Negative Workplace Gossip Research Articles

Keeping silent or playing good citizen? Differential mechanisms of negative workplace gossip on targets reactions

PurposeBased on the Sociometer Theory, this study aims to develop a comprehensive framework explaining how and when negative workplace gossip triggers distinct responses, including employee silence and compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB).Design/methodology/approachTwo scenario-based experiments and a field survey were conducted to examine hypotheses. Study 1 (N = 149) manipulated workplace negative gossip and assessed the mediating effects of state self-esteem. Study 2 (N = 217) manipulated workplace negative gossip and consideration of future consequences (CFC) to verify the stability of the mediating mechanism and test the moderating effect of CFC. Study 3 (N = 321) tested the whole research model.FindingsThe findings indicate that negative workplace gossip decreases state self-esteem, resulting in silence among employees with low levels of CFC, while inducing CCB through state self-esteem among employees with high levels of CFC.Originality/valueThis study not only extends the research of negative workplace gossip by exploring its multifaceted impact on employee responses but also highlights the role of personality traits in shaping individuals’ response strategies.

The effects of positive and negative workplace gossip on employees’ work engagement: a social information processing process

The effects of positive and negative workplace gossip on employees’ work engagement: a social information processing process

Workplace gossip erodes proactive work behavior: anxiety and neuroticism as underlying mechanisms

PurposeServices organizations highly value proactive employees. Managers are interested in promoting frontline employees’ proactive behavior because proactivity is crucial for organizational success. The mechanism of negative workplace gossip on workplace prosocial behavior is unclear. This research investigates the factors hindering this valuable behavior, specifically focusing on negative workplace gossip and employee anxiety, through the lens of the conservation of resources theory.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a sample of 352 female frontline employees across diverse service organizations using a two-wave design. Statistical analyses were conducted using appropriate software (e.g., SPSS, AMOS) to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe study’s findings reveal that negative workplace gossip reduces employees’ proactive work behavior, and anxiety mediates the relationship between NWGS and proactive work behavior. Further, Neuroticism strengthens the relationship between NWGS and anxiety. These results offer a novel perspective on the detrimental consequences of gossip in services sector.Practical implicationsOriginality/value While research on negative gossip exists, this study specifically examines its impact on frontline service employees, a crucial but under-studied group in service organizations.

Research on the changing mechanism of negative workplace gossip on helping behavior in Chinese cultural context

Based on the moral cleansing theory, our study investigates the effect of negative workplace gossip on helping behavior. In our study, 170 employees of enterprises in China were investigated by Internet questionnaire. The results showed that guilt played a partial mediating role in the influence of negative workplace gossip on helping behavior. Our study further enriched moral cleansing theory, provided a new research perspective and theoretical basis for the study of negative workplace gossip, and also provided new enlightenment for enterprises to cope with employees' negative behaviors.

Negative workplace gossip and employees' innovative behaviors: The role of psychological resilience

Applying affective events theory, this article examined the mechanism of negative workplace gossip on employees' innovative behaviors, and explored the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of psychological resilience. We collected questionnaires from 313 frontline workers in the airport services industry and analyzed the data using Amos and the SPSS PROCESS macro. The findings indicated that negative workplace gossip had a significant negative influence on employees' innovative behaviors, and emotional exhaustion partially mediated this relationship. Additionally, contrary to our initial hypothesis, psychological resilience not only failed to weaken the impact of workplace gossip on employees' emotional exhaustion, but actually amplified this relationship. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.

The Lingering Effect of Perceived Negative Workplace Gossip on Employees’ Rumination and Emotions

The Lingering Effect of Perceived Negative Workplace Gossip on Employees’ Rumination and Emotions

How and when negative workplace gossip influences service sabotage behavior? A study among hotel frontline employees in China

Purpose Drawing upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to examine whether ego depletion mediates the relationship between negative workplace gossip and employees’ service sabotage behavior and whether psychological resilience moderates the relationship between negative workplace gossip and service sabotage behavior through the mediator of ego depletion among hotel frontline employees and their colleagues. Design/methodology/approach A paired sample was collected at three-time points from employees and their colleagues working in hotels in Guizhou province, China. The PROCESS macro for SPSS was applied to examine the moderated mediation model. Findings The results showed that negative workplace gossip has a positive effect on employee service sabotage behavior, and that ego depletion mediates the relationship between negative workplace gossip and employee service sabotage behavior. Psychological resilience weakens the relationship between negative workplace gossip and ego depletion, as well as the indirect effect of negative workplace gossip on employee service sabotage behavior through ego depletion. Originality/value The present research provides a thorough understanding of when and how negative workplace gossip influences employee service sabotage behavior in the hospitality industry. The findings of this moderated mediation relationship expanded the boundary conditions of negative workplace gossip and employee service sabotage behavior.

The dark side of co-worker friendship in the restaurant context: roles of gender and promotion focus

PurposeThis paper investigates the focal role of close co-worker friendship in reducing incivility. Furthermore, this paper examines negative workplace gossip as a mediator and gender and promotion focus as moderators.Design/methodology/approachUsing a time-lagged approach, 553 full-service restaurant front-line co-workers in Greater Cairo responded. Further, the data were analyzed using SmartPLS v.4.FindingsPromotion focus weakened close co-workers’ friendships, causing them to speak negatively about each other with other co-workers. Multi-group analysis showed that males were more likely to spread negative gossip about their close co-workers and thus were subjected to incivility-related behaviors by their co-workers.Originality/valueThis paper is an early attempt to explore the focal role of promotion focus in the full-service restaurant context. This paper adds to affective events theory (AET) with a limited understanding of explaining and predicting co-worker incivility.

The double-edged sword of negative workplace gossip: when and how negative workplace gossip promotes versus inhibits knowledge hiding

The double-edged sword of negative workplace gossip: when and how negative workplace gossip promotes versus inhibits knowledge hiding

Unraveling the role of external social support in coping with negative workplace gossip

The positive role of organizational and supervisor support for employees who are coping with being targets of negative workplace gossip has been established. However, to extend understanding of how external social support works in the context of workplace gossip, we investigated social support from family and friends and gender as joint moderators of the relationship between gossip and task performance of the targeted employees. A longitudinal twowave survey research design was utilized. The sample consisted of 231 supervisor–subordinate dyads employed by five large companies in China. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, and we uncovered a negative association between negative workplace gossip and task performance. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that external social support had an amplifying effect on the relationship between negative workplace gossip and the task performance of targeted male employees, whereas external social support had a mitigating effect for targeted female employees. This study practically guides managers to address negative workplace gossip more effectively with a consideration of gender differences, and theoretically expands understanding of the impact of social support and its interaction with gender in the context of negative workplace gossip.

Research review of workplace negative gossip

Research review of workplace negative gossip

Negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding: roles of duty orientation and psychological entitlement

ABSTRACT Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study examined the impact of negative workplace gossip on targets’ knowledge hiding behaviours. We also examined the mediating role of duty orientation and the moderating role of psychological entitlement on the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding behaviours. We adopted a mixed-method research design involving a scenario experiment (Study 1) and a two-wave survey study (Study 2). The results showed that negative workplace gossip has a positive association with knowledge hiding behaviours and this relationship was mediated by duty orientation. In addition, psychological entitlement strengthens the negative influence of negative workplace gossip on duty orientation. However, the indirect effect of negative workplace gossip on knowledge hiding behaviours through duty orientation is stronger for employees with high psychological entitlement as compared to those having low levels of psychological entitlement.

Sailing through silence: exploring how negative gossip leaves breeding grounds for quiet quitting in the workplace

PurposeGossip spreads like wildfire, damaging relationships, decaying trust and creating a negative work environment. This study aims to investigate the relationship between negative workplace gossip (NWG) and quiet quitting (QQ), while considering the mediating effects of workplace stress and emotional exhaustion (EE).Design/methodology/approachDrawing upon the conservation of resource theory, the study aimed to comprehend this association in the context of 267 employees from diverse sectors in India, including health care, IT, banking and education. Through a three-wave time lagged survey design, using partial least squares structural equation modeling, significant findings were uncovered.FindingsThe results revealed a positive link between NWG and QQ. There was also a positive correlation between NWG and workplace stress. In addition, workplace stress and EE were found to mediate the relationship between NWG and QQ.Practical implicationsThe findings have implications for both theory and practice. Organizations should consider implementing strategies to mitigate the prevalence of negative gossip and foster a healthier work environment, promoting employee well-being and retention.Originality/valueThe study reveals the “black box” between NWG and QQ, adding to the body of knowledge on the novel concept of QQ. Second, the study expands the literature on NWG, by examining impact path of how it leads to stress and EE, leading to QQ.

From the dual-dimensional perspective of employee mindfulness and superior trust, explore the influence mechanism of negative workplace gossip on work engagement

From the dual-dimensional perspective of employee mindfulness and superior trust, explore the influence mechanism of negative workplace gossip on work engagement

Does negative evaluation make you lose yourself? Effects of negative workplace gossip on workplace prosocial behavior of employee

Does negative evaluation make you lose yourself? Effects of negative workplace gossip on workplace prosocial behavior of employee

How negative workplace gossip undermines employees’ career growth: from a reputational perspective

