Cross-Domain Effects of Negative Workplace Gossip on Employee Life Satisfaction

Abstract

Drawing upon psychological detachment theory, the present study investigates the cross-domain effects of negative workplace gossip on life satisfaction by examining the mediating role of psychological detachment difficulty and the moderating role of family-supportive supervisor behaviours (FSSB). The results from a three-wave field survey of 329 employees in China indicate that perceived negative workplace gossip is positively related to the target employees’ detachment difficulty and that detachment difficulty mediates the relationship between perceived negative workplace gossip and life satisfaction. Moreover, FSSB negatively moderates the relationship between perceived negative workplace gossip and detachment difficulty, such that the relationship is weaker when FSSB is higher. Furthermore, FSSB also negatively moderates the mediating effect of detachment difficulty between perceived negative workplace gossip and life satisfaction, such that the indirect effects are weaker when FSSB is higher. The theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.