Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives (Jul 2024)
The impact of workplace ostracism on employee well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study of mediation effects of remote work challenges
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the influence of digital ostracism on remote work engagement and mental well-being of remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigated the mediating roles of challenges in virtual work environments, including sense of virtual isolation, procrastination behaviors, blurred work-life boundaries, and communication barriers faced by remote employees. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that experiences of digital ostracism significantly impacted remote workers’ engagement in their jobs and overall well-being from afar. Sense of virtual isolation, ineffective virtual communication, tendencies to procrastinate in remote settings, and blurred work-life boundaries were found to partially mediate the relationships between digital ostracism, remote work engagement levels, and mental well-being. In conclusion, implications and limitations of the study were discussed.
