Enhancing Work Productivity for lonely Employees: An Intervention Study on Workplace Mindfulness and Job Autonomy

The data for this study was gathered in two waves from a substantial IT Internet company located in Southern China. Internet-based corporations provide an optimal environment for this research, given the propensity for employees to experience pronounced feelings of loneliness due to heavy workloads and extensive usage of electronic communication devices. According to a 2017 white paper titled "Loneliness Economy," published by the Maimai Data Research Institute, the IT industry is cited as one of the top three loneliest sectors, based on a survey involving thousands of Chinese professionals. To mitigate the potential impacts of common method bias, we exercised rigorous control over the measurement procedure. A three-wave survey design was employed, wherein the same questionnaire was administered to identical participants at three distinct time intervals. The questionnaire items were arranged in a random sequence and anonymity was assured for all respondents, thereby minimizing potential speculation about the items being measured. Initially, we liaised with HR directors to identify potential participants (primarily engineers) for the survey. The researchers subsequently briefed the respondents about the purpose, procedures, anonymity, and confidentiality of the study. The questionnaire was disseminated digitally via the Questionnaire Star platform.