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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 21 March 2024

Rishi Kappal and Dharmesh K.K. Mishra

Executive isolation, also known as workplace loneliness, its factors and impact are major issues for organizational development, future of work for leadership and learning…

Abstract

Purpose

Executive isolation, also known as workplace loneliness, its factors and impact are major issues for organizational development, future of work for leadership and learning culture. The purpose of this study is to examine the Executive isolation phenomenon where relationships between power distance, organizational culture and executive isolation of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) are analysed on how it is considered by their teams. The same is contextualized through the inputs received through interviews conducted with CEOs and employee surveys.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative in-depth interviews of five CEOs, and survey across 34 of the 50 employees, were undertaken over the course of two phases of this study. The investigation focused on identifying executive isolation of CEOs and perspectives of employees that can impact the leadership and learning progress of organizations based on work culture, power distance and decision-making; awareness and experience of executive isolation; workplace friendliness and rejection; and management development initiatives to minimize the impact of executive isolation. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using MAXQDA 2022 (Verbi Software, Berlin, Germany), which is a qualitative data analysis software.

Findings

The findings highlight and expose the significant gap between understanding and analysing of the factors due to which the CEOs undergo executive isolation. It also extends to providing details related to the lack of awareness of the teams’ actions contributing to the CEOs’ isolation. It further highlights the fact that the difference of perspectives between the CEOs and teams leads to the organization slowing in its learning activities due to the leaders’ own challenges of executive isolation The findings also provide immense need of developing knowledge assets and management development initiatives for learning interventions, to help understand, analyse and mitigate executive isolation, in the interest of the organizational learning and development.

Originality/value

Earlier research work have contextualized the executive isolation impact on CEOs ability to be a leader. This study extends it to include the implications of leadership and learning culture on the teams that are affected by organization culture, power distance, decision-making and analysing the gap between the understandings about executive isolation of the CEOs. Eventually, it interprets how CEOs courting the executive isolation impacts the overall developmental culture of the organization. This will help in asserting the serious need of new learning frameworks needed to minimize the impact of CEO-level executive isolation.

Details

The Learning Organization, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-6474

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 July 2023

Shiji Lyndon, Husain Rokadia and Ajinkya Navare

The study aims to examine the dark side of teleworking and tests the various factors which lead to employee exhaustion while teleworking. The study examines two key variables…

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to examine the dark side of teleworking and tests the various factors which lead to employee exhaustion while teleworking. The study examines two key variables, i.e. initiated interdependence and professional isolation, as antecedents of emotional exhaustion amongst employees who are teleworking. The study further investigates the mediating role of psychological detachment in these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 307 employees who were teleworking for more than three months. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypothesis.

Findings

The study found that initiated interdependence and professional isolation positively impact emotional exhaustion. These findings suggest that employees whose work is designed such that others depend on them will experience high emotional exhaustion while teleworking. Also, employees who experience professional isolation because of a lack of connection while teleworking will experience emotional exhaustion. The study also revealed the mediating role of psychological detachment in these relationships.

Practical implications

The study has insights for policy-making concerning telework practices.

Originality/value

It is one of the first studies examining the impact of teleworking in a context when it is not a choice exercised by the employees but has been imposed upon them. This study is particularly relevant in the context of the decision made by some organizations to move to telework as a permanent work format.

Details

Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-3983

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2023

Kyra Voll and Andreas Pfnür

The world of work is constantly changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced working from home, and there is an increasing demand for flexibility regarding the workplace. There…

Abstract

Purpose

The world of work is constantly changing. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced working from home, and there is an increasing demand for flexibility regarding the workplace. There is little empirical evidence on the mechanisms and factors that influence employee outcomes, such as productivity and turnover intention, at the workplace and at home. In addition, it is unclear whether the workplace characteristics that influence employee outcomes vary between different nations due to country-specific circumstances. The paper aims to address these two issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The research model applied in this study is based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) and environmental demands-resources models using German (n = 429) and USA (n = 507) survey samples. Partial least squares structural equation modelling is used to analyse the influence of workplace characteristics (isolation, family–work interference, equipment/facilities and skill variety) on employee outcomes (satisfaction, burnout, productivity and turnover intention). Additionally, a multi-group analysis is used to explore group differences in the factors influencing satisfaction, burnout, productivity and turnover intention between employees in Germany and the USA.

Findings

The results reveal that significant determinants of productivity and turnover intention include isolation, family–work interference, equipment/facilities and skill variety. Isolation and equipment/facilities are identified as the most important demands and resources of the home workplace. Some significant differences are found between Germany and the USA. The positive effect of isolation on burnout is significantly stronger in the USA than in Germany, whereas the positive effect of family–work inference on burnout is stronger in Germany than in the USA. The negative effects visible for the relations between burnout and satisfaction, and satisfaction and turnover intention are stronger in Germany than in the USA. The positive effect of burnout on turnover intention is stronger in the USA compared to Germany.

Originality/value

The study adds empirical evidence to the JD-R theory by analysing the influence of the home workplace characteristics on employee outcomes in different countries for the first time using a multi-group analysis. In addition, the study reveals new insights into the differences between the knowledge workforces in Germany and the USA by uncovering how key factors influence employee outcomes such as productivity and turnover intention, partially carried by varying length of experience in work from home between both of these countries. Insights from this study can support corporate real estate managers to make better decisions on the design of employees’ home workplaces and the integration of work from home into the company’s workspace concept.

Details

Journal of Corporate Real Estate , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-001X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2023

Anne Aidla, Helen Poltimäe, Kärt Rõigas, Eneli Kindsiko and Els Maria Metsmaa

The purpose of this study is to analyse perceived physical and social isolation and how they are linked in various places of work.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse perceived physical and social isolation and how they are linked in various places of work.

Design/methodology/approach

A nationwide study was conducted involving 3,352 Estonian office workers in spring 2021. Physical isolation was measured in terms of what proportion of time a person works away from co-workers (0%, 1%–25%, 26%–50%, 51%–75%, more than 75%). Social isolation diverged into two factors: lack of contacts and lack of meaningful connections. The different places of work the authors considered in the study included working from home with and without a dedicated room and different types of offices (private office, shared-cell office, activity-based office and open-plan offices of various sizes).

Findings

The results show that the negative consequences of physical isolation in the form of perceiving social isolation start to show when a person works 51% of the time or more away from others. However, the authors revealed the dual nature of social isolation in that when a person experiences a lack of contacts, the connections they do have with their colleagues are actually more meaningful.

Originality/value

The originality of the study comes from the fact that the authors uncovered the paradoxical nature of social isolation. This reveals itself in various places of work depending on the conditions at home and the type of office. Therefore, the authors move away from the simplified distinction of home vs office and take into account the level of physical isolation (what amount of time a person actually works away from colleagues).

Details

Journal of Corporate Real Estate , vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-001X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 February 2023

Lucio Todisco, Andrea Tomo, Paolo Canonico and Gianluigi Mangia

The paper aims to understand how the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) influenced public employees' perception of smart working and how this approach was used during…

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Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to understand how the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) influenced public employees' perception of smart working and how this approach was used during the pandemic. The authors asked about smart working's positive and negative aspects and how these changed during the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors explored the strengths and weaknesses of smart working before and after COVID-19. The authors interviewed 27 Italian public employees who had experienced smart working before the pandemic. The questions and discussion aimed to broadly explore the strengths and weaknesses of smart working and smart working's impact on working performance, work relationships and work–life balance (WLB).

Findings

Smart working had a widespread and positive impact on organizational flexibility. Smart working improved the response and resilience of Italian public organizations to the pandemic. However, some critical factors emerged, such as the right to disconnect and the impact on WLB.

