Lonely planet: effect of workplace loneliness on subjective career success in the hospitality workplace

Purpose Loneliness and its effects are attracting attention from hospitality industry leaders. This study explores how workplace loneliness influences employees’ subjective career success, the mediating role of grit and the moderating role of work–life balance in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was administered to 305 U.S. hotel employees. To investigate the study hypotheses, regression and conditional analyses were conducted using SPSS Statistics and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro. CFA was completed using SPSS AMOS 29. Findings The findings indicate that grit influences hotel employees’ career success by alleviating workplace loneliness. The test for moderated mediation confirms the influence of loneliness on subjective career success through grit was conditional on work–life balance. Practical implications The findings of this study provide valuable insights for hotel managers in developing effective strategies to mitigate employees’ feelings of loneliness through targeted initiatives such as assessments and social events. Promoting grit awareness, implementing grit training programs and advocating for work–life balance in the workplace are equally essential for fostering a more supportive and grittier workforce. Originality/value Workplace loneliness merits attention from hospitality scholars. This pioneering post-pandemic study enriches hospitality literature by showing how work–life balance moderates and grit mediates workplace dynamics, highlighting organizational strategies to tackle loneliness and enhance employee career success.