In good company? A multi-study,multi-level investigation of the effects of coworker relationships on employee well-being

Two multi-level studies were conducted to examine the effects of attitudes towards coworkers on daily well-being. Study 1 linked daily levels of coworker satisfaction to job satisfaction and life satisfaction and examined the extent to which job satisfaction mediated the relationship between coworker satisfaction and life satisfaction among 33 government employees. Study 2 replicated and extended Study 1 by examining the extent to which agreeableness moderated the relationships between daily levels of coworker satisfaction and job and life satisfaction among an occupationally diverse sample of 79 employees. Results revealed that coworker satisfaction varied significantly from day to day and was positively related to job and life satisfaction. Further, job satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between daily coworker satisfaction and life satisfaction. Finally, agreeableness moderated the relationship between coworker satisfaction and job and life satisfaction, such that daily levels of these variables were more contingent on coworker satisfaction for agreeable individuals.     

The Role of Personality and Job Stressors in Predicting Counterproductive Work Behavior: A three‐way interaction

The current study examined interactive effects among personality and job stressors in predicting employees' engagement in counterproductive work behavior (CWB) defined as behavior that harms organizations or people in organizations. Survey data were collected from 932 employees and results showed significant negative relationships of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability with CWB directed at organizations (CWB‐O) and people (CWB‐P), and significant positive relationships of interpersonal conflict and organizational constraints with CWB‐O and CWB‐P. Further, it was found that the positive relationships of interpersonal conflict with CWB‐O and CWB‐P were strongest for people of low emotional stability–low agreeableness among all emotional stability–agreeableness combinations, and that the positive relationships of organizational constraints with CWB‐O and CWB‐P were strongest for people of high emotional stability–low conscientiousness among all emotional stability–conscientiousness combinations.     

Spillover Effects of Emotional Labor in Customer Service Encounters Toward Coworker Harming: A Resource Depletion Perspective

This research examines how the implications of emotional labor can transfer from customer encounters to coworker interactions using temporally lagged data from a sample of frontline service employees. The results show that surface acting in customer service encounters is positively, and deep acting is negatively, related to ego depletion. Employees’ ego depletion, in turn, is positively associated with their interpersonally harmful behavior toward coworkers. Hence, ego depletion appears as a mediating variable that translates the implications of distinct emotional labor strategies into coworker harming. Moreover, emotion regulation self‐efficacy moderates the role of surface acting. The positive indirect relationship between surface acting and coworker harming, via ego depletion, is buffered among employees with higher emotion regulation self‐efficacy. These findings shed new light on the complex and far‐reaching consequences of emotional labor. We demonstrate the relevance of emotional labor to third parties not directly involved in customer service encounters and highlight important mediators and boundary conditions of these indirect relations.     

Integrating social exchange and affective explanations for the receipt of help and harm: A social network approach

We integrated theories of social exchange and emotion to explain the receipt of interpersonal citizenship (help) and counterproductive behaviors (harm). Using social network methodology, data on a total of 534 relationships were obtained from three samples of employees working for a food services organization. Results were consistent across all three samples. Employees received help and harm from coworkers toward whom they engaged in those behaviors, as well as from coworkers in whom they elicited positive and negative affective states, respectively. Additionally, affective states predicted the receipt of help and harm controlling for engagement, suggesting a means by which social exchanges may become imbalanced. Overall, findings demonstrate the validity of social exchange and affective explanations for the receipt of help and harm in the workplace.     

The Separate, relative, and joint effects of employee job performance domains on supervisors’ willingness to mentor

The purpose of our study was to further elucidate how employees should behave at work to increase their chances of being mentored by their immediate supervisor. To that end, we experimentally tested how three domains of employee performance [task performance (TP), organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) targeting the supervisor, and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) targeting coworkers] affect supervisors’ willingness to mentor. Each performance domain affected willingness to mentor. OCB had the weakest of the three main effects. Finally, the positive effect of TP was stronger when employees displayed less CWB.     

“近朱者赤”：同事主动行为如何激发员工动机和绩效

以往有关主动性的研究通常聚焦员工本身, 忽略了团队或组织中同事会对员工行为产生影响这一重要管理实践和理论视角。为此, 本研究以社会学习理论为基础, 探讨了同事主动行为对员工自主动机和工作绩效的影响, 以及员工主动性人格的调节作用。通过多时点、上下级匹配问卷(研究1)及情景实验(研究2)两项研究, 本文发现, 同事主动行为可以激发员工的自主动机, 进而提升工作绩效; 并且, 员工主动性人格强化了同事主动行为对员工自主动机的正向作用。本研究不仅从理论上将现有关于主动行为的研究视角迁移到同事, 也为如何更好地激励员工提供了实践指导。     

Who abuses their coworkers? An examination of personality and situational variables

This study examines predictors of abusive employee behavior toward coworkers. We examined two personality variables, negative affectivity and political skill, and two situational relationship variables-team member exchange and coworker relationship conflict. We tested our hypotheses with data obtained from a sample of 232 working employees. We found that political skill and team member exchange were negatively related to coworker abuse, whereas negative affectivity and relationship conflict were positively related. Additionally, we found statistical support for the negative affectivity-relationship conflict, political skill-team member exchange, and political skill-relationship conflict interactions. Practical implications and directions for future research are provided.     

消极情绪在程序和互动不公正感与员工偏离行为间的中介作用:传统性的调节机制

采用问卷调查法对341名员工及其同事进行调查,从情绪和文化传统性视角,探讨了程序和互动不公正对员工偏离行为的影响及其内在作用机制.结果表明:(1)消极情绪是组织不公正感对员工偏离行为作用的中介变量;(2)传统性对组织不公正感对员工偏离行为的影响作用具有调节效果;(3)使用总效应调节模型对消极情绪在组织不公正感对员工偏离行为的中介效应及传统性的调节作用进行综合性分析,发现传统性主要在第二阶段,即消极情绪对员工偏离行为的影响作用上调节效果显著.     

员工真诚对同事关系的双刃剑效应：共事时间的调节作用

目前普遍认为员工在职场中的真诚有助于该员工与同事建立良好的关系。本研究提出员工真诚对同事关系的影响很可能积极和消极并存, 其作用效果取决于员工与同事之间的共事时间。基于社会渗透理论并整合归因的文献, 本研究认为同事怀疑和同事信任是员工真诚影响同事关系的关键中介机制。为检验本研究理论模型假设, 采用轮询问卷法(round-robin survey)和实验法分别开展两个独立调研。结果发现：在共事时间较短的情况下, 员工真诚会引发同事怀疑降低同事信任, 减少人际帮助并增加人际排斥。在共事时间较长的情况下, 员工真诚则有助于打消同事怀疑增加同事信任, 增多人际帮助并减少人际排斥。通过引入共事时间作为调节变量, 本研究发现员工真诚对同事关系的影响由消极转化为积极需要经过足够长时间的共事才能实现。     

Exploring the Relationships Between Perceived Coworker Loafing and Counterproductive Work Behaviors: The Mediating Role of a Revenge Motive

Purpose  The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between perceived coworker loafing and counterproductive work behaviors toward the organization (CWB-O) and toward the coworkers (CWB-I). Design/Methodology/Approach  Data were collected from 184 supervisor–employee pairs from multiple sources (i.e., self-rated and supervisor-rated). Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were conducted to test our hypotheses. Findings  The results of SEM showed that perceived loafing was positively related to CWB-O (self-rated) and CWB-I (self-rated and supervisor-rated). Moreover, a revenge motive toward the organization fully mediated the relationship between perceived loafing and CWB-O, whereas a revenge motive toward coworkers fully mediated the relationship between perceived loafing and CWB-I. Implications  This study advances our understanding as to how and why perceived coworker loafing increases employees’ CWB-I and CWB-O. Our investigation also highlights the important cognitive mediator: revenge motive in the perceived loafing–CWB linkage. Originality/Value  This is one of the first studies which examines the relationships between perceived coworker loafing and two facets of CWB, and investigates a cognitive mediator (i.e., a revenge motive) that underlines the perceived loafing–CWB linkage. In addition, we respond to Bennett and Robinson’s (J Appl Psychol 85:349–360, 2003) call to test the nomological network of CWB in a collectivist culture (i.e., Taiwan).

