Abstract
The majority of research on groups and organizations has focused on the negative consequences of organizational life, but few studies have focused on how positive traits and qualities, such as hope, may impact groups. In this study we examined the relationship between hope, organizational cynicism and global job performance. All full-time employees (n = 95) of an educational institution were surveyed using existing scales for organizational cynicism (alpha = 0.94), hope (alpha = 0.87), and global job satisfaction (alpha = 0.87). Hierarchical regression confirmed existing research and suggested a negative relationship between organizational cynicism and job satisfaction (p < 0.001), and also provided evidence of a positive relationship between hope and job satisfaction (p < 0.05). Follow-up analysis showed hope partially mediated the negative relationship between organizational cynicism and global job satisfaction (p < 0.01). This study contributes to the existing literature by discovering a positive relationship between hope and job satisfaction, as well as evidence of partial mediation in regards to organizational cynicism. Hope, which has been characterized as both a state of mind and a personal trait, appears to counter the negative effects of organizational cynicism. This suggests hope may allow individuals a means to address negative workplace attitudes and conditions.
Highlights
Cynicism has been proclaimed the modern day plague of the contemporary workplace
Following Snyder’s[12] characterization of hope as an agency-pathway model, we propose that trait hope may help to mitigate the more deleterious effects of cynicism, and act as a deterrent against the negative thoughts and emotions that could damage the general well-being of the workplace
Hope, which has been characterized as both a state of mind and a trait, appears to work counter to the more commonly studied phenomenon of cynicism
Summary
Cynicism has been proclaimed the modern day plague of the contemporary workplace. Cynicism and its negative effect on the workplace is not a new phenomenon. Organizational researchers have long examined cynicism as part of the modern employee-employer relationship [5,6]. Cynical employees were seen as those who were alienated because of their lack of virtues, ethics, and moralities which strayed from the ideals of their place of employment and the leaders of their organization [7]. Empirical research on cynicism in the workplace has found it to be both a consequence of various negative workplace experiences and an antecedent to numerous negative attitudinal and behavioral outcomes [8]. Cynicism has been associated with positive organizational outcomes. Just as the cynics of Greek society sought to reject the trappings and temptations of wealth, power, and social position in pursuit of truth; workplace cynics often play the role of the “voice of conscience” [9] or “devil’s advocates” [10] to serve as a symbol of hope against wrongdoing in organizations
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