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Is Negative Attention Better Than No Attention? The Comparative Effects of Ostracism and Harassment at Work

Author

Listed:
  • Jane O'Reilly

    (Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada)

  • Sandra L. Robinson

    (Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2, Canada)

  • Jennifer L. Berdahl

    (Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E6, Canada)

  • Sara Banki

    (Graduate School of Management and Economics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, 1459973941 Iran)

Abstract

Ostracism has been recognized as conceptually and empirically distinct from harassment. Drawing from theory and research that suggests that employees have a strong need to belong in their organizations, we examine the comparative frequency and impact of ostracism and harassment in organizations across three field studies. Study 1 finds that a wide range of employees perceive ostracism, compared with harassment, to be more socially acceptable, less psychologically harmful, and less likely to be prohibited in their organization. Study 2 surveyed employees from a variety of organizations to test our theory that ostracism is actually a more harmful workplace experience than harassment. Supporting our predictions, compared with harassment, ostracism was more strongly and negatively related to a sense of belonging and to various measures of employee well-being and work-related attitudes. We also found that the effects of ostracism on well-being and work-related attitudes were at least partially mediated by a sense of belonging. Study 3 replicated the results of Study 2 with data collected from employees of a large organization and also investigated the comparative impact of ostracism and harassment on employee turnover. Ostracism, but not harassment, significantly predicted actual turnover three years after ostracism and harassment were assessed, and this was mediated by a sense of belonging (albeit at p

Suggested Citation

  • Jane O'Reilly & Sandra L. Robinson & Jennifer L. Berdahl & Sara Banki, 2015. "Is Negative Attention Better Than No Attention? The Comparative Effects of Ostracism and Harassment at Work," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(3), pages 774-793, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:26:y:2015:i:3:p:774-793
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2014.0900
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Amanda Christensen-Salem & Fred O. Walumbwa & Mayowa T. Babalola & Liang Guo & Everlyne Misati, 2021. "A Multilevel Analysis of the Relationship Between Ethical Leadership and Ostracism: The Roles of Relational Climate, Employee Mindfulness, and Work Unit Structure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(3), pages 619-638, July.
    2. Yuntao Bai & Lili Lu & Li Lin-Schilstra, 2022. "Auxiliaries to Abusive Supervisors: The Spillover Effects of Peer Mistreatment on Employee Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 219-237, June.
    3. Burke-Smalley, Lisa A. & Evans, W. Randy & Zelin, Alexandra I., 2022. "Voices of abused workers: Implications for mitigating worker mistreatment," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 315-327.
    4. Yijing Lyu & Hong Zhu, 2019. "The Predictive Effects of Workplace Ostracism on Employee Attitudes: A Job Embeddedness Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 1083-1095, September.
    5. Lance Ferris, D. & Fatimah, Shereen & Yan, Ming & Liang, Lindie H. & Lian, Huiwen & Brown, Douglas J., 2019. "Being sensitive to positives has its negatives: An approach/avoidance perspective on reactivity to ostracism," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 138-149.
    6. Angela L. Workman-Stark, 2021. "Fair Treatment for All: Testing the Predictors of Workplace Inclusion in a Canadian Police Organization," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 46(1), pages 94-110, February.
    7. Zi Wang & Guiquan Li, 2018. "You don’t actually want to get closer to the star: How LMX leads to workplace ostracism," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Dhanakorn Mulaphong, 2023. "Social Undermining in Public Sector Organizations: Examining its Effects on Employees’ Work Attitudes, Behaviors, and Performance," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1229-1248, September.
    9. Yang Woon Chung, 2020. "The Relationship between Workplace Ostracism, TMX, Task Interdependence, and Task Performance: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-11, June.
    10. Haina Zhang & Ziwei Yang & Ho Kwong Kwan & Fangjian Wu, 2023. "Workplace ostracism and family social support: a moderated mediation model of personal reputation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1643-1682, December.
    11. Eunmi Jang & Xing Chen, 2022. "How Can We Make a Sustainable Workplace? Workplace Ostracism, Employees’ Well-Being via Need Satisfaction and Moderated Mediation Role of Authentic Leadership," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, March.
    12. Breidenthal, Amy P. & Liu, Dong & Bai, Yuntao & Mao, Yina, 2020. "The dark side of creativity: Coworker envy and ostracism as a response to employee creativity," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 242-254.
    13. Wu, Long-Zeng & Ferris, D. Lance & Kwan, Ho Kwong & Chiang, Flora & Snape, Ed & Liang, Lindie H., 2015. