Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy
Employee health is crucial to organizational success. However, workplace ostracism (WO) has significant negative effects on employee health. Numerous researchers have extensively examined how WO influences employees’ negative health (job stress, burnout); however, the focus on mediating effects in t...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/8/669 |
| _version_ | 1827730343501758464 |
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| author | Hyunghoon Kim Eunmi Jang |
| author_facet | Hyunghoon Kim Eunmi Jang |
| author_sort | Hyunghoon Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Employee health is crucial to organizational success. However, workplace ostracism (WO) has significant negative effects on employee health. Numerous researchers have extensively examined how WO influences employees’ negative health (job stress, burnout); however, the focus on mediating effects in the relationship between WO and health has been lacking. This study examined the cognitive evaluation response to WO by employees who perceive they have been ostracized because another employee envies them. The psychological defense mechanism is expected to be activated—thus triggering job stress and burnout. We investigated envy perceived by individuals as a mediator of WO, job stress, and burnout using data from a 2-wave longitudinal survey of 403 employees of a South Korean firm. We found that employees perceived WO. Specifically, based on the sensitivity to being the target of a threatening upward comparison theory, it was confirmed that envy was a mediator in the relationship between WO and negative health outcomes. Our results are the first to show that the perception of envy can mediate the maintenance of a positive self-image in the context of WO in South Korea. The results suggest that a greater awareness of and focus on envy, and WO is required. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:07:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d09f1af58f8c4fe58367bf23a003de16 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:07:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-d09f1af58f8c4fe58367bf23a003de162023-11-19T00:16:59ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2023-08-0113866910.3390/bs13080669Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of EnvyHyunghoon Kim0Eunmi Jang1College of Business, Honam University, Gwangju 62399, Republic of KoreaCollege of Business, Honam University, Gwangju 62399, Republic of KoreaEmployee health is crucial to organizational success. However, workplace ostracism (WO) has significant negative effects on employee health. Numerous researchers have extensively examined how WO influences employees’ negative health (job stress, burnout); however, the focus on mediating effects in the relationship between WO and health has been lacking. This study examined the cognitive evaluation response to WO by employees who perceive they have been ostracized because another employee envies them. The psychological defense mechanism is expected to be activated—thus triggering job stress and burnout. We investigated envy perceived by individuals as a mediator of WO, job stress, and burnout using data from a 2-wave longitudinal survey of 403 employees of a South Korean firm. We found that employees perceived WO. Specifically, based on the sensitivity to being the target of a threatening upward comparison theory, it was confirmed that envy was a mediator in the relationship between WO and negative health outcomes. Our results are the first to show that the perception of envy can mediate the maintenance of a positive self-image in the context of WO in South Korea. The results suggest that a greater awareness of and focus on envy, and WO is required.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/8/669workplace ostracism (WO)envyjob stressburnout |
| spellingShingle | Hyunghoon Kim Eunmi Jang Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy Behavioral Sciences workplace ostracism (WO) envy job stress burnout |
| title | Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy |
| title_full | Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy |
| title_fullStr | Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy |
| title_short | Workplace Ostracism Effects on Employees’ Negative Health Outcomes: Focusing on the Mediating Role of Envy |
| title_sort | workplace ostracism effects on employees negative health outcomes focusing on the mediating role of envy |
| topic | workplace ostracism (WO) envy job stress burnout |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/13/8/669 |
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