What good is organizational nostalgia in the time of pandemic? Unpacking a pathway from COVID-related stress to authenticity at work

• Main Authors: Zou, Xi, Sedikides, Constantine, Wildschut, Tim
• Other Authors: Nanyang Business School
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Business::Management; COVID-19; Nostalgia
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/170534
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

We propose that COVID-related stress undermines felt authenticity, but also triggers nostalgia. In turn, nostalgia conduces to felt authenticity, thereby counteracting the deleterious impact of COVID-related stress. We tested this regulatory model of nostalgia in two studies. Study 1 was an online cross-sectional study during the pandemic, in which we assessed COVID-related stress, nostalgia, and authenticity. In Study 2, we followed a group of working adults in a daily diary study across five workdays. We assessed COVID-related stress each morning, organizational nostalgia at midday, and authenticity at the end of the workday. The results of both studies were consistent with the palliative role of nostalgia in support of the regulatory model.