The Effect of Self-efficacy on Workplace Loneliness under COVID-19: the Chain Mediating Role of Professional Identity and Social Support

Abstract

As the epidemic normaliztion continues, more and more enterprises chose telecommuting as their working mode. However, telecommuting has greatly reduced the opportunities and time for employees to socialize in the workplace. In that case, the workplace loneliness may induced by the lack of quantity and quality of employees' social contact, which would seriously affect the job satisfaction, organizational commitment and even the physical and mental health of employees. Based on the self-determination theory and the theory of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this study explored the impact of self-efficacy on workplace loneliness, with professional identity and social support for mediation. The results showed that self-efficacy has a negative influence on the workplace loneliness, and professional identity and social support in the relationship between self-efficacy and workplace loneliness the chain intermediary role. Corporate managers should pay more attention to the harm of workplace loneliness. According to these findings, suggestions for organization managers and department of human resources, especially on alleviate workplace loneliness, were proposed and discussed.