Effects of job autonomy on workplace loneliness among knowledge workers
ISSN: 1750-614X
Article publication date: 10 November 2020
Issue publication date: 15 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Given its detrimental implications for employees’ well-being and work performance, this paper seeks to understand how workplace loneliness occurs by focusing on a job-related antecedent, job autonomy. Drawing on role identity theory and situational strength theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose that job autonomy relates to workplace loneliness via perceived insider status, a process moderated by perceived clan culture.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-wave survey served to collect data from 430 knowledge workers in 17 enterprises from several major cities in Eastern China.
Findings
Job autonomy relates to workplace loneliness via the mediation of perceived insider status. Specifically, job autonomy impacts positively on perceived insider status, which further reduces workplace loneliness. Besides, the relationship between perceived insider status and workplace loneliness is conditional on perceived clan culture – perceived insider status decreases workplace loneliness more effectively in the case of higher perceived clan culture. Furthermore, perceived clan culture moderates the mediating effect of perceived insider status.
Originality/value
This paper is among the few attempts to offer a comprehensive framework in which job and organizational characteristics combine to explain workplace loneliness. Moreover, the findings illustrate that perceived insider status and perceived clan culture complement each other in alleviating workplace loneliness.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work received financial support from a project entitled “the coupling effect of employees’ willingness and organizational permission for remote work and the effect of contingent factors” from The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 71572074) and major project funding for “organizational change and management in a changing environment” from The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 71832006).
Citation
Wang, D. and Liu, H. (2021), "Effects of job autonomy on workplace loneliness among knowledge workers", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 182-195. https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-04-2020-0175
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited