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Article
Publication date: 2 January 2024

Huihui Tang, Yan Liu, Raymond Loi, Cheris W. C. Chow and Ning Jiang

This study examines why and when nurses' role ambiguity leads to their work alienation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines why and when nurses' role ambiguity leads to their work alienation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 335 hospital nurses in Ma’anshan, China. The data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and bootstrapping.

Findings

Occupational disidentification mediated the relationship between role ambiguity and work alienation. This mediating effect was not significant when nurses possessed a high level of perceived climate of prioritizing COVID-19 infection prevention (PCIP).

Practical implications

To reduce nurses' work alienation in a pandemic situation, the hospital management team should pay attention to and try to minimize the nurses' role ambiguity and occupational disidentification. When doing so, the management team will find it particularly helpful if they can make nurses perceive a strong climate of PCIP.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing knowledge of role ambiguity and work alienation by highlighting occupational disidentification as a mediator after controlling for organizational identification in the context of COVID-19. It further demonstrates when the mediating role of occupational disidentification is likely to be strong or weak by studying the moderating effect of perceived climate of PCIP.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 39 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 June 2019

Gökhan Kerse and Mustafa Babadag

The purpose of this paper is to define the outcomes of bullying at work. In that sense, the study tries to define the effect of bullying at work on work alienation and the roles…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to define the outcomes of bullying at work. In that sense, the study tries to define the effect of bullying at work on work alienation and the roles of political behavior perception and organizational alienation in this effect.

Design/methodology/approach

The study collects data from lecturers from a university in Turkey by using questionnaires. Structural equation model is used to test hypotheses.

Findings

The findings of the study show that political behavior perception has a mediating role over the effect of bullying at work on work alienation, and also that organizational alienation has a mediating role over the effect of political behavior perception on work alienation.

Practical implications

The study confirms that perception of bullying at work is determinant on the level of work alienation; thus, it is important to minimize bullying perception. This study shows both researchers and organizations that further potential vital problems to arise as a result of bullying will diminish once bullying at work is decreased.

Originality/value

The research tries to define the consecutives of bullying within a multi-level point of view. Additionally, as per the authors’ knowledge, there are no other studies in the literature that handle the related variables altogether.

Article
Publication date: 11 February 2022

Prashant Mehta

This sudden disruption of work in the world due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unravelling situations hitherto unknown to researchers and therefore…

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Abstract

Purpose

This sudden disruption of work in the world due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unravelling situations hitherto unknown to researchers and therefore requires careful and thorough investigation. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between work from home (WFH) isolation, WFH loss of task identity and job insecurity amid COVID-19 pandemic WFH arrangements by focusing on information technology/information technology-enabled services (IT/ITES) sector employees in India. The study also investigated the mediating role of work alienation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from IT/ITES sector employees who were working from home. The sample size was 312, with 71.8% males and 28.2% females. The study used a descriptive research design. Analysis of the data was carried out using partial least square structural equation modeling. All constructs–independent and dependent–were reflectively measured. The evaluated quality parameters (discriminant validity, reliability, collinearity, common method bias) for all the constructs were found to be within acceptable limits.

Findings

Findings from the study indicate that WFH-related isolation and loss of task identity have a significant direct impact on job insecurity. These, along with the mediating construct of work alienation, predicted a 35.8% variance in job insecurity. The study found that work alienation provided complementary mediation between the independent constructs evaluated.

Originality/value

This study attempts to scrape the surface and gain insight into the problems that may arise in the new world of work. This paper presents an attempt to explain some of the psychological pitfalls associated with WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand their impact on job insecurity.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 March 2012

Nisha Nair and Neharika Vohra

Although alienation as a concept has a rich history, it has suffered relative neglect in organizational studies and one possible reason for the same is its conceptual ambiguity…

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Abstract

Purpose

Although alienation as a concept has a rich history, it has suffered relative neglect in organizational studies and one possible reason for the same is its conceptual ambiguity vis‐à‐vis popular and long‐standing concepts of commitment/identification, satisfaction and engagement, that represent the positive experience of work and which have sometimes been equated as the opposite of work alienation. Similarly, the negative experience of work has traditionally been captured by concepts such as burnout/cynicism and counterproductive work behaviours/deviance. The purpose of this paper is to argue for refocusing attention on the concept of work alienation in management studies as distinct from other related concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology integrated research from both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Findings

Through the analysis of the concept of alienation, along with other related concepts, the conceptual space for the study of alienation in organizational studies is pointed out. By examining the definition, and the antecedents and consequences of commitment, satisfaction, engagement, burnout and workplace deviance, the overlaps and points of differences are highlighted.

Originality/value

The paper offers a conceptual level analysis and builds the argument for refocusing attention on the study of work alienation. The juxtaposition of the related concepts clarifies that alienation has a unique contribution to make towards understanding the link between experience at work and employee‐related outcomes.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 May 2022

Shiva Kakkar, Samvet Kuril, Swati Singh, Surajit Saha and Anurag Dugar

Scholars and practitioners have raised concerns that mandatory remote work can lead to feelings of isolation and alienation in employees. Therefore, this study aims to investigate…

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Abstract

Purpose

Scholars and practitioners have raised concerns that mandatory remote work can lead to feelings of isolation and alienation in employees. Therefore, this study aims to investigate this issue by examining the impact of work communication satisfaction in remote environments on employee alienation and job satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Sensemaking and social information processing (SIP) theory are used for formulating the hypotheses. To test the hypotheses, primary data were collected from 418 employees working in various Indian organizations and analyzed using AMOS and Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS.

Findings

The findings reveal that work communication satisfaction is negatively associated with alienation and positively associated with job satisfaction. Alienation mediated the relationship between work communication satisfaction and job satisfaction. Additionally, employees belonging to organizations with stronger CSR associations reported feeling less alienated than employees of organizations with weaker CSR associations.

Practical implications

Organizations can improve work communication satisfaction by devising remote communication plans that clarify employee expectations regarding the frequency, purpose and channel of communication. Additionally, organizations should communicate their CSR efforts to employees, particularly during times of crisis, as this can help improve employee impressions of the organization.

Originality/value

The study extends the work on alienation by approaching it from the perspective of sensemaking. The research demonstrates how work and non-work-related social information cues (work communication and CSR associations) can influence employee attitudes through their sensemaking. The context of the study adds to its uniqueness.

Article
Publication date: 14 November 2016

Angela Fedi, Letizia Pucci, Stefano Tartaglia and Chiara Rollero

The concept of alienation boasts a long history in the academic literature. However, their empirical relations are not clear. The purpose of this paper is to test a model of…

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Abstract

Purpose

The concept of alienation boasts a long history in the academic literature. However, their empirical relations are not clear. The purpose of this paper is to test a model of predictors and outcomes of alienation. Since occupational status plays a key role in alienation processes, such model was tested with high- and low-status workers.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants were 340 workers holding high-status (n=98) and low-status (n=242) positions. Data were collected through a self-report questionnaire. The authors verified the hypothesized relationships by means of a structural equation modelling, simultaneously tested on high- and low-status workers.

Findings

Results showed that individual determinants of alienation, i.e. locus of control, appear to play a more relevant role for high-status professionals, whereas organizational dimensions, i.e. perception of decision making, have an impact only for low-status workers. Relational variables, i.e. work-family conflict, fostered alienation, regardless the status. Concerning outcomes, alienation decreased both job satisfaction and job involvement.

Research limitations/implications

The specificities of the cultural context have to be considered. Generalizing the results to other cultural contexts requires caution.

Practical implications

Work alienation has a negative influence on work attitudes that can be better managed by the knowledge of alienation’s correlates and peculiarities.

Originality/value

The study confirms the relevance of alienation for workers’ satisfaction and involvement highlighting the difference between high- and low-status workers.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 21 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 March 2023

Kaung-Hwa Chen and Ying Ye

This study motivated by humanistic care aims to identify hospitality frontline employees’ alienation in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic, and based on the job demands-resources…

Abstract

Purpose

This study motivated by humanistic care aims to identify hospitality frontline employees’ alienation in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic, and based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the mediating role of alienation between job characteristics and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors drew on the JD-R model to delineate the mechanisms by which job demands (including emotional dissonance and work–home conflict) and job resources (including job support, training and possibility for career development) affect OCB through employees’ alienation. This study adopted snowball sampling and purposive sampling to conduct a questionnaire survey aimed at Taiwanese hospitality frontline employees. A total of 373 valid questionnaires were retained, and structural equation model was used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results revealed that job demands of emotional dissonance and work–family conflict positively affect alienation; job resources of job support, training and possibility for career development negatively affect alienation; alienation negatively affects OCB; and alienation mediates the relationship between job characteristics and OCB fully.

Research limitations/implications

Considering that alienation plays a full mediating role between job characteristics and organizational outcomes, this study put forward specific suggestions on how to increase job resources and reduce job demands to weaken alienation and further improve organizational performance in management practices. And practical implications were provided to help hospitality human resource management deal with the issue of talents retention. In addition, “work authenticity” should be introduced as a mediator in the future research. “Work authenticity” reflects employees’ positive working life state and is the opposite of “alienation.” The effectiveness of employees’ positive and negative working life state in communicating job characteristics and organizational outcomes can be compared.

Originality/value

The specific alienation experience of hospitality frontline employees is defined. Moreover, by introducing the alienation theory, this study demonstrates the health impairment path of JD-R model and suggests that job characteristics affect OCB through the full mediation of alienation.

研究目的

本研究以人文关怀为动机, 明确了COVID-19疫情期间台湾酒店一线员工的异化状态, 并基于工作需求-资源理论模型, 探讨了异化在工作特性与组织公民行为之间发挥的中介作用。

研究设计/研究方法/研究路径

笔者运用工作需求-资源模型以阐释工作需求(包括情绪失调和工作-家庭冲突)和工作资源(包括工作支持、培训和职业发展潜能)透过员工的异化影响组织公民行为的机制。本研究采用滚雪球抽样和目的性抽样的抽样方式, 对台湾酒店一线员工开展问卷调查; 留存有效问卷373份, 并采用结构方程模型对研究假设进行检验。

研究发现

本研究揭示了情绪失调和工作-家庭冲突的工作需求正向影响异化; 工作支持、培训和职业发展潜能的工作资源对异化产生负面影响; 异化对组织公民行为产生负面影响; 异化在工作特性与组织公民行为的关系中起完全中介作用。

研究限制∕意涵

综合异化在工作特性与组织成果之间起着完全的中介作用, 本研究就管理实践中如何增加工作资源和减少工作需求以减弱异化并进一步提高组织绩效提出了具体建议, 以此帮助酒店人力资源管理部门处理留住人才的问题。此外, 应引入反映员工积极工作状态的“工作真实性”(即“异化”的对立面)作为中介, 比较员工积极和消极工作状态在沟通工作特性和组织成果上的有效性。

原创性

本研究明确了酒店一线员工具体的异化体验。此外, 透过引入异化理论, 本研究实证了工作需求-资源模型的健康损害路径, 并揭示了工作特性通过异化的完全中介作用影响组织公民行为。

Objetivoo

Este estudio motivado por la atención humanística identificó la alienación de los empleados de primera línea de la hostelería en Taiwán durante la pandemia de COVID-19 y, basándose en el modelo de exigencias laborales-recursos (JD-R), se analizó el papel mediador de la alienación entre las características laborales y el comportamiento de ciudadanía organizacional fue discutido.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Nos basamos en el modelo JD-R para delinear los mecanismos por los que las exigencias del puesto de trabajo (incluida la disonancia emocional y el conflicto entre el trabajo y el hogar) y los recursos del puesto de trabajo (incluido el apoyo laboral, la formación y la posibilidad de desarrollo profesional) afectan a la organización. Del comportamiento ciudadano (OCB) a través de la alienación de los empleados. Este estudio adoptó el muestreo de bola de nieve y el muestreo intencional para realizar una encuesta por cuestionario dirigida a los empleados de primera línea de la hostelería taiwanesa. Se obtuvieron 373 cuestionarios válidos y se utilizó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales para probar las hipótesis de la investigación.

Resultados

Los resultados revelaron que las demandas laborales de disonancia emocional y conflicto trabajo-familia afectan positivamente a la alienación; los recursos laborales de apoyo al trabajo, formación y posibilidad de desarrollo profesional afectan negativamente a la alienación; la alienación afecta negativamente al comportamiento de ciudadanía organizacional; la alienación media totalmente la relación entre las características laborales y el comportamiento de ciudadanía organizacional.

Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigación

Teniendo en cuenta que la alienación desempeña un papel mediador total entre las características del puesto de trabajo y los resultados organizativos, este estudio presentó sugerencias específicas sobre cómo aumentar los recursos del puesto de trabajo y reducir las exigencias del mismo para debilitar la alienación y mejorar aún más el desempeño organizacional en las prácticas de gestión. Y se aportaron implicaciones prácticas para ayudar a abordar la cuestión de retención de talentos en la gestión de los recursos humanos en la hostelería. Además, la “autenticidad del trabajo” debería introducirse como mediador en la investigación futura. La “autenticidad laboral” refleja el estado de vida laboral positivo de los empleados y es lo contrario de la “alienación”. Se puede comparar la eficacia del estado de vida laboral positivo y negativo de los empleados en la comunicación de las características del trabajo y los resultados organizacionales.

Originalidad/valor

Se define la experiencia específica de alienación de los empleados de primera línea de la hostelería. Además, mediante la introducción de la teoría de la alienación, este estudio demuestra la trayectoria de deterioro de la salud del modelo JD-R, y sugiere que las características del puesto de trabajo afectan al comportamiento de ciudadanía organizacional a través de la mediación total de la alienación.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 August 2021

Arne Vanderstukken and Marjolein C.J. Caniëls

The current study is aimed at analyzing whether and how organizational constraints (i.e. lack of autonomy) and individual characteristics (i.e. psychological capital) are related…

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Abstract

Purpose

The current study is aimed at analyzing whether and how organizational constraints (i.e. lack of autonomy) and individual characteristics (i.e. psychological capital) are related to work alienation in subordinates and supervisors, and whether the often hypothesized relationship between autonomy and work alienation is moderated in a three-way interaction (autonomy × psychological capital × hierarchical level). The hypotheses are developed by drawing on the tenets of the job demands-resources model.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on two-wave survey data from 294 Dutch employees (subordinates and supervisors).

Findings

The paper finds that autonomy is more negatively related to work alienation for subordinates with low psychological capital than for subordinates with high psychological capital. Autonomy is negatively related to work alienation for leaders, independent of their level of psychological capital.

Originality/value

Antecedents of work alienation have received substantial attention from researchers. The authors aim to better understand these antecedents by highlighting differences between supervisors and subordinates.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 26 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 May 2010

Nisha Nair and Neharika Vohra

There is limited research on the work alienation of knowledge workers in management studies. This paper seeks to address this gap by exploring the extent and reasons for the…

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Abstract

Purpose

There is limited research on the work alienation of knowledge workers in management studies. This paper seeks to address this gap by exploring the extent and reasons for the alienation of knowledge workers.

Design/methodology/approach

In the absence of a comprehensive framework for understanding the work alienation of knowledge workers, various factors such as structural elements of centralization and formalization, work characteristics of autonomy, variety, creativity, meaningfulness and self‐expressiveness, quality of work relationships and justice perceptions were examined as predictors of work alienation. Survey data were collected from six different organizations in the information technology sector (n=1,142) in India.

Findings

Around 20 percent of the sample was found to be alienated from work. The strongest predictors of work alienation for knowledge workers were found to be lack of meaningful work, inability of work to allow for self‐expression, and poor quality work relationships.

Research limitations/implications

Organizations employing knowledge workers cannot risk alienating them. The study indicates that one in every five knowledge workers is likely to be alienated. For organizations and practitioners this is a wake up call, pointing to the urgent need to try and understand the factors that are likely to cause alienation among knowledge workers and take adequate preventive steps to ensure an enthused workforce.

Originality/value

Research on alienation in present times has been somewhat limited. This is the first research of its kind across knowledge workers in the information technology industry that attempts to capture their work alienation and factors predicting it.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 48 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2020

Yousef Al Hosani, Fauzia Jabeen, Justin Paul and Agata Stachowicz-Stanusch

The objective of this study was to examine the significant factors leading to employee alienation in post-merger integration (PMI).

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Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study was to examine the significant factors leading to employee alienation in post-merger integration (PMI).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 482 middle- and low-level employees in two organizations in the real estate and banking sectors in the United Arab Emirates. The analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

Organizational justice, employee commitment, organizational trust, perceived effectiveness of human resource (HR) initiatives and employee communication strategy played an important role in developing or mitigating a feeling of alienation among employees during PMI. Employee tenure in the organization affected individual work performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited to middle- and low-level employees and did not consider other organizational variables important in mergers. This study will help merger strategists to deliver appropriate HR practices during PMI, facilitating mitigation of uncertainties among employees and maximizing their trust and commitment.

Originality/value

The study results will help organizations understand employee trust, commitment and determinants in an emerging economy.

Details

Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 33 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0953-4814

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 4000