Workplace Ostracism and Emotional Labour as Predictors of Employee Psychological Withdrawal

Abstract

This study examined the predictive roles of workplace ostracism and emotional labour on employee psychological withdrawal among 300 employees in organizational settings. Descriptive analyses indicated a moderately diverse sample in terms of gender, age, marital status, and educational attainment. Pearson Product–Moment Correlation revealed significant positive relationships between workplace ostracism and psychological withdrawal (r = .46, p < .05) and between emotional labour and psychological withdrawal (r = .39, p < .05). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that workplace ostracism and emotional labour jointly accounted for 33% of the variance in psychological withdrawal (R² = .33, F(2, 297) = 72.41, p < .05). Independent contributions were also significant, with workplace ostracism (β = .41, t = 7.86, p < .05) exerting a stronger effect than emotional labour (β = .29, t = 5.42, p < .05). These findings support the Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) Model, suggesting that social exclusion and sustained emotional regulation function as critical psychosocial stressors that contribute to employee withdrawal. Implications for organizational policy, practice, and employee well-being are discussed.

Country : Nigeria

1 Dapo Adeniyi, PhD

  1. HCPC Practitioner (UK), Principal Consultant, and Director of Counseling, Phenopatmos Global Consulting, Nigeria

IRJIET, Volume 10, Issue 2, February 2026 pp. 71-80

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2026.102011

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