Workplace incivility and its effect on organizational citizenship behavior: the role of emotions as mediators and hostile attribution bias as a moderator

Abstract

Workplace incivility is on the rise and becoming more common in today’s organization. Although workplace incivility is subtle, the consequences of the behavior are too overwhelming to be ignored. Underpinned by Social Exchange Theory, Affective Events Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, this study aims to investigate the consequences of workplace incivility. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between workplace incivility and organizational citizenship behavior using a mediation-moderation framework with anger, embarrassment, hurt feelings and contempt as mediators and hostile attribution bias as a moderator. Data were obtained from 359 employees working in Malaysia public sector. The study hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The study’s findings revealed that the direct relationship between workplace incivility and organizational citizenship behavior was not significant. In relation to the indirect relationship, the results showed that only hurt feelings and not anger, embarrassment and contempt, mediated the workplace incivility-organizational citizenship behavior relationship. The result of the indirect relationship also revealed that hurt feelings fully mediated the relationship between workplace incivility and organizational citizenship behavior. Finally, the present study found a non-significant effect of hostile attribution bias in moderating the relationship between workplace incivility and organizational citizenship behavior. Theoretically, the present study adds to the body of knowledge by providing some support for; (a) the importance of examining discrete emotions in workplace incivility research, and (b) the importance of Affective Events Theory in explaining the link between a work event and an affective-driven behavior. Practically, the present study informs managements that workplace incivility is a real problem. Experiencing such behavior can disrupt emotions at work, consequently impacting voluntary actions. Hence, it becomes imperative for organizations to deploy effective strategies for curbing uncivil conduct and managing employees’ emotions at work. Future research could expand its scope to ensure the generalization of the results for the overall public sector organization in Malaysia.