No Herd for Black Sheep: A Meta‐Analytic Review of the Predictors and Outcomes of Workplace Ostracism

Abstract

Ostracism is a ubiquitous and inevitable part of human personal and professional lives. Despite its prevalence, organizational scholars have yet to provide a comprehensive review of the empirical literature on workplace ostracism. In this study, I use belongingness theory, conservation of resources theory, and need‐threat/need fortification theory to conduct a meta‐analysis of the relationships between the predictors and outcomes of workplace ostracism. My results suggest that experiences of workplace incivility and victim personality traits have a significant influence on the perceptions of workplace ostracism. I also found that self‐esteem partially mediates the relationship between workplace ostracism and work outcomes. In addition, workplace ostracism was related negatively to numerous health and work outcomes. Furthermore, national culture (collectivistic vs. individualistic cultures) of study samples moderated some of the proposed relationships. Finally, results from relative weight analyses revealed a unique contribution of workplace ostracism in the prediction of job satisfaction, although abusive supervision and interpersonal deviance were important predictors of OCBs and deviant work behaviors. I conclude with a discussion of these findings.