The impact of workplace ostracism on employee well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study of mediation effects of remote work challenges

This study aimed to examine the influence of digital ostracism on remote work engagement and mental wellbeing of remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigated the mediating roles of challenges in virtual work environments, including sense of virtual isolation, procrastination behaviors, blurred work-life boundaries, and communication barriers faced by remote employees. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that experiences of digital ostracism significantly impacted remote workers' engagement in their jobs and overall well-being from afar. Sense of virtual isolation, ineffective virtual communication, tendencies to procrastinate in remote settings, and blurred work-life boundaries were found to partially mediate the relationships between digital ostracism, remote work engagement levels, and mental well-being. In conclusion, implications and limitations of the study were discussed.