Examining the Indirect Effect of Sensory Processing Sensitivity on Quiet Quitting: The Mediating role of Psychological Safety and the Moderating role of Workplace Friendship

Abstract

noneThese days, a trait, known professionally as sensory processing sensitivity is trending in society. People with sensory processing sensitivity seem more vulnerable and might become weak while working with colleagues. As the phenomenon of quiet quitting rising in the workplace indicates that employees only work with a bare minimum of effort, the study proposed that employees with higher sensory processing sensitivity might have a higher possibility of being a quiet quitter. Meanwhile, this study examined that psychological safety might mediate the relationship between those two variables. Furthermore, workplace friendship is proposed to moderate the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and psychological safety. This study aims to contribute additional research on sensory processing sensitivity and quiet quitting, as these fields have received little attention. This study collected data from 200 participants through surveys for analysis. The data used IBM SPSS PROCESS to test the result. Results findings showed that sensory processing sensitivity with its dimension of ease of excitation was positively related to quiet quitting is supported. In addition, psychological safety mediated the relationship of sensory processing sensitivity with its dimension of ease of excitation, aesthetic sensitivity, and quiet quitting. The findings contribute to human resource professionals and managers, giving a deeper understanding of how the trait sensory processing sensitivity influences employees.