Workplace loneliness and employee creativity from a positive perspective

Abstract

In recent years, feeling lonely in the workplace has become a serious issue that has gained growing concern due to its complex outcomes. Limited research is available on workplace loneliness and empirical research on workplace loneliness is still in infancy. The purpose of this quantitative research study is to determine whether a positive relationship exists between workplace loneliness and employee creativity in the tourism industry of Maldives. I propose a moderated mediation model in which workplace loneliness foster employee creativity via personal identity and knowledge hiding hinders it, and this effect is moderated by team identification. Role transition and social identity theory are used as an explanatory framework for workplace loneliness and employee creativity. Results from a study of 204 individuals show that workplace loneliness is positively and significantly related to employee creativity. Further analysis identified that personal identity is positively and significantly related to the relationship between workplace loneliness and employee creativity. The discussion concludes that a subjective and personal experience; workplace loneliness can foster employee creativity. These results contribute to the literature on creativity and workplace loneliness by clarifying how and what influences of workplace loneliness are related to employee creativity. Recommendation for further research are give

Gender Differentials in Sociability Indices among Undergraduates Psychology Students in Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria

“…Limited social contact is problematic for any social species. When people lack social contact they have psychological and health dysfunctions [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. These dysfunctions often manifest themselves in the form of depression, grief, anxiety, and loneliness [14,15,4,16,17].…”

Workplace Loneliness and the Need to Belong in the Era of COVID-19

“…According to a 2016 Harris poll, nearly three-quarters of Americans experience loneliness every year and on an ongoing basis, with as many as onethird saying they feel lonely at least once a week [2,3]. Loneliness has been described as an unpleasant feeling [4]. Although loneliness has been widely studied from the perspective of clinical psychology, the concept of workplace loneliness remains underexplored and underinvestigated [4], especially during COVID-19.…”

“…Loneliness has been described as an unpleasant feeling [4]. Although loneliness has been widely studied from the perspective of clinical psychology, the concept of workplace loneliness remains underexplored and underinvestigated [4], especially during COVID-19. The pandemic has also raised awareness that communication and efficient responses are essential [5].…”

“…Research on loneliness in the workplace is meaningful because individuals spend as much time at work as they do at any other location [6]. Moreover, the loneliness generated directly or indirectly in the workplace will negatively impact employees' social and professional life [7,8], particularly in the era of COVID- 19. In recent years, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, loneliness in the workplace has become an increasingly serious issue and has attracted growing attention due to its complex consequences [4]. The experience of loneliness in the workplace will quickly Sustainability 2022, 14, 4788 2 of 22 weaken employees' close relationship with the group, which is likely to produce the "island effect" [7].…”

“…Some studies have verified that knowledge hiding has a negative impact on creativity and plays a mediating role between workplace loneliness and creativity [4]. Another study found that low-quality team member communication may further aggravate employees' sense of loneliness and alienation in the team, resulting in more silent behaviors at work [1].…”