Testing work meaning violation as a mediator between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion

Francis CHEUNG

doi:10.1038/s41598-025-22919-x

Testing work meaning violation as a mediator between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion

Francis CHEUNG^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Psychology

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

Abstract

This study examined the mediating effect of work-meaning violation between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion. Path analysis was performed with a two-wave dataset of 574 participants. In line with the hypotheses, results showed that after controlling for the effects at Time 1, work meaning violation at Time 2 mediated the association between organizational dehumanization at Time 2 and emotional exhaustion at Time 2. However, additional analysis showed that organizational dehumanization at Time 1 did not predict emotional exhaustion at Time 2 when other variables were simultaneously considered. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Original language	English
Article number	39294
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	15
Issue number	1
Early online date	10 Nov 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-22919-x
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

Funding

The project is funded by the University Grants Committee, Hong Kong (F 131174).

Keywords

Organizational dehumanization
work meaning violation
emotional exhaustion

Access to Document

10.1038/s41598-025-22919-xLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Testing work meaning violation as a mediator between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion",

abstract = "This study examined the mediating effect of work-meaning violation between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion. Path analysis was performed with a two-wave dataset of 574 participants. In line with the hypotheses, results showed that after controlling for the effects at Time 1, work meaning violation at Time 2 mediated the association between organizational dehumanization at Time 2 and emotional exhaustion at Time 2. However, additional analysis showed that organizational dehumanization at Time 1 did not predict emotional exhaustion at Time 2 when other variables were simultaneously considered. Limitations and implications are discussed.",

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N2 - This study examined the mediating effect of work-meaning violation between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion. Path analysis was performed with a two-wave dataset of 574 participants. In line with the hypotheses, results showed that after controlling for the effects at Time 1, work meaning violation at Time 2 mediated the association between organizational dehumanization at Time 2 and emotional exhaustion at Time 2. However, additional analysis showed that organizational dehumanization at Time 1 did not predict emotional exhaustion at Time 2 when other variables were simultaneously considered. Limitations and implications are discussed.

AB - This study examined the mediating effect of work-meaning violation between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion. Path analysis was performed with a two-wave dataset of 574 participants. In line with the hypotheses, results showed that after controlling for the effects at Time 1, work meaning violation at Time 2 mediated the association between organizational dehumanization at Time 2 and emotional exhaustion at Time 2. However, additional analysis showed that organizational dehumanization at Time 1 did not predict emotional exhaustion at Time 2 when other variables were simultaneously considered. Limitations and implications are discussed.

KW - Organizational dehumanization

KW - work meaning violation

KW - emotional exhaustion

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DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-22919-x

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ER -

Testing work meaning violation as a mediator between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

An investigation of occupational health disparities in Hong Kong (香港職業健康差異調查)

Cite this

Testing work meaning violation as a mediator between organizational dehumanization and emotional exhaustion

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

An investigation of occupational health disparities in Hong Kong (香港職業健康差異調查)

Cite this