Workplace Ostracism Research Articles

Does workplace ostracism lead to knowledge hiding? Modeling workplace withdrawal as a mediator and authentic leadership as a moderator

Does workplace ostracism lead to knowledge hiding? Modeling workplace withdrawal as a mediator and authentic leadership as a moderator

Carrying Ostracism Overnight: The Cognitive Mechanism Underlying the Effect of Daily Workplace Ostracism on Next-Day Work Engagement.

Integrating cognitive appraisal theory of stress and attachment theory, the current study explored the influence of daily workplace ostracism on employee short-term work engagement and examined the mediating role of negative work reflection and the moderating effects of employee attachment styles (i.e., attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety). To test the theoretical model, we employed an experience sampling method to collect daily diary data over 10 consecutive workdays, resulting in a final sample of 834 observations drawn from 133 participants. Results of multilevel path analysis indicated that daily workplace ostracism was negatively related to employee next-day work engagement through negative work reflection at night. In addition, we found that employee attachment avoidance not only moderated the within-person relationship between daily workplace ostracism and negative work reflection at night but also alleviated the indirect effect of daily workplace ostracism on next-day work engagement via negative work reflection at night. Taken together, our study contributed by unfolding the dynamic cognitive appraisal process of workplace ostracism and identifying the significant role of attachment avoidance in shaping employees' cognitive reactions to daily workplace ostracism.

Home alone: Measuring remote workplace ostracism.

Home alone: Measuring remote workplace ostracism.

Feeling Abandoned and Exiled: Trait Mindfulness as Moderator the Impact of Ostracism on the Work Meaningfulness

Academics have concluded that work meaningfulness is the basic need of employees that should be pursued. However, challenges arise in creating a perception of work meaningfulness caused by various factors in the workplace. Workplace ostracism or ostracism in the workplace is a potential factor that can affect the formation of work meaning, this is because the condition of being isolated or ostracized is often categorized as an interaction that causes pain and harm to the victim. Individual differences, especially trait mindfulness, are thought to have a strong role in the relationship between the two. Researchers gathered 305 employees from various industries to give statements to the survey given online. The results of data analysis using moderation analysis model 1 in PROCESS macro show that ostracism in the workplace is negatively correlated with employee work meaning (b = -0.5164). The results also showed that the benefit of trait mindfulness was as a buffer against the negative relationship between ostracism in the workplace negatively correlated with employee work meaning (b = 0.1146). It was also found that the mindfulness trait was also able to predict the meaning of employees' work at work (b = -0.2786).

Why and when employees ostracize their leaders: the effect of leader political act and integrity trustworthiness of the leader

ABSTRACT Every organizational member can be ostracized, including those at the very top. Yet why and when a leader is ostracized by the employees is unknown. Based on the victim precipitation theory and the model of ethical ideology, we investigated the factors that precipitated a leader into workplace ostracism. We found that leader political acts (a leader’s self-serving behaviour aimed at promoting self-interest by influencing another person’s thinking and behaviours) predicted employees’ ostracism of the leader. We further predicted that employees’ principled versus expedient ideologies, indicated by employee integrity and employee political acts would affect an employee’s evaluation of leader political acts. Based on a daily dairy study (Study 1) and a three-wave time-lagged field survey study (Study 2), we found leader political acts were negatively related to integrity trustworthiness of the leader. This negative relationship was stronger for employees high in integrity and weaker for employees who also engaged in political acts. Both studies supported the moderated mediation model in which the mediational relationship among leader political acts, integrity trustworthiness of the leader, and ostracism of the leader were moderated by 1) employee integrity, and 2) employee political acts.

Proactive employees perceive coworker ostracism: The moderating effect of team envy and the behavioral outcome of production deviance.

As the workplace becomes more team based, interpersonal relationships at work are a central topic that affects both employees and the organization. Despite ample evidence showing the detrimental effects of workplace ostracism on employees' health and productivity, why someone is ostracized by others at work warrants more research. Based on social comparison theory, we predict that task proactivity could be perceived negatively and can elicit ostracism from team members; this effect is dependent upon the boundary condition of team envy. Furthermore, perceived coworker ostracism explains why task proactivity may turn into production deviance. We tested these predictions based on data from 630 employees in 131 teams collected in various industries in China. The results showed that individual-level task proactivity positively predicted coworker ostracism perceived by the proactive employee, and this relationship was moderated by team envy. Task proactivity was indirectly and positively related to production deviance via perceived coworker ostracism, especially in teams with high levels of team envy. Based on these results, we suggest that proactive employees need to be aware of possible unexpected interpersonal consequences in the workplace, given that proactive work behaviors may elicit unwanted and unintended treatment from team members. Managers should monitor team contextual factors, which may affect the extent to which good soldiers turn into bad apples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The effect of organizational silence on the relationship between workplace ostracism and nurses' procrastination behavior: A structural equation modeling.

