Work on assembly lines, often highly standardised, repetitive, and time-pressured—a hallmark of Taylorised production—has frequently been linked to worker alienation. This study examines the factors that contribute to such alienation among blue-collar employees in the Indian automobile assembly sector. Data were collected from 346 workers using a structured questionnaire and analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM). Results indicate that employees’ perceptions of fair compensation, supervisors’ transformational leadership, the degree of work process formalisation, and engagement in counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs) are significantly associated with feelings of alienation. Based on these findings, the study suggests interventions to address alienation in mechanistic work environments, including implementing equitable compensation systems, developing transformational leadership skills among supervisors, and formalising work procedures. The first two interventions may additionally help reduce CWBs. This research contributes to the literature by proposing a mediational framework to better understand the complex interactions influencing alienation, offering practical insights for improving employee experience and engagement in structured industrial settings.
