Relationship Between Workplace Ostracism and Unsafe Behaviors: The Mediating Effect of Psychological Detachment and Emotional Exhaustion

Abstract

This research tests whether the stressor-detachment model can explain the mechanism between workplace ostracism and employees’ unsafe behaviors. We used a self-report questionnaire to assess Chinese construction workers’ workplace ostracism, psychological detachment, emotional exhaustion, and unsafe behaviors. In total, 349 valid questionnaires were collected. We used cross-sectional structural equation modeling to assess our conceptual model. The results indicate that workplace ostracism has a significant effect on psychological detachment and emotional exhaustion and thus affects employees’ unsafe behaviors. In addition, workplace ostracism could influence employees’ unsafe behaviors through the sequential combination of psychological detachment and emotional exhaustion. Moreover, psychological detachment mediates the relationship between workplace ostracism and emotional exhaustion. Taken together, our findings extend the application of the stressor-detachment model by revealing how workplace ostracism influences employees’ unsafe behaviors.