands and job resources on emotional exhaustion and work engagement through job crafting and self-undermining. Work ability, on the other hand, was mainly affected by emotional exhaustion, but not by work engagement. Most important, we found significant differences between path coefficients across the five types of job satisfaction indicating that these types represent important constellations of personal resources and job demands that should be considered both for analyzing stress at work and for offering tailored stress interventions in organizations.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Dadaczynski ◽  
Claudia Kotarski ◽  
Katharina Rathmann ◽  
Orkan Okan

PurposeSchool principals are generally seen as key facilitators for the delivery and long-term implementation of activities on school health promotion, including health literacy. However, there is little evidence on the health literacy and health status of this occupational group. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the health literacy of school principals and its association with mental health indicators.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional online survey with German school principals and members of the management board (vice principals) was conducted (n = 680, 68.3% female). Demographic (gender, age) and work characteristics (type of school, professional role) as well as health literacy served as independent variables. Mental health as a dependent variable included well-being, emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. Next to uni- and bivariate analysis, a series of binary logistic regression models was performed.FindingsOf the respondents, 29.2% showed a limited health literacy with significant differences to the disadvantage of male principals. With regard to mental health, respondents aged over 60 years and those from schools for children with special educational needs were less often affected by low well-being as well as frequent emotional exhaustion and psychosomatic complaints. Taking into account demographic and work characteristics, regression models revealed significant associations between a low level of health literacy and poor mental health across all indicators.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional nature of this study does not allow to draw conclusions about the causal pathways between health literacy and mental health. Although the sample has been weighted, the results cannot be generalized to the whole population of school principals. There is a need for evidence-based interventions aiming at promoting health literacy and mental health tailored to the needs of school principals.Originality/valueThis is the first study to investigate health literacy and its association with health indicators among school principals.


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