From Victim to Perpetrator: The Cascading Impact of Perceived Negative Workplace Gossip on Hospitality Employees

PurposeDespite the recent extending research on knowledge hiding, there is still scant research on social stressor phenomena-related contextual antecedent factors and new cognitive mechanisms of knowledge hiding behaviors. To shed new light on this unexplored gap, this research explores the multi-level moderated mediation model that examines how and when negative gossip experienced by targets in the workplace induces their knowledge hiding from coworkers drawing from the lens of social learning and cognitive theories. More specifically, this study aims to evaluate the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding via moral disengagement, and this mediation effect is also moderated by team relational conflict as a novel boundary condition.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected multi-wave 338 employees’ data from 68 teams of cross-sectional industries in China, which were nested within teams. The collected nested nature data were analyzed by employing multi-level analysis based on hierarchical linear modeling.FindingsThe results suggested that negative workplace gossip first triggers moral disengagement and thereby, leads to knowledge hiding. Furthermore, the direct positive association between negative workplace gossip and moral disengagement was strengthened by increasing intra-team relational conflict. In addition, the mediation effect of moral disengagement between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding was also strengthened through increasing intra-team relational conflict.Originality/valueThis study first empirically examines the multi-level model using a new underlying mechanism (moral disengagement) and team-level boundary condition (relational conflict) and enriches the current literature on knowledge management and workplace gossip. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and future research lines are also discussed, which will facilitate practitioners and academicians to curb counterproductive knowledge behavior.

Morality is a fundamental component of nurses' daily work. Nurses' cognitive tendencies toward moral disengagement in high-stress work environments can easily lead them to engage in counterproductive work behaviors that are not conducive to the organization. However, there is limited research on how to mitigate the impact of moral disengagement on counterproductive work behavior. The objective was to explore the impact of moral disengagement on counterproductive work behavior, as well as the reverse regulatory mechanism of moral identity on the relationship between moral disengagement and counterproductive work behavior. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study. From September to October 2023, nurses from emergency departments of major hospitals in Hunan Province were recruited, and 500 questionnaires were distributed and collected using the WeChat app Credamo Seeing Numbers. All study procedures were approved by the Ethics Committee of Hunan Normal University (No. 2023-388). Moral disengagement had a positive effect on counterproductive work behavior directed at the organization (CWB-O) as well as counterproductive work behavior directed at individuals (CWB-I). Moral identity was not significant in moderating the relationship between moral disengagement and CWB-O. Moral identity had an inverse moderating effect on the mechanism of action between moral disengagement and CWB-I. Counterproductive work behavior guided by moral disengagement is detrimental to organizations, and moral identity can inhibit the effect of moral disengagement on CWB-I. Nursing administrators should focus on improving nurses' moral identity and improving the healthcare workplace environment so that moral identity can better exert its inhibitory effect on counterproductive work behavior among nurses.

Moral disengagement plays an important role in the routinization of counterproductive work behavior (CWB) as a key mediator. What remains unclear are the factors that could attenuate the power of moral disengagement in this process. Building on social-cognitive theory, we hypothesize the moderating role of moral self-efficacy and suggest the importance of two different dimensions: self-reflective and behavioral moral self-efficacies. While the former should buffer the CWB-moral disengagement path over time, the latter should buffer the moral disengagement-CWB path. After presenting the psychometric properties of the moral self-efficacy scale in two independent samples (Study 1: United Kingdom, N = 359; Study 2: Italy, N = 1308), we test the posited multi-wave moderated-mediated model. Results from a structural equation model supported our hypotheses. Results demonstrate that the routinization of CWB through the mediation of moral disengagement over time is conditionally influenced by the two moral self-efficacy dimensions. Employees high in capability to look back and question the assumptions that affected their behavior (i.e., self-reflective moral self-efficacy) are less likely to morally disengage as a result of previous engagement in CWB. Employees high in capability to morally self-regulate (i.e., behavioral moral self-efficacy) are less likely to engage in CWB as a result of their moral disengagement. Results of the conditional indirect effect suggest that previous engagement in CWB is not translated in future engagement in CWB for those individuals high in both moral self-efficacy dimensions.

