Perceived negative gossip of coworkers: Effect on newcomers' work outcomes during social adjustment

Abstract

Gossip is prevalent in the workplace, and it has been suggested that it negatively influences targets' affect and behavior. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, in this research our aim was to develop a conceptual model to explore the effects of the perceived gossip of coworkers on newcomers' work outcomes during their social adjustment to their new workplace via ego depletion, as well as the boundary condition of the effects. On the basis of data collected from 343 newcomers and their matched supervisors, our results reveal that (a) the perceived negative gossip of coworkers had a negative impact on newcomers' social adjustment and in-role performance through ego depletion, (b) newcomers' political skill weakened this relationship, and (c) the indirect effects of perceived negative gossip of coworkers on newcomers' social adjustment and in-role performance via ego depletion were also weakened by newcomers' political skill. Our findings provide new directions for comprehensive understanding of the effect of negative workplace gossip on newcomers.