Workplace ostracism and organizational deviance: A self-regulatory perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT Grounded in self-regulation theory, this research assesses the relationship between employees’ experiences of workplace ostracism and organizational deviance, further exploring the mediating function of procrastination and the buffering role of psychological flexibility. Results based on longitudinal (three-wave) data collected from employees in North American organizations illustrate that workplace ostracism elicits organizational deviance because employees suffer from impaired self-regulation, shown through procrastination. Accordingly, this study identifies procrastination as a way by which workplace ostracism facilitates organizational deviance but highlights that the association between procrastination and deviant behavior is mitigated when employees can actively engage in psychological flexibility. Examining the interplay between these variables may present an opportunity to potentially understand how to curb adverse workplace outcomes by encouraging employees to adapt their behaviors in the pursuit of organizational goals, despite the distracting thoughts and emotions associated with the experience of workplace ostracism.