Research limitations/implications

The authors suggest that the pandemic exposed the need for public administrations to consolidate work flexibility practices, such as smart working, by paying more attention to the impact of these practices on the whole organization and human resources management (HRM) policies and practices.

Originality/value

This study makes an important contribution to the literature on the public sector by discussing the positive and negative aspects of smart working. The study also provides managerial and policy implications of the use of smart working in public administrations.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 61 no. 13
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 November 2023

Akanksha Jaiswal and Neethu Prabhakaran

COVID-19 forced employees to work remotely. Since this shift from physical to remote working was sudden and unprecedented, the authors aimed to examine the impact of employee…

Abstract

Purpose

COVID-19 forced employees to work remotely. Since this shift from physical to remote working was sudden and unprecedented, the authors aimed to examine the impact of employee well-being on performance in the context of remote work. Further, the authors explored how feelings of professional isolation and employees' control over their personal and professional boundaries (i.e. boundary control) moderated the well-being and performance link. The authors invoke the equity theory and boundary theory to augment their hypotheses.

Design/methodology/approach

With 218 full-time employees representing large information technology organisations in India, the authors tested the hypothesised relationships using regression and double moderation in the PROCESS macro.

Findings

Results indicate that well-being has a significant positive impact on employee performance as they worked remotely. Further, the authors found that professional isolation and boundary control moderated the link between well-being and performance such that when boundary control is high and professional isolation is low, the aforementioned relationship strengthened and vice versa.

Research limitations/implications

The authors extend the boundary theory as the crisis-induced remote work highlighted the employees' need for deploying alternating boundary management styles to balance their personal and professional lives.

Practical implications

Organisations must develop flexible work policies to facilitate remote work and managers must efficiently craft the overall management of professional isolation and employees' boundaries to boost their well-being and performance.

Originality/value

The authors not only examine the impact of employee well-being on performance in the context of remote work but also, in a first, examine the role of boundary control and professional isolation in this relationship.

Details

Employee Relations: The International Journal, vol. 46 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0142-5455

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 November 2022

Fatima Mahomed, Pius Oba and Michael Sony

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated a shift to remote working for previously office-based employees in South Africa, impacting employee outcomes such as well-being. The…

4848

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated a shift to remote working for previously office-based employees in South Africa, impacting employee outcomes such as well-being. The remote work trend is expected to continue even post the pandemic, necessitating for organizational understanding of the factors impacting employee well-being. Using the Job Demands–Resources model as the theoretical framework, this study aims to understand the role of job demands and resources as predictors of employee well-being in the pandemic context.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered online survey questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data about remote workers’ (n = 204) perceptions of specifically identified demands, resources and employee well-being. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and moderated hierarchical regression were used to analyse the data.

Findings

This study found that job demands in the form of work–home conflict were associated with reduced employee well-being. Resources, namely, job autonomy, effective communication and social support were associated with increased employee well-being. Job autonomy was positively correlated to remote work frequency, and gender had a significant positive association to work–home conflict. Social support was found to moderate the relationship between work–home conflict and employee well-being. Findings suggest that organizations looking to enhance the well-being of their remote workforce should implement policies and practices that reduce the demands and increase the resources of their employees. The significant association of gender to work–home conflict suggests that greater interventions are required particularly for women. This study advances knowledge on the role of demands and resources as predictors of employee well-being of remote workforces during COVID-19 and beyond.

Originality/value

This paper provides insight on employee well-being during COVID-19 remote work. Further, the findings suggest that organizations looking to enhance the well-being of their remote workforce should implement policies and practices that reduce the demands and increase the resources of their employees. The significant association of gender to work–home conflict suggests that greater interventions are required particularly for women. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study carried out to explore the employee well-being during COVID-19 pandemic and will be beneficial to stakeholders for understanding the factors impacting employee well-being.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 47 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 December 2023

Perihan Şenel Tekin

The concept of “Workplace Spirituality (WPS)” in the field of management has gained great interest in the last decade, especially due to its connection with profitability. There…

Abstract

The concept of “Workplace Spirituality (WPS)” in the field of management has gained great interest in the last decade, especially due to its connection with profitability. There has been a rapid increase in research related to the topic. It is assumed that employees who spend a significant part of their time at work are willing to satisfy their spiritual needs at the workplace. Such unprecedented challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic have posed many difficulties for organizations to remain agile, develop and grow, and innovate to survive. At this very moment, the importance and meaning of WPS for managers appear to have increased even more. Workplace spirituality is related to motivation, belongingness, and loyalty, and the pandemic seems to have created significant issues concerning these topics with employees. Employees have been forced to work from home due to prolonged restrictions and have faced difficulties in returning to work post-pandemic. Workplace spirituality has the potential to help employees stay motivated in their work, increase their job performance, enhance job satisfaction, and improve their mental health during this difficult period. Organizations can support their employees by implementing different practices to develop workplace spirituality. In this article, approaches to satisfy the spiritual needs of employees post-pandemic, and the efforts of workplaces to meet these needs, are examined with insights from theoretical and practical life.

Details

Spirituality Management in the Workplace
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83753-450-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2023

Shameem Shagirbasha, Juman Iqbal, Kumar Madhan, Swati Chaudhary and Rosy Dhall

COVID-19 pandemic has overturned the work and family life challenging the world in unpredictable ways that were previously unimaginable. With universities shutting down and…

Abstract

Purpose

COVID-19 pandemic has overturned the work and family life challenging the world in unpredictable ways that were previously unimaginable. With universities shutting down and emergence of online classes, this phenomenon is prevalent among academicians as well. With this background, the current study aims to investigate the direct relationships between workplace isolation (WPI) during COVID-19 and work–family conflict (WFC) with psychological stress (PS) mediating and organizational identification (OI) moderating the relationship between the two.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed time lagged survey and collected data at three different time intervals (T1, T2, T3) from 203 academicians working across various universities and colleges in India. The data were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS PROCESS Macro and AMOS.

Findings

The results indicated that WPI during COVID-19 has a significant positive relationship with PS and WFC . It was also found that PS partially mediated the relationship between WPI during COVID-19 and WFC. Further, OI emerged as a potential moderator.

Originality/value

Based on the current empirical studies, it remains unclear if WPI during COVID-19 is associated with WFC. Therefore, drawing upon stress–strain–outcome (SSO) model and the conservation of resource theory, this study makes a significant contribution to the existing body of literature by exploring the unexplored associations. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, such an association has not received much scholarly attention before.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 45 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 February 2023

Pilar Ficapal-Cusí, Joan Torrent-Sellens, Pedro Palos-Sanchez and Inés González-González

Due to the crisis originated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an important number of workers have been incorporating the telework modality. In this context, the distance from the…

Abstract

Purpose

Due to the crisis originated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an important number of workers have been incorporating the telework modality. In this context, the distance from the workplace generates new dilemmas for work performance. In the paper the authors study the role of some individual and social antecedents on telework outcomes. In particular, they empirically investigate the direct relationship between trust (TR) and telework performance (PER) and explore mediators of that relationship such as social isolation (SI) and fatigue (FA).

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model with three main hypotheses is proposed and tested using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study sample, of an exploratory nature, consists of a dataset of 201 teleworkers working in Spanish companies.

Findings

The relevance of the proposed model is demonstrated and FA is found to be the factor that most affects (negatively) PER, followed by TR (positively) and SI (negatively). Beyond the direct effects, the results provide support for the role of SI and FA in mediating the relationship between TR and PER.

Originality/value

This paper discusses the PER dilemma and proposes and tests a background model that may be useful for future research. The results are of interest to human resource managers, consultants, academics and telework tool developers and managers. Practices are proposed to improve TR or to reduce feelings of SI or FA. The research provides a practical evaluation tool for telework implementation.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 45 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

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