As whispers of doubt fill the spaces we share: examining workplace loneliness in the Indian hospitality sector

Purpose Workplace loneliness costs enormously to business organizations and has sparked considerable interest among researchers and practitioners in identifying the proximal factors associated with it. Drawing on the conservation of resource perspective, this study aims to examine the impact of bullying experiences through co-worker(s) and supervisor(s) on workplace loneliness. This study further examines emotional exhaustion as an underlying psychological mechanism in the aforementioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach The multi-wave data was collected from a sample of 281 employees working in the Indian hospitality industry. Findings The authors found a significant positive relationship between workplace bullying through supervisor(s) and employees’ experiences of loneliness. However, the association between workplace bullying experienced through co-worker(s) and employee’s loneliness appeared insignificant. In case of indirect effects, it was found that emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between workplace bullying through supervisor(s) and loneliness among employees, but demonstrated insignificant effect in case of bullying through co-worker(s) – loneliness relationship. Originality/value The study makes an original and meaningful contribution to overall loneliness and negative emotions literature by deepening insights around the consequences and boundary conditions of loneliness in the workplace. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.