Effect of Favoritism on Mental Health: Mediating Roles of Oral Negativism, Stress, and Willingness to Leave Jobs among Employees

Abstract

Background and Objective: In an organization, the presence of favoritism instead of meritocracy can leave many psychological outcomes among employees. This study analyzed the effects of favoritism on employee mental health by considering the mediating roles of oral negativism, occupational stress, and willingness to leave jobs. Methodology: This is an applied-descriptive survey, in which the statistical population included 152 employees working at the Organization of Industry, Mine, and Trade in Hamadan Province. The data collection tool was a questionnaire; the path analysis was employed to analyze data through structural equation modeling in LISREL. Findings: Favoritism had positive, significant effects on occupational stress, oral negativism, and willingness to leave jobs. Moreover, occupational stress had positive effects on oral negativism and willingness to leave jobs but negative, significant effects on mental health of employees. In addition, oral negativism and willingness to leave jobs had negative effects on mental health of employees. Conclusion: Considering the outcomes of favoritism, it is necessary to take essential actions to reduce favoritism and improve meritocracy and justice in organizations in order to maintain mental health of employees.

Keywords

• favoritism
• willingness to leave jobs
• oral negativism
• mental health
• occupational stress