The Effects Of Subordinates Negative Gossip On Supervisor's Behavioral&Attitudinal Outcomes

In organizational misbehavior literature,researchers have paid significant attention to the overt mistreatment(e.g.,rudeness,undermining,incivility)and direct victimization of subordinates by organizational leaders.However,covert mistreatment(e.g.,negative gossip)and indirect targeting of organizational leaders by subordinates have yet to be investigated.Workplace gossiping is considered to be a social phenomenon that influences the affect,cognition,and behavior(heart,affect,and deed)of the people at work.In fact,gossiping has significant implications within workplace settings,involving a large number of employees resorting to the discussion of social topics and carrying out conversations in the absence of the organizational member.Previous studies investigations on the topic of 'gossip' have been limited to work-related antecedents and consequences amongst co-workers or colleagues.However,little knowledge is available to understand how workplace targeting via negative workplace gossip by subordinates(as gossiper,gossip recipient)may influence the supervisor's(as a target)work-related behavioral and attitudinal outcomes.The current research examines the relationship between perceived subordinates' negative workplace gossip(SNWG)as a form of covert social targeting and the supervisor's behavioral(abusive behavior,work efforts),attitudinal outcomes(job satisfaction,organizational commitment)in the workplace.Drawing upon the affective events theory(AET),this study proposes that negative workplace gossip by subordinates(a targeting event)leads to negative emotions(NE)on the part of the supervisor.In turn,such intense negative emotional reactions mediate the relationship between perceived subordinates' negative workplace gossip and supervisor behavioral and attitudinal consequences.In addition,the supervisor dispositional factor-namely emotional regulation(ER)and contextual factor-namely perceived organizational support(POS)moderate the relationship between perceived subordinates'negative workplace gossip and negative emotions experienced by the supervisor.The findings suggest that perceived subordinates' negative workplace gossip has an indirect effect on supervisor behaviors and attitudes through the supervisor's negative emotions,while supervisor emotional regulation and perceived organizational support act to mitigate the hypothesized relationships.Ultimately,this study proposes and examines a moderated-mediation model that is supported by multisource data.Moreover,the study discusses theoretical and managerial implications and suggests future research directions.