How does social isolation in a context of dirty work increase emotional exhaustion and inhibit work engagement? A process model
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-09-2016-0227 |
| Published date | 06 November 2017 |
| Date | 06 November 2017 |
| Pages | 1620-1634 |
| Author | Kathleen Bentein,Alice Garcia,Sylvie Guerrero,Olivier Herrbach |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM |
How does social isolation
in a context of dirty work
increase emotional exhaustion
and inhibit work engagement?
A process model
Kathleen Bentein
School of Management, Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG-UQAM),
Montreal, Canada
Alice Garcia
Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
Sylvie Guerrero
School of Management, Université du Québec à Montréal (ESG-UQAM),
Montreal, Canada, and
Olivier Herrbach
Université de Bordeaux, IAE Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to investigate the consequences of experiencing social isolation in a
context of dirty work. Relying on an integration of the job demands-resources model (Schaufeli and Bakker,
2004) with the social identity approach (Ashforth and Kreiner, 1999), the paper posits that perceived social
isolation prevents the development of defense mechanisms that could counter the occupational stigma,
and thus tends to increase perceptions of stigmatization, and to decrease perceptions of the prosocial impact
of their work. Through these two perceptions, perceived social isolation indirectly affects emotional
exhaustion and work engagement.
Design/methodology/approach –Research hypotheses are tested among a sample of 195 workers in the
commercial cleaning industry who execute physically tainted tasks.
Findings –Results support the research model. Perceived prosocial impact mediates the negative
relationship between perceived social isolation and work engagement, and perceived stigmatization mediates
the positive relationship between perceived social isolation and emotional exhaustion.
Research limitations/implications –This research contributes to the dirty work literature by empirically
examining one of its implicit assumptions, namely, that social isolation prevents the development of coping
strategies. It also contributes to the literature on well-being and work engagement by demonstrating how
they are affected by the social context of work.
Originality/value –The present paper is the first to study the specific challenges of social isolation in dirty
work occupations and its consequences.
Keywords Quantitative, Work e ngagement, Emotional exhaustion, Socia l isolation,
Job demands-resourc es model, Stigmatization
Paper type Research paper
The contract cleaning industry has been growing steadily over the past decades, as both
public and private organizations have outsourced many of their non-core activities such as
cleaning to external providers instead of relying on in-house workers (Krzeslo et al., 2014).
Personnel Review
Vol. 46 No. 8, 2017
pp. 1620-1634
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/PR-09-2016-0227
Received 2 September 2016
Revised 8 March 2017
Accepted 18 March 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
The authors thank the Cigedil research committee of the University of Toulouse III –Paul Sabatier and
the Regional Council of Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, that have funded the study.
1620
PR
46,8
To continue reading
Request your trial