This study aims to assess the relationship between workplace ostracism and the procrastination behavior of nurses, as well as examine the effect of organizational silence on this relationship. Controlling workplace ostracism and eradicating time wasters, especially procrastination behavior among nurses, are key strategies that add value to organizational effectiveness. In addition, remaining silent about significant issues facing nurses is a devastating approach to the success of both healthcare organizations and the nursing profession. A cross-sectional descriptive correlational exploratory research design was used to conduct the study. Data were collected from 352 nurses recruited from three large university hospitals in Alexandria, Egypt. Four instruments, namely, the Workplace Ostracism Questionnaire, the Organizational Silence Scale, the Active Procrastination Scale, and the Unintentional Procrastination Scale, were used. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships among the variables. The findings demonstrated a significant positive and moderate association between workplace ostracism and both active and passive procrastination behaviors among nurses. Moreover, there was a strong positive and significant correlation between organizational silence and workplace ostracism. The results of mediation revealed that the indirect effect of workplace ostracism on both active and passive procrastination behavior through organizational silence was statistically significant, suggesting that organizational silence partially mediated this relationship. The study highlighted the ongoing challenges posed by toxic workplace issues, such as organizational ostracism and silence, as significant factors contributing to nurses' procrastination behaviors. Not only do these factors directly impact nurses' productivity, but they also interact to exacerbate negative outcomes in nursing care. Addressing these toxic dynamics is critical to improving nurse performance and ensuring quality care in healthcare settings. This study offers new insights for navigating toxicity and upgrading nursing productivity in healthcare organizations through fostering a more inclusive and communicative work environment. Promoting team cohesion and ensuring that all staff members feel valued and included can reduce feelings of isolation that may lead to procrastination. Also, creating safe spaces for nurses to voice concerns without fear of reprisal could significantly diminish passive procrastination, which ultimately enhances overall patient care quality and organizational efficiency.

Workplace ostracism and counterproductive work behaviour: parallel mediation of felt accountability and emotional exhaustion

Workplace ostracism and counterproductive work behaviour: parallel mediation of felt accountability and emotional exhaustion

Exploring the Mediating Role of Mindfulness in Mitigating Workplace Ostracism's Effect on Turnover Intention: Evidence from the Banking Sector in Pakistan

Workplace ostracism, characterized by the intentional or unintentional disregard and neglect of employees by their colleagues or senior management, poses significant challenges to organizational harmony and employee retention. This study aims to investigate the potential of mindfulness in ameliorating the adverse effects of ostracism, thereby reducing turnover rates. Through a survey of 256 employees in the banking sector of Pakistan, we examine whether mindfulness facilitates employees' resilience to workplace ostracism and their subsequent decision to remain within the organization. Utilizing structural equation modeling in IBM-AMOS, findings reveal that workplace ostracism positively and significantly influences turnover intention, while exhibiting a negative and significant relationship with mindfulness. Furthermore, mindfulness demonstrates a negative association with turnover intention, suggesting its potential as a buffer against the detrimental impacts of ostracism. These results offer valuable insights for organizational management and policymakers seeking to enhance employee well-being and reduce turnover rates. By fostering a culture of active mindfulness, organizations can empower employees to navigate challenges associated with workplace ostracism, ultimately fostering greater engagement and retention. Responsible managers can leverage these findings to cultivate factors that promote mindfulness among employees, thereby fostering a more supportive and inclusive work environment conducive to long-term organizational success.

Does one’s sense of psychological safety mitigate the link between workplace ostracism and employee vitality? Meaningful work as a boundary role

The present study examines one’s sense of psychological safety as a mediator between workplace ostracism and vitality. It also tests meaningful work as a moderator between one’s sense of psychological safety and vitality. The present research collected cross-sectional data applying purposive and convenience sampling from 390 frontline hotel employees in Thailand. Workplace ostracism has a negative impact on one’s sense of psychological safety and vitality. One’s sense of psychological safety mediates the connection between workplace ostracism and vitality, and meaningful work positively moderates the association between one’s sense of psychological safety and vitality. These findings not only expand upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory and confirm the mediating role of psychological safety but also extend value congruence theory by moderating the role of meaningful work. The study highlights to increase meaningful work and one’s sense of psychological safety to improve vitality, and the strategies to minimize workplace ostracism.