PurposeThis study aims to explore how and when negative workplace gossip damages hospitality employees’ career growth, based on social information processing (SIP) and social cognitive career theories.Design/methodology/approachThe authors gathered data from 379 individuals working in Guangzhou’s hospitality industry with a multi-wave survey.FindingsThis research found that negative workplace gossip harms career growth by damaging one’s personal reputation, and concern for reputation plays a moderating role. In particular, employees displaying greater concern for reputation are more inclined to perceive a diminished personal reputation when exposed to negative workplace gossip, resulting in more negative assessments of their career growth prospects in their organization.Practical implicationsThis study has some practical implications. It highlights the need to mitigate negative workplace gossip by fostering a harmonious work environment, implementing reputation-focused training programs and providing support to employees who are particularly concerned about their personal reputations.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the knowledge by empirically revealing the career consequences of negative workplace gossip, incorporating personal reputation and concern for reputation in the theoretical model and advancing research in the vocational and gossip domains. It also enriches SIP and social cognitive career theories while focusing on the hospitality industry.

Distributive Injustice and Work Disengagement in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry: Mediating Roles of the Workplace Negative Gossip and Organizational Cynicism

This study aims to explore how work disengagement (WD) is affected by employees’ perceptions of distributive injustice (DI). It also investigates the mediating roles of workplace negative gossip (WNG) and organizational cynicism (OC). Responses were received from the full-time employees of category (A) travel agencies and five-star hotels operating in Egypt. WarpPLS 7.0 was used to run a PLS-SEM analysis on the 656 valid responses. The results revealed that there is a positive relationship between employees’ perception of distributive injustice and work disengagement level; in addition, there is a positive relationship between perception of distributive injustice and workplace negative gossip and organizational cynicism. Results also reported positive relationships between workplace negative gossip, organizational cynicism, and work disengagement. Furthermore, findings showed that workplace negative gossip and organizational cynicism mediate the relationship between distributive injustice and work disengagement. Some groundbreaking investigations were conducted as part of the research. Research on how DI affects WNG, OC, and WD is still lacking. In terms of contextual significance, an empirical investigation of the relationship between these factors in hotels and travel companies is unavailable. By empirically examining these connections in the context of Egyptian hotels and travel agencies, the current study has filled a gap in the literature on tourism and hospitality, human resources management, and organizational behavior.

How do negative workplace gossip and toxic workplace environment fuel the fire of knowledge hiding? The moderating role of workplace spirituality

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between toxic workplace environments, negative workplace gossip and knowledge hiding, by exploring workplace spirituality as a moderating variable in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThis study focusses on private university lecturer in West Java, Indonesia. Data collection was carried out by distributing questionnaires to respondents offline and online via Google Forms. Data analysis was done by structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe findings reveal that a toxic workplace environment and negative workplace gossip are positively related to knowledge hiding. In addition, it was found that workplace spirituality moderates the relationship between a toxic workplace environment and negative workplace gossip with knowledge hiding.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends the research model and research context of knowledge hiding in private universities. This research contributes to the social exchange theory literature by proving empirical support to confirm that there is a social exchange in interpersonal relations between academics.Practical implicationsThis study extends the research model and research context of knowledge hiding in private universities, linking it to the conservation of resources theory. This research contributes to the social exchange theory literature by proving empirical support to confirm that there is a social exchange in interpersonal relations between lecturers.Social implicationsLeaders need to instill spirituality in lecturer so that they feel comfortable when working, and it indirectly reduces the effects of negative behavior such as negative gossip and a toxic environment that makes them willing to share knowledge.Originality/valueTo the authors’ understanding, this is the first study to examine workplace spirituality as a variable moderating the relationship between toxic workplace environment and negative workplace gossip with knowledge hiding in the college context.

The Impact of Idiosyncratic Deals on Coworkers’ Interactive Behavior: The Moderating Role of Developmental Human Resource Management Practices

Organizations have come to recognize the importance of their human capital, particularly their top-performing employees, in sustaining their businesses in today’s competitive 21st-century landscape. To reward these few talented employees, organizations offer them preferential treatment in the form of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals). I-deals can effectively improve the performance of recipients, but this is not enough to demonstrate their management effectiveness. We should also measure their functional impact from the perspective of bystanders. This study seeks to explore the functional and dysfunctional impacts of i-deals on bystanders. We collected two-wave leader–employee matching data from sales teams, obtaining a sample of 108 leaders and 546 employees. The results indicate that coworkers’ perceptions of other employees’ i-deals (CPOEID) can provoke either malicious envy, which can lead to negative workplace gossip, or benign envy, which encourages feedback seeking. Developmental HRM practices not only lessen the positive effect of CPOEID on malicious and benign envy but also reduce the indirect effect of CPOEID on negative workplace gossip and feedback-seeking through malicious or benign envy. Our study, which applies social comparison theory, examines the double-edged effects of differentiated HRM practices on coworker interactive behavior. Additionally, our findings demonstrate the complementarity between differentiated and standardized HRM practices.

The work–family spillover and crossover effects of negative workplace gossip

The work–family spillover and crossover effects of negative workplace gossip