Ostracism at work weakens employees’ job satisfaction, creates negative perceptions of their health, and increases stress, research has found.
A study involving 569 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, social workers and managers at two hospitals in Finland found a clear correlation between feelings of social exclusion at work and poor job satisfaction and wellbeing.
The University of Eastern Finland research, which was published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, found that nearly three-quarters of health workers had experienced ostracism – exclusion from social interactions – at work.
Examples of ostracism ranged from colleagues failing to respond to a greeting, to colleagues no longer talking to study participants.
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It found a strong direct association between feelings of ostracism, poor job satisfaction and negative perceptions of health. Those who felt excluded at work were also more likely to consider leaving their job.
The researchers claimed that workplace ostracism could be linked to health problems including burnout, restlessness, depression and anxiety,
The study said: “Employees who have a high need to experience inclusion are more likely to perceive exclusionary behaviour that threatens their need to belong. Therefore, those with a high need to belong is based on a real human need, while those with a low need to belong are less likely to perceive exclusion from the behaviour of co-workers. This may explain why some are more sensitive and reactive when they experience potential ostracism at work. It is possible that healthcare employees are more sensitive than some other occupational groups in this respect.”
Workplace ostracism was most frequently experienced by nurses, while those in management positions were the least likely to have experienced social exclusion.
“If the healthcare sector can in the future pay more attention to inclusion and belongingness in work environments, this may result in higher numbers of nurses and other staff willing to work in healthcare fields,” the research paper concluded.
Doctoral researcher Sirpa Manninen said: “This finding speaks volumes of the crushing effects of workplace ostracism. Experienced loneliness weakens job satisfaction as such but, according to our study, ostracism is far worse.
“When we think about healthcare workers’ coping and workplace wellbeing, these figures are extremely alarming. This also reinforces the idea that ostracism is not tied to educational background or workplace hierarchy.
“The harmful effects of ostracism are significant both at individual and workplace level. Especially in the healthcare sector where people’s work involves constant caregiving, it is extremely important to feel included and supported by the community.”
Manninen said it was vital for health workers to identify and call out ostracism to help build a culture where it is not tolerated.
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