Gender differences in the effect of workplace loneliness on organizational citizenship behaviors mediated by work engagement

Abstract

Purpose: Drawing on the self-determination theory and the social role theory, the purpose of this study was to test the moderating role of gender and the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between workplace loneliness and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), and more importantly, the integrated moderated mediation model. Methods: A total of 290 employees from various Chinese enterprises voluntarily participated in the two-wave surveys. Hierarchical regression and bootstrapping analyses based on Hayes’ Process Model were conducted to test the hypotheses. Results: Results indicated that work engagement significantly mediates the association of workplace loneliness with OCBs. Gender serves as an important moderator in the relationship among workplace loneliness, work engagement, and OCBs that for female participants the indirect effect of work engagement linking workplace loneliness to OCBs was significant, but for male participants it was not. Conclusion: This study advances the current understandings of the moderated mediation mechanism among workplace loneliness, gender, work engagement, and OCBs. It is suggested that work engagement serves as a mediator linking workplace loneliness to OCBs, especially for the female employees.