The socio-demographic determinants of workplace loneliness in India
ISSN: 2049-3983
Article publication date: 31 May 2021
Issue publication date: 9 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study was conducted with two main objectives: (1) to examine the prevalence of workplace loneliness in the Indian manufacturing and service sectors (2) to examine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, nature of the organization, tenure, number of friends at the workplace, and position in the organizational hierarchy) on the feeling of loneliness in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 934 employees working in manufacturing and service sectors across India. Regression analysis was used for hypotheses testing.
Findings
Findings indicated below average level of loneliness in Indian workplace. Significant differences were found in workplace loneliness with respect to age, marital status and number of friends at the workplace. In contrast, gender, nature of organization, position and tenure had no effect on the feeling of workplace loneliness.
Originality/value
This study advances the limited literature on workplace loneliness by identifying its prevalence and socio-demographic determinants in Indian business organizations. It would help HR practitioners in comprehending and dealing with the emerging challenges associated with workplace loneliness.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Ethical Approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed Consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Conflict of Interest: The authors declares no conflict of interest.
Citation
Firoz, M., Chaudhary, R. and Lata, M. (2022), "The socio-demographic determinants of workplace loneliness in India", Evidence-based HRM, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 17-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBHRM-08-2020-0116
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited