The direct and indirect effects of workplace loneliness on FoMO: Nomophobia and general belongingness

Abstract

The fact that digital technologies have become an integral part of daily life and the widespread use of smartphones bring different problems with them. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and No Mobile Phone Phobia (Nomophobia) are among these problems. It is noteworthy that these interrelated concepts are considered as digital diseases of the 21st century and in recent years, research on the variables explaining these concepts has increased. However, it is observed that these studies generally focus on children and young people called Generation Z. However, Nomophobia and FoMO are important sources of risk not only for young people, but also for adults called Generation Y, who spend most of their lives at workplaces. For employees, factors such as workplace loneliness and the need to belong can influence the risk of FoMO as much as Nomophobia. However, these influences that lead employees to FoMO syndromes are still under-researched. For this reason, the current study aims to examine the direct effects of workplace loneliness on FoMO and its indirect effects through general belongingness and Nomo. For this purpose, 204 people working in different sectors were reached and the data obtained from the voluntary participants were analyzed by structural regression analysis. In addition, it was observed that workplace loneliness had an indirect effect on the "acceptance and rejection" sub-dimensions of general belongingness and all components of nomophobia (not being able to access information, giving up convenience, losing connectedness, not being able to communicate) and all these effects were significant except for the rejection sub-dimension.