The Association Between Boss Phubbing, Employee Engagement, and Psychological Conditions: A Case Study in Healthcare

Background and Purpose: Boss phubbing may weaken employee trust and engagement in healthcare organizations. This study aimed to examine the relationship between boss phubbing and employee engagement, with trust in supervisors and psychological conditions as mediators. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in ۲۰۲۴ among managers and employees of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Of the ۳۴۸ distributed questionnaires, ۳۳۵ were valid and analyzed. Data were collected using validated questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, and the Sobel test. Results: Boss phubbing was a significant negative predictor of trust in supervisors (B=−۰.۳۶۶, standard error [SE]=۰.۰۴۹, t=−۷.۴۴۷, P<۰.۰۰۱) and explained ۱۴.۳% of the variance in trust in supervisors (R۲=۰.۱۴۳). Trust in supervisors positively predicted psychological meaningfulness (B=۰.۰۹۱, SE=۰.۰۲۱, t=۴.۳۳۶, P<۰.۰۰۱), psychological availability (B=۰.۰۷۵, SE=۰.۰۲۵, t=۳.۰۱۴, P=۰.۰۰۳), and psychological safety (B=۰.۰۸۸, SE=۰.۰۲۲, t=۴.۰۸۲, P<۰.۰۰۱). Psychological meaningfulness and psychological availability were positively related to employee engagement (B=۰.۵۵۹, SE=۰.۰۸, P<۰.۰۰۱; B=۰.۴۱۲, SE=۰.۰۷, P<۰.۰۰۱), whereas psychological safety was not significant (B=۰.۰۶۶, SE=۰.۰۲۱, P=۰.۲۲۵). Boss phubbing negatively predicted psychological meaningfulness (B=−۰.۰۵۵, P=۰.۰۰۸) and psychological safety (B=−۰.۰۶۷, P=۰.۰۰۲), but not psychological availability (B=۰.۰۲۱, P=۰.۷۰۴). Trust in supervisors partially mediated the relationships between boss phubbing and psychological meaningfulness and psychological safety, and fully mediated the relationship between boss phubbing and psychological availability. Psychological meaningfulness and psychological availability mediated the relationship between trust in supervisors and employee engagement. Conclusion: Boss phubbing undermines employee engagement by reducing trust in supervisors and weakening key psychological conditions, particularly meaningfulness and availability. Reducing phubbing in managerial interactions may improve workplace communication and employee engagement in healthcare settings.

کلیدواژه ها:

Boss phubbing ، Trust in supervisors ، Psychological meaningfulness ، Psychological availability ، Employee engagement