Friend or foe in the eyes of the beholder? How and when LMX increases and decreases workplace ostracism

Purpose This study aims to build on social comparison theory to develop a theoretical model of leader–member exchange (LMX) relationship to workplace ostracism through perceived organizational status by coworkers and envy. This study further proposes that warmth and competence may potentially moderate these two indirect effects. Design/methodology/approach This study tested the hypotheses in a battery manufacturing company located in South China by a survey of 216 employees organized in 55 work teams, using different sources. Additionally, the authors conduct two online vignette experiments to test this study’s mediation, proving the causality. Findings The authors found that high-level LMX leads to both envy and perceived organizational status by coworkers, which results in a mixed blessing on workplace ostracism toward the employee with high-level LMX. The focal employee’s warmth and competence moderate these indirect relationships. Research limitations/implications The authors use LMX to explore antecedents of workplace ostracism and explain how and when these focal employees suffer workplace ostracism from their coworkers. The authors extend the research on LMX by examining the interpersonal risk of being a focal employee. The authors discover two critical boundary conditions – warmth and competence. Practical implications This study suggests that it is important to balance the level of the differential LMX; appropriately endorsing other members is a good way to avoid eliciting envy and opposition. Meanwhile, person-oriented citizenship behaviors such as demonstrations of concern or help may shortly build up an employee’s warm impression on their coworkers. Originality/value By discovering the bright and dark sides of LMX, this paper has the potential to advance theories on LMX and workplace ostracism. Therefore, the authors believe the current research will have an important impact on relevant research in the future.

The hustle behind knowledge: role of workplace ostracism and knowledge hiding towards quiet quitting in knowledge-intensive organisations

PurposeGiven the workplace’s reinvention to accommodate the global pandemic’s novel conditions, knowledge hiding (KH) behaviour in knowledge-intensive organisations must be examined from a fresh perspective. In this context, the relationship between workplace ostracism (WO) as KH’s antecedent and quiet quitting (QQ) as its consequence is undertaken via the mediating role of KH behaviour among knowledge workers (KWs).Design/methodology/approachThrough stratified sampling, data from 649 KWs is obtained to test the model. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using SMART-PLS 4.0. software establishes a significant influence of WO on KH and QQ. KH significantly mediates the relationship between WO and QQ, highlighting its critical intermediary role PLSPredict evaluates the model’s predictiveness. WO and KH’s effects on QQ are examined using necessity logic by collectively applying PLS-SEM and necessary condition analysis (NCA).FindingsThe model wherein WO plays a significant role in increasing KH and QQ, with KH as a partial mediator in the relationship, has high predictive relevance. Moreover, NCA confirms WO as the key predictor variable that provides variance in QQ, followed by KH. The Importance-performance map analysis technique supports the study’s managerial implications.Originality/valueThis study enriches QQ’s emerging literature by empirically identifying its antecedents-WO and KH. Methodologically, this paper gives a model for using PLS-SEM and NCA together in relation to QQ by identifying WO as its necessary condition. Evidence of selected constructs’ interrelationships may help organisations draft leadership programmes to curtail KH and QQ behaviour.

The Weekly Change Trajectory of Workplace Ostracism: Your Monday Reaction Matters

The Weekly Change Trajectory of Workplace Ostracism: Your Monday Reaction Matters

Family bonds at risk: The spillover effects of workplace ostracism in the parent–child relationship

AbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to bridge the gap between occupational psychology and family psychology by exploring whether and how social connections in the workplace can lead to changes in family relations.BackgroundAmid intensified competition, workplace ostracism has become prevalent. However, its negative impacts on children, a vulnerable group within the family, have been largely neglected.MethodA cross‐sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 673 working parents from multiple companies, along with their children. This enabled us to examine the impacts of workplace ostracism on the parent–child relationship based on both parents' and children's data, with a specific focus on the mediating role of emotional exhaustion.ResultsThe consistent findings obtained from parents' and children's relationship ratings revealed that parents' reported workplace ostracism predicted parent–child conflict positively and parent–child closeness negatively. Parents' emotional exhaustion only partially mediated the relationship between workplace ostracism and parent–child conflict, whereas its mediation effect between workplace ostracism and parent–child closeness was found to be insignificant.ConclusionThe spillover effect of workplace ostracism can exacerbate conflicts and reduce closeness between parents and their children. Emotional exhaustion acts as the underlying mechanism linking workplace ostracism to conflict but not to closeness.ImplicationsPrograms designed to foster better intraorganizational relationships and promote individual emotion regulation skills may ultimately benefit family harmony.

