Workers who feel ostracized at work are less productive, study shows

Workplace ostracism, the feeling of being ignored or excluded by colleagues or supervisors, affects a majority of workers—71%, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. The research provides an explanation for why this phenomenon is so damaging: being shunned by coworkers disrupts a worker's ability to monitor progress, control emotions, and engage in goal-setting behaviors.

To gather data, the authors surveyed nearly 500 service sector workers in India, focusing on workplace ostracism, employee engagement, and job performance. Previous studies have shown that exclusion can hurt job performance, but this study reveals that ostracism can be equally damaging to highly engaged employees as it is to those who are disengaged.

This suggests that even dedicated employees are susceptible to the negative effects of ostracism. The disruption to "self-regulatory" processes like goal setting, emotional control, and attention regulation likely contributes to the impact on job performance. Ostracized employees may struggle to maintain focus, motivation, and goal-directed behavior, leading to lower performance.

The study also highlights that organizational efforts to promote employee engagement may not be enough to combat the effects of ostracism. Instead, companies should prioritize eliminating exclusionary behavior, strengthening communication, and promoting inclusive norms. The findings may also explain why many hiring managers prioritize cultural fit when making staffing decisions, as they often prioritize a candidate's ability to adapt to the work environment and fit in with the team over their technical skills.

While technical skills can be taught, changing a person's attitude and values to align with a company culture is significantly more challenging.