"Workplace Ostracism, Organizational Identification and Proactive Behavior"

Abstract

This study examines when and why employees might respond to workplace ostracism by withholding proactivity. Drawing on the group engagement model, we propose that workplace ostracism decreases proactive behavior by undermining employees identification with the organization. We also theorize that others approval of contingent self-esteem and job mobility will jointly influence the extent to which employees identify with the organization. The results of a survey study conducted in two large oil and gas manufacturing companies in China over three time periods show that organizational identification fully mediates the impact of workplace ostracism on proactive behavior. In addition, others approval of contingent self- esteem and job mobility jointly moderate the relationship between workplace ostracism and organizational identification such that workplace ostracism is most negatively related to organizational identification when both others approval of contingent self-esteem and job mobility are high rather than low. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.