“Exploring the relationship of organizational virtuousness, citizenship behavior, job performance, and combatting ostracism” through structural equational modeling

BackgroundThis theoretical model has been drawn on principles of social exchange theory to scrutinize the connection between organizational virtuousness and job performance with the mediating role of Organizational citizenship behavior and moderating role of workplace ostracism. A survey was conducted in Pakistan, gathering data from 486 employees working for various private and commercial banks.MethodSoft and hard questionnaires were distributed to the participants, with social media platforms used for the soft questionnaires and meetings with employees for the hard questionnaires. A 7-point Likert scale was employed in data collection, and measures for the variables were adapted from reliable and valid sources. A demographic analysis was performed to summarize the sample collected from participants. The demographics results were analyzed using SPSS, while the measurement model and path analysis were conducted using Structural Equational Modeling with Smart PLS-4.ResultsThe study’s findings showed a significant and positive relationship between organizational virtuousness and job performance, with organizational citizenship behavior serving as a mediator. Additionally, a negative moderation of workplace ostracism was observed in the mediation of organizational citizenship behavior toward the relationship between organizational virtuousness and job performance.ConclusionThe study’s results contribute to the implementation of social exchange theory and related concepts in the banking sector of Pakistan, providing practical guidance for implementing virtuous practices within organizations and discouraging ostracism in banks to enhance overall performance. The study suggests that policies regarding the implementation of virtuous practices in organizations can be established, and workplace ostracism can be avoided by providing a platform for social gatherings and training employees. Managers should adopt appropriate leadership styles and relevant communication patterns to impact the organizational climate which can also help reduce the influence of ostracism in the organization. Additionally, a complaint cell should be established with complete confidentiality to reduce ostracism.

Harnessing Workplace Ostracism: Unleashing Proactive Behavior through Work Focus and Visionary Leadership.

Differing from prior studies which explored workplace ostracism's negative impacts, in this study, we try to explore ways to mitigate and harness workplace ostracism to encourage proactive behavior. By drawing on regulatory focus theory, we propose that workplace ostracism can increase proactive behavior via enhanced promotion focus and prevention focus. We collected questionnaire data at multiple time points from employees in private enterprises in China, and a structural equation model was primarily used to test the proposed model. The results of the study indicate that workplace ostracism positively relates to work focus, which, in turn, improves employees' proactive behavior. Visionary leadership only moderates the relationship between workplace ostracism and promotion focus. Employees who perceive high levels of visionary leadership exhibit an increase in promotion focus after experiencing workplace ostracism. This increase in promotion focus further enhances their proactive behavior. These research findings clarify the pathway and boundary conditions through which workplace ostracism positively influences proactive behavior. They also provide valuable insights for enterprises seeking to promote proactive behavior among employees.

Enhancing service adaptability: a moderated mediation model of workplace ostracism, robot anthropomorphism, employees’ readiness to change, and performance efficacy

Enhancing service adaptability: a moderated mediation model of workplace ostracism, robot anthropomorphism, employees’ readiness to change, and performance efficacy

Workplace Envy as a Determinant of Organizational Politics and Emotional Manipulation: Role of Workplace Ostracism

Objective: This research aims to analyze relations between workplace envy and organizational politics and emotional manipulation and the moderating role of workplace ostracism in the banking sector. Methodology: This study aims to explore the ways these elements interact in organizational settings through a sample of 270 employees working in banks. Workplace envy was positively significantly correlated with organizational politics and emotional manipulation, implicating that the greater the level of envy, the greater the engagement in political and manipulative behaviors at work. Findings: The results, however, were not supportive of the hypothesized moderating effect of workplace ostracism: the presence of ostracism, therefore, did not significantly influence the influence of envy on organizational politics and emotional manipulation. These results pointed out the enormous influence of envy in creating a negative workplace, but on the other hand, ostracism alone did not enhance these effects. Implications: This work contributes to the discovery and understanding of the emotional mechanisms in organizations and emphasizes the influence of effective leadership and management responses to address and exploit these dynamics constructively. Practical implications of the study involve interventions for developing emotional intelligence and organizational transparency in such a way as to neutralize the negative effects of envy and foster an organizational culture of support and productivity.

The Role of Workplace Ostracism on Employee Work Involvement: Mediating Role of Job Connectedness and Moderating Role of Intrinsic Motivation

The Role of Workplace Ostracism on Employee Work Involvement: Mediating Role of Job Connectedness and Moderating Role of Intrinsic Motivation

Relationship between workplace ostracism and job productivity: the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and lack of motivation

Relationship between workplace ostracism and job productivity: the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and lack of motivation