When and how favour rendering ameliorates workplace ostracism over time: Moderating effect of self-monitoring and mediating effect of popularity enhancement

• Wu, Chia-Huei 
• Kwan, Ho Kwong 
• Liu, Jun 
• Lee, Cynthia 

Indexed by

SSCI ABDC-A

Abstract

Despite　increasing　scholarly　attention　to　workplace　ostracism,　victims　receive　little　guidance　regarding　how　to　break　its　negative　spiral　over　time.　Drawing　on　a　multi-motive　model　of　rejection-related　experiences　and　the　cybernetic　model　of　impression　management,　this　study　examines　how　and　why　ostracized　employees　might　ameliorate　workplace　ostracism　through　impression　management　efforts　to　enhance　their　popularity.　Specifically,　an　ostracized　worker　may　employ　favour　rendering　tactics　to　enhance　her　or　his　popularity,　as　reported　by　peers,　which　can　help　reduce　ostracism.　In　addition,　ostracized　employees　with　strong　self-monitoring　tendencies　may　be　more　likely　to　employ　favour　rendering　tactics　and　use　them　more　effectively　to　enhance　their　popularity　and　thus　reduce　ostracism.　Data　collected　from　277　employee-coworker　pairs　in　a　three-wave,　time-lagged　design　over　2　years　confirm　the　proposed　hypotheses,　tested　in　a　two-stage　moderated　mediation　model.　These　findings　have　theoretical　implications　for　ostracism　research,　as　well　as　practical　implications　to　help　employees　and　organizations　overcome　ostracism.　Practitioner　points

Being　ostracized　often　prompts　self-focused　responses,　but　to　reduce　it,　ostracized　employees　instead　should　pay　attention　to　others　and　seek　to　help　others　to　alter　the　treatment　they　receive　from　others.　High　self-monitoring　employees　tend　to　employ　favour　rendering　tactics　to　increase　their　popularity　and　mitigate　ostracism.　To　help　ostracized　employees　mitigate　ostracism,　managers　and　organizations　can　suggest　ways　to　increase　their　popularity　among　their　peers.

Keyword

• impression management
• popularity
• self-monitoring
• workplace ostracism

Author Community

[Wu, Chia-Huei] Univ Leeds, Leeds Univ Business Sch, Maurice Keyworth Bldg, Leeds LS2 9JT, W Yorkshire, England

[Kwan, Ho Kwong] China Europe Int Business Sch CEIBS, Shanghai, Peoples R China

[Liu, Jun] Renmin Univ China, 59 Zhongguancun St, Beijing 100872, Peoples R China

[Lee, Cynthia] Northeastern Univ, Boston, MA 02115 USA

Related Article

• Experiencing workplace ostracism with loss of engagement

  2020，Journal of Managerial Psychology

• Effects of Workplace Ostracism on Family Social Support: A Moderated Mediation Mode

  2019，79th Academy of Management Annual Meeting

• Dispositional Antecedents of Demonstration and Usefulness of Voice Behavior

  2011，Journal of Business and Psychology

• Being ignored by loved ones: Understanding when and why family ostracism inhibits creativity at work

  2020，Journal of Organizational Behavior