The Dynamic Interplay Between Friendship Ties and Emotional Exhaustion: A Longitudinal Investigation

Dennis Helding Jacobsen, Diego Stea, Vojkan Nedkovski

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Abstract

Research has shown that employees tend to exhibit similar levels of emotional exhaustion as their social ties. As a result, scholars commonly contend that emotional exhaustion is contagious. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, we propose an alternative perspective, asserting that emotional exhaustion and friendship ties are interdependent and reciprocally influence each other. To test our coevolutionary theory, we conducted a three-year longitudinal study with psychometric and network data collected at annual observation waves from all employees of an award-winning, high-end Italian architecture studio. We employ a stochastic actor-orientated model that allows us to estimate the interdependent contributions of friendship ties and emotional exhaustion, while at the same time accounting for the complex dependencies inherent in social network data. Consistent with widespread beliefs, we find a contagion effect. Friendship ties work as conduits of emotional exhaustion, where employees assimilate to the average level of emotional exhaustion of their friends. At the same time, emotional exhaustion also predicts friendship dynamics. Elevated levels of emotional exhaustion lead to higher likelihood of friendship retention and lower activity in friendship formation. These effects are stronger for individuals high in neuroticism, but do not depend on the emotional exhaustion of the alter. We discuss implications of these findings for burnout and network dynamics in organizations.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the Eighty-third Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management
EditorsSonia Taneja
Number of pages1
Place of PublicationBriarcliff Manor, NY
PublisherAcademy of Management
Publication date2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023
EventThe Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2023: Putting the Worker Front and Center - Boston, United States
Duration: 4 Aug 20238 Aug 2023
Conference number: 83
https://aom.org/events/annual-meeting/future-annual-meetings/2023-putting-the-worker-front-and-center

Conference

ConferenceThe Academy of Management Annual Meeting 2023
Number83
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoston
Period04/08/202308/08/2023
Internet address
SeriesAcademy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings
ISSN0065-0668

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