Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations need to effectively manage changes, and employees need to proactively adapt to these changes. The present research investigated when and how individual employees’ narcissism was related to their change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. Specifically, based on a trait activation perspective, this research proposed the hypotheses that individual employees’ narcissism and environmental uncertainty would interactively influence employees’ change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior via felt responsibility for constructive change; furthermore, the effect of narcissism on change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior via felt responsibility for constructive change would be stronger when the environmental uncertainty prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic was high rather than low. Two studies were conducted to test these hypotheses: an online survey of 180 employees in mainland China (Study 1) and a field study of 167 leader–follower dyads at two Chinese companies (Study 2). The current research reveals a bright side of narcissism, which has typically been recognized as a dark personality trait, and enriches the understanding of the antecedents of change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior. This research can also guide organizations that wish to stimulate employee proactivity.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant and far-reaching challenges to the workplace
Combining Hypotheses 1 and 2, this study further proposes that employee narcissism and environmental uncertainty will have an interactive effect on organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs)-CH via FRCC
Hypothesis 1 proposed that narcissism and environmental uncertainty would have an interactive effect on FRCC
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant and far-reaching challenges to the workplace These changes, such as remote work, virtual teamwork, and digital transformations, have presented employees with new requirements that are not addressed in formal job descriptions or employment contracts. Employees need to learn and master new knowledge and skills in virtual offices (Schinoff et al, 2020), and online communication styles are different from those in traditional offices (Nyberg et al, 2021) In these new situations, employees’ proactive behaviors— such as suggesting new ideas or methods to solve non-routine issues, taking initiative to improve efficiency, and taking responsibility for extra work during periods of organizational change—will be valued. It is theoretically and practically important to explore which types of employees are more likely to demonstrate OCB-CH
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