The associations between organizational justice and workplace isolation and loneliness: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn the evolving modern workplaces, the psychological well-being of employees has become a focal point of organizational research. Organizational justice has emerged as a key determinant among the factors influencing their well-being.ObjectiveThis study examined associations between organizational justice and loneliness in the workplace.MethodsA web-based panel survey was conducted among 2,074 full-time employees to measure isolation and loneliness in the workplace ("sense of loneliness in the workplace", "emotional connections in the workplace", "sense of assistance in the workplace", and "sense of usefulness in the workplace") and organizational justice ("procedural justice", "distributive justice", "interpersonal justice", and "information justice").ResultsThe hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that procedural justice and interpersonal justice were associated negatively with "sense of loneliness in the workplace" and positively with "sense of assistance in the workplace." All dimensions of organizational justice were positively associated with "emotional connections in the workplace" and "sense of usefulness in the workplace." This study shows that organizational justice is associated negatively with workplace loneliness and positively with emotional connections, the existence of job supporters, and a sense of usefulness.ConclusionThese findings can inform measures for preventing employees from feeling isolated or lonely and may contribute to the development of research on employee well-being.