ABSTRACTDuring crises like pandemics, organizations often face substantial disruptions that significantly increase job demands (JDs) on employees. This study investigates the impact of high JDs on moral disengagement (MD) and subsequent employee behaviors. Drawing upon social cognitive theory, we hypothesize that excessive JDs undermine self‐regulatory mechanisms, resulting in MD and affecting counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and extra‐role behaviors (ERBs). Additionally, we employ the conservation of resources theory to examine how family–work enrichment (FWE) can encourage ERB, potentially mitigating negative outcomes. To test our hypotheses, a two‐wave time‐lagged survey was conducted among hospital staff members during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The findings support our theoretical model, demonstrating that high JDs deactivate self‐regulatory systems, leading to MD and varied behavioral outcomes. However, FWE fosters ERB even among morally disengaged employees. This study advances the literature by elucidating the mechanisms of MD and highlighting the role of family support in promoting positive behaviors during crises. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed, offering insights for managing employee well‐being and performance in challenging times.

Prior research on citizenship behavior (CB) has mainly focused on its voluntary side—organizational citizenship behavior. Unfortunately, although compulsory behavior is a global organizational phenomenon, the involuntary side of CB—compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB), defined as employees’ involuntary engagement in extra-role work activities that are beneficial to the organization (Vigoda-Gadot in J Theory Soc Behav 36(1): 77–93, 2006)—has long been neglected and very little is known about its potential negative consequences. Particularly, research on CCB–counterproductive work behavior (CWB) association is still in its nascent stage. Therefore, drawing on moral disengagement (MD) theory and social exchange theory, we firstly attempt to systematically investigate how and when CCB leads to CWB. Specifically, we see employee silence as a critical form of passive CWB and propose a moderated mediation model. In the model, CCB predicts silence through MD—a set of cognitive mechanisms that deactivate moral self-regulatory processes (Bandura in Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory, Prentice Hall, Englewood 1986), with the Chinese culture-specific concept of supervisor–subordinate guanxi (s–s guanxi), which captures the supervisor–subordinate non-work-related personal ties, acting as the contextual condition. Two-wave data collected from a sample of 293 employees in 17 manufacturing firms in China supported our hypotheses. The results revealed that the more employees experienced compulsory feelings caused by CCB, the more they morally disengaged and, in turn, resorted to avoidant or passive responses (i.e., silence) as a coping strategy. Further, s–s guanxi serves as a reverse moderator in that high s–s guanxi mitigates the destructive impact of CCB, makes employees less inclined to morally disengage, and thereby largely prevents them from practicing workplace silence behavior. Implications for theory and intervention strategies for practice are discussed. We also propose several promising avenues for future research.

Grounded in the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study investigates how negative workplace gossip (NWG) influences counterproductive work behavior (CWB) in the hospitality industry. It further examines the mediating role of self-esteem and the moderating influence of emotional contagion in shaping this relationship. While prior research has predominantly treated NWG as a social stressor or reputational threat, this study extends the COR theory by explicitly modeling the resource depletion mechanism, specifically, the erosion of self-esteem as a key pathway linking NWG to CWB. By doing so, it posits that gossip erodes self-esteem, a fundamental psychological resource that eventually leads to behavioral retreat or revenge. Within the COR framework, the study also presents emotional contagion as a unique moderating variable, emphasizing how individual differences in emotional susceptibility may either accelerate or buffer the process of resource loss. Data was collected from 437 employees working in five-star hotels in Sharm El-Sheikh using a structured questionnaire. Analysis via PLS-SEM revealed that NWG significantly increases CWB, both directly and indirectly, by undermining employees’ self-esteem. Additionally, self-esteem was found to mediate the NWG–CWB link, while emotional contagion moderated the impact of NWG on self-esteem, suggesting that individuals with better emotional regulation can maintain self-worth in the face of workplace gossip. The study offers both theoretical and practical insights, highlighting the value of incorporating emotional contagion within the COR theory to understand and manage gossip-induced stress. It also underscores the importance of emotional intelligence and HR practices such as training and selection in minimizing the harmful effects of gossip at work.

Workplace gossip, an often overlooked yet pervasive social phenomenon, has profound implications for organizational dynamics and employee well-being. This article conceptualizes workplace gossip, explores its dimensions, and examines both its implications and potential gains within organizational settings. The paper also elevated the discussion on workplace gossip to include its digital perspective by drawing on existing literature. As a way of deepening the intellectual contents of the paper, six baseline social theories were reviewed, including Social Exchange Theory (SET), Social Identity Theory (SIT), Social Comparison Theory (SCT), Social Learning Theory (SLT), Social Network Theory (SNT), and Impression Management Theory (IMT). The paper concluded that workplace gossip is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon with both negative and positive implications for organizations; and recommended among others that organisations should establish clear communication channels, promote a positive workplace culture, and train employees on the effects of workplace gossip.

Counterproductive work behavior (CWB) is one of the most common behavioral decisions of employees in the workplace that negatively impacts the sustainable development of enterprises. Previous studies have shown that individuals make CWB decisions for different reasons. Some individuals engage in CWB due to cognitive factors (i.e., perceived organizational justice and psychological contract breakdown), whereas others engage in CWB in response to leadership behaviors (i.e., abusive management). The conservation of resources (COR) theory holds that individuals have the tendency to preserve, protect and acquire resources. When experiencing the loss of resources, individuals will show irrational and aggressive behaviors in order to regain resources. When obtaining resources, individuals’ tension and pressure will be relieved. To maintain or continue obtaining resources, individuals will show more positive work attitudes and behaviors. Therefore, using the COR theory as the main theoretical framework, this study explores a serial mediation model between family supportive leadership and CWB through work-family conflict and moral disengagement, moderated by personal life attribution. A three-wave survey of 251 medical workers from three hospitals found that family supportive leadership can reduce employees’ perceived work-family conflict, which leads to less moral disengagement, resulting in lower CWB. Personal life attribution strengthens the negative indirect effect of family supportive leadership on CWB by reinforcing the negative association between family supportive leadership and work-family conflict. This study uses the COR theory to explore the mechanism and boundary conditions of family supportive leadership and CWB from the perspective of negative work-family relationship, which enrichis the research content of existing theories. Moreover, this study has important guiding significance for managers to take effective measures to reduce CWB.

Based on the social exchange theory (SET) and social identity theory (SIT), the current study aims to examine the moderating role of job embeddedness (JE) in the relationship between career plateau (CP) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) of the Mansoura university staff. The data were collected by using the online survey method from (240) staff members in Mansoura university– Results showed there is a significant positive effect of the CP on the CWB. In addition, there is a significant negative impact of the JE on the CWB. Furthermore, JE buffers the positive impact of the CP on CWB through moderating this relationship.This study adds value to the existing literature by employing both the SET & SIT theories in the organizational context. It enriches the CP literature by highlighting that CP may lead to CWB when employees lose their hope in the hierarchal progression and start to act in aggressive manner. Furthermore, this study examined the moderating role of the JE in the relationship between CP and CWB and how it can buffer the side effect of the CP on CWB among Mansoura university staff.Drawing on the SET and SIT, the current study contributes to clarify the causes of the employees' aggressive behaviors. It examined the impact of CP, JE on CWB in governmental organization like Mansoura university. This study is one of the first studies that examined the state of career plateau and the moderating role of JE among the university staff.

Although counterproductive work behaviors can be extremely damaging to organizations and society as a whole, we do not yet fully understand the link between employees’ organizational attachment and their intention to engage in such behaviors. Based on social identity theory, we predicted a negative relationship between organizational identification and counterproductive work behaviors. We also predicted that this relationship would be moderated by ambivalent identification. We explored counterproductive work behaviors toward the organization (CWB-O) and other individuals (CWB-I). Study 1, a survey of 198 employees, revealed that employees who identified strongly with their organization reported lower levels of CWB-O, but as predicted, only when ambivalent identification was low. Study 2 involved a manipulation in the form of a scenario presented to 228 U.S. employees, generally replicated the findings of Study 1: the link between organizational identification and CWB-O was stronger for participants in the low ambivalence condition than for those in the high ambivalence condition. The interaction effect of ambivalent and organizational identification on CWB-I was only marginally significant in the second study. These findings provide new evidence for the positive influence of organizational identification under conditions of low ambivalence on counterproductive behaviors toward an organization.