Are supervisors and coworkers likely to witness employee counterproductive work behavior? An investigation of observability and self–observer convergence

Supervisor and coworker ratings (i.e., “observer ratings”) remain a common manner of measuring counterproductive work behavior (CWB) despite long‐standing doubts that observers have the opportunity to witness the work behaviors they are expected to rate. We conducted 2 studies that evaluated the observability of CWB items and consequences of observability. First, we show that many CWBs are unlikely to be witnessed by supervisors or coworkers—specifically, behaviors such as “spends too much time fantasizing or daydreaming instead of working” and “discussed confidential company information with an unauthorized person” were found to be lowest in observability, whereas “cursed at someone at work” or “acted rudely toward someone at work” were relatively higher in observability (though observability was generally low). Second, a meta‐analysis revealed variability in item‐level relationships (correlations and mean differences) between self‐ratings and observer ratings for specific CWB scale items (i.e., items from Bennett & Robinson, 2,000). Important, this variability was partially explained by observability—behaviors with low self–observer convergence tend to have low levels of observability, whereas behaviors with higher levels of convergence tend to have higher levels of observability. This study demonstrates that supervisor and coworker ratings of CWB may be susceptible to an observability bias resulting from rating behaviors they have not likely witnessed.     

The role of the coworker in reducing work–family conflict: A review and directions for future research

Work–family conflict can have a dramatic negative effect on organizational productivity. Accordingly, organizations are adopting initiatives aimed at assisting employees in achieving a balance between work and family (e.g., family-friendly work culture, supportive supervisors, work-family programs and policies, etc.). Research regarding the effectiveness of these approaches has largely ignored the role of peers/coworkers in the work–family interface. Coworkers have a unique opportunity to provide family-facilitative support as they have a clearer understanding of the nature of stressors faced by their fellow employees. Further, with the increasing prevalence of team-based organizational structures, coworkers are better prepared to offer instrumental and emotional assistance to a coworker struggling to balance conflicting work and family demands. We review the literature relevant to the role of coworker support in mitigating work–family conflict, and propose a number of potential moderators of the coworker support – work–family conflict relationship. Finally, we explore factors which may increase the likelihood that coworkers will offer vital emotional and instrumental family-facilitative support.     

Who Abuses Their Coworkers? An Examination of Personality and Situational Variables

ABSTRACT

This study examines predictors of abusive employee behavior toward coworkers. We examined two personality variables, negative affectivity and political skill, and two situational relationship variables—team member exchange and coworker relationship conflict. We tested our hypotheses with data obtained from a sample of 232 working employees. We found that political skill and team member exchange were negatively related to coworker abuse, whereas negative affectivity and relationship conflict were positively related. Additionally, we found statistical support for the negative affectivity-relationship conflict, political skill-team member exchange, and political skill-relationship conflict interactions. Practical implications and directions for future research are provided.     

Role stressors and counterproductive work behavior: The role of negative affect and proactive personality

Based on the stressor‐emotion model, we propose that negative affect mediates the relationship between three role stressors (i.e., role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB), while proactive personality moderates the relationships between negative affect, role stressors, and CWB. We tested our hypotheses using data from 332 employees in Mainland China. We found that negative affect mediated the relationships between the three dimensions of role stressors and CWB. Role ambiguity was most strongly associated with CWB, followed by role conflict and then role overload. Proactive personality moderated the role ambiguity‐negative affect, role conflict‐negative affect, and negative affect‐CWB relationships, but not the relationship between role overload and negative affect.     

Predicting counterproductive work behavior from the interaction of personality traits

Much attention has been given to enhancing the prediction of counterproductive work behavior (CWB), with a particular focus on the relationship between the five factor model of personality and CWB. Several scholars have advocated for a more complex view of this relationship, and rather than focusing simply on main effects, to examine the interaction of personality traits in predicting employee behavior. In consideration of the traits most strongly related to CWB, we examined the interaction between: (1) conscientiousness and emotional stability, (2) agreeableness and emotional stability, and (3) conscientiousness and agreeableness on CWB directed at individuals (CWB-I) and the organization (CWB-O). Results from a multi-national sample illustrate the interaction of traits increases the prediction of CWB over and above a single trait approach. The interactions suggest employees perform the least CWB when they are high on both traits (in the respective trait pairings), but low levels on either trait relate to increased CWB, and at levels comparable to individuals low on both traits. We conclude research on personality and CWB would benefit from an interactive approach as it allows for greater prediction of CWB-O and CWB-I, which is important in light of the organizational and interpersonal consequences of employee misbehavior.     

