Family bonds at risk: The spillover effects of workplace ostracism in the parent–child relationship

• Published date: 01 December 2024
• Author: Yufan Li,Ziqiang Xin,Hong Gao
• Date: 01 December 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.13073

RESEARCH

Family bonds at risk: The spillover effects of

workplace ostracism in the parent–child relationship

Yufan Li | Ziqiang Xin | Hong Gao

Department of Psychology, Renmin University

of China, Beijing, China

Correspondence

Ziqiang Xin, Department of Psychology,

Renmin University of China,

59 Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District,

Beijing 100872, China.

Email: xinziqiang@sohu.com

Funding information

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central

Universities and the Research Funds of

Renmin University of China, Grant/Award

Number: 22XNKJ01

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to bridge the gap between

occupational psychology and family psychology by explor-

ing whether and how social connections in the workplace

can lead to changes in family relations.

Background: Amid intensified competition, workplace

ostracism has become prevalent. However, its negative

impacts on children, a vulnerable group within the family,

have been largely neglected.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sam-

ple of 673 working parents from multiple companies, along

with their children. This enabled us to examine the impacts

of workplace ostracism on the parent–child relationship

based on both parents’and children’s data, with a specific

focus on the mediating role of emotional exhaustion.

Results: The consistent findings obtained from parents’

and children’s relationship ratings revealed that parents’

reported workplace ostracism predicted parent–child con-

flict positively and parent–child closeness negatively. Par-

ents’emotional exhaustion only partially mediated the

relationship between workplace ostracism and parent–

child conflict, whereas its mediation effect between work-

place ostracism and parent–child closeness was found to

be insignificant.

Conclusion: The spillover effect of workplace ostracism

can exacerbate conflicts and reduce closeness between par-

ents and their children. Emotional exhaustion acts as the

underlying mechanism linking workplace ostracism to

conflict but not to closeness.

Implications: Programs designed to foster better

intraorganizational relationships and promote individual

emotion regulation skills may ultimately benefit family

harmony.

Author noteThis work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and the Research Funds of

Renmin University of China (grant 22XNKJ01).

Received: 17 September 2023 Revised: 20 May 2024 Accepted: 29 June 2024

DOI: 10.1111/fare.13073

© 2024 National Council on Family Relations.

3112 Family Relations. 2024;73:3112–3125.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare