The double-edged effects of perceived involution on lying flat: the mediating role of work alienation and the moderating role of personal relative deprivation

Introduction Whether perceived involution pushes employees to work harder or to lie flat remains unresolved. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and labor alienation theory, this study proposes that perceived involution relates to lying flat through two opposing routes: a direct route that discourages withdrawal and an indirect route that encourages it through work alienation. We further examine whether personal relative deprivation strengthens the indirect route. Methods Survey data were collected from 470 Chinese employees. Perceived involution was modeled as a second-order construct with four dimensions, and work alienation was assessed through powerlessness, meaninglessness, and self-estrangement. Structural equation modeling was used to test the direct and indirect paths, and moderation analyses were used to test whether personal relative deprivation strengthens the relationships between the three alienation dimensions and lying flat. Results After accounting for work alienation, perceived involution was negatively related to lying flat. It was positively related to lying flat indirectly through powerlessness, meaninglessness, and self-estrangement, and the total effect was positive. Meaninglessness carried the largest indirect effect. Personal relative deprivation strengthened the positive relationships of powerlessness, meaninglessness, and self-estrangement with lying flat. Discussion Perceived involution may keep employees engaged while eroding their relationship with work. The findings combine a resource-protection account with an alienation account of lying flat and identify relative deprivation as a condition under which alienation is more likely to turn into withdrawal. Rather than relying on competitive pressure to sustain effort, organizations should attend to the meaning of work and to the perceived fairness of resource allocation.