ObjectiveConsistently with Bandura's theory of moral disengagement, we examined if moral disengagement predicted employees’ counterproductive work behaviours and organizational citizenship behaviours, also assessing moral competence as a moderator that, at higher values, could mitigate the positive association with counterproductive work behaviours and mitigate the negative association with organizational citizenship behaviours. MethodFive hundred eighty-three Italian employees completed a time-lagged online survey including the following measures: Work Moral Disengagement Scale (Fida, Paciello et al., 2015), Moral Competence Test (Lind, 1985), Counterproductive Work Behavior Checklist (Spector et al., 2006), Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale (Podsakoff et al., 1990). Associations between variables were examined via multiple linear regressions with bootstrapping, while the interactions were probed through the Johnson-Neyman technique. ResultsMoral disengagement is positively related to counterproductive work behaviours and negatively related to organizational citizenship behaviours. Furthermore, the association between moral disengagement and counterproductive work behaviours is moderated by moral competence, with a significant positive association only at lower levels of the moderator. ConclusionWe demonstrated for the first time the potentially significant role played by moral competence as a moderator that could reduce the negative effects of moral disengagement on deviant and unethical organizational behaviours, discussing our results in light of available evidence and theory, and elaborating on practical implications.

This study investigates how paternalistic leadership (authoritarian, benevolent, and moral) affects counterproductive work behavior among Chinese Generation Z employees. By integrating culturally specific leadership styles with generational traits, this research offers insights into the mechanisms driving counterproductive work behavior in the Chinese workplace. Drawing upon social identity theory and the cultural context of traditional China, we propose a moderated mediation model where leader identification acts as a mediator and the employee's traditionality serves as a moderator. We collected data through a multi-wave survey of 324 Gen Z employees in China. The collected data were analyzed in Stata 17.0 using multiple regression analysis, examining the relationship between paternalistic leadership and counterproductive work behavior. Results reveal that benevolent and moral leadership reduce counterproductive work behavior, while authoritarian leadership increases it. Leader identification fully mediates the effects of benevolent and moral leadership, and partially mediates the effect of authoritarian leadership. Traditionality negatively moderates the relationship between paternalistic leadership and leader identification, with lower traditionality strengthening this connection. These results highlight the complex dynamics between leadership styles and employee behavior, providing insights for creating productive and harmonious workplaces for Gen Z employees in China. The findings also emphasize leader identification as a key mechanism and traditionality as a contextual moderator shaping these effects, underscoring the need for adaptive leadership approaches.

How complexity impacts salesperson counterproductive behavior: The mediating role of moral disengagement

Following social cognitive theory, this study examines the effects of negative workplace gossip (NWG) on employees’ unethical work behavior in the hospitality industry by introducing the mediating role of moral disengagement and moderating role of self-construal. Data were collected with a multi-wave survey approach from five hotels and five restaurants in Shantou, China. The results demonstrate that NWG exerts a significant influence on moral disengagement; this leads to employees’ unethical work behavior. Employees’ self-construal is a vital boundary condition moderating the detrimental impact of NWG on moral disengagement, as well as the indirect impacts of NWG on unethical work behavior via moral disengagement. The study findings contribute to NWG literature by extending the effects of NWG to unethical work behavior in the hospitality industry and unveiling the internal mechanism linking them. Furthermore, these findings provide a significant boundary condition to grasp when NWG causes moral disengagement and unethical work behavior.

Background: Counterproductive work behaviors are considered an important issue for every workplace. This is particularly the case in the nursing setting, as such behaviors can also be detrimental for patients. However, the reasons underpinning nurses’ counterproductive behavior have been little studied, and the literature from the perspective of perpetrators’ is fragmented. Purpose: The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify and summarize studies concerning antecedents that could lead nurses to display counterproductive work behaviors. Methods: The PRISMA Statement and Flowchart were used to select the studies included in this review. The research was performed in July 2015 using the PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases. Data were selected in stages based on inclusion, exclusion and quality criteria, and analyzed using Popay’s method. Results: Fourteen papers were selected. Counterproductive work behaviors in the nursing work environment were observed. The majority of studies were performed in North America (USA and Canada), using quantitative or qualitative designs. These work behaviors were studied in order to delineate predisposing factors and their relationship to Moral Disengagement. When counterproductive work behaviors are not sanctioned, and enforcement policies are not applied, they become an important problem for organizations. From the results of our systematic review, it is possible to identify two main foci: counterproductive work behaviors’ protective factors, and counterproductive work behaviors’ risk factors. Conclusion and implications for practice: This literature review identified specific antecedents that predispose nurses to engaging in counterproductive work behaviors, which negatively affect the quality of assistance and which can result in endangering the patient. This literature review helps to understanding the reasons that lead nurses to display counterproductive work behaviors, and can help prevent and restrict these phenomena.