Moderating effect of situational strength on the relationship between personality traits and counterproductive work behaviour

The present study investigated the extent to which the strength of situations moderates the relations between personality traits and counterproductive work behaviour (CWB). It was hypothesized that the relations between personality traits and CWB would vary across strong and weak situations. In addition, there would be an interaction between conscientiousness and agreeableness in predicting CWB. As predicted, the results showed that the effect of personality on CWB depended on the strength of situations. The results also indicated that, in a weak situation only, conscientiousness has a stronger, negative relation to CWB when agreeableness is low than when agreeableness is high.     

Differential Superior-Subordinate Relations,Perceptions of Fairness,and Coworker Communication

This study examines the complex relationships between differential superior-subordinate relations, fairness perceptions, and coworker communication. Data gathered from employees in a variety of organizations indicate that differential treatment from a supervisor to his or her subordinates influences coworker communication by (a) leading coworkers to talk about the differential treatment itself, and (b) influencing the nature of the communication relationships among the coworkers. Data also provide insight into issues of perceived organizational fairness, indicating that fairness perceptions are often socially constructed by work group members through discourse.     

The Moderating Role of Gender in Relationships of Stressors and Personality with Counterproductive Work Behavior

Purpose

Gender differences in counterproductive work behavior (CWB: behavior that harms organizations or people) have been understudied. We explored gender mean differences, and the moderating effect of gender on the relationship of personality (agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, trait anger, and hostile attribution bias) and stressors (interpersonal conflict and organizational constraints) with three forms of CWB (directed toward organizations, directed toward persons, and relational aggression which are acts that damage relationships with other employees).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted of 915 employed individuals recruited from university classes. All worked at least 20 h per week (mean 26.3 h), and held a variety of jobs in many industries.

Findings

Men reported more CWB with correlations ranging from 0.12 to 0.18. Gender was found to moderate the relationship of job stressors and personality with CWB. The tendency for males to report engaging in more CWB was greater at high as opposed to low levels of interpersonal conflict, organizational constraints, trait anger and HAB and at low as opposed to high levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability.

Implications

These results suggest that gender differences in overall CWB are rather small, with men engaging in more than women only when they have certain personality characteristics or perceive high levels of job stressors. In other words men may be more reactive than women.

Originality/value

This study shows that gender serves a moderator role, and is the first to adapt the construct of relational aggression to the workplace.     

Social influence of a coworker: A test of the effect of employee and coworker exchange ideologies on employees’ exchange qualities

Integrating social comparison and social influence perspective within a social exchange theoretical framework, we examine how the exchange ideologies of employees and their coworkers affect the quality of the employees’ social exchanges. Drawing from social exchange theory, we hypothesize that the exchange ideology of a focal employee has a negative relationship with the quality of his/her social exchange with the organization (i.e., felt obligation) and the quality of his/her social exchange with a leader (i.e., leader–member exchange), both of which are related to task performance. Furthermore, we propose that a coworker close to the employee acts as a social referent and provides cues to exert influence on these relationships. Using data collected from 374 (employee–coworker–manager) triads in Hong Kong, we find support for the aforementioned relationships as well as the moderating roles of a coworker’s exchange ideology.     

How Do Coworkers “Make the Place”? Examining Coworker Conflict and the Value of Harmony in China and the United States

The goal of this study was to test cross‐cultural/cross‐national differences in the association between coworker interpersonal justice and coworker conflict and the implications of such differences for employee effectiveness. Harmony is a central value in China but is less important in the United States, and the individual value of harmony may influence Chinese and US employees differently in their response to low levels of coworker interpersonal justice. We collected data from employees and their coworkers in China (214 dyads) and the US (301 dyads). There were three major findings. First, coworker interpersonal justice was negatively related to coworker conflict. Second, coworker conflict significantly mediated coworker interpersonal justice in relation to the employee effectiveness variables of task performance, organisational citizenship behaviours, and counterproductive work behaviours. Finally, in the Chinese sample, harmony significantly buffered the indirect effect of coworker interpersonal justice on employee effectiveness via coworker conflict, whereas in the US sample, harmony significantly intensified the indirect effect of coworker interpersonal justice on employee effectiveness via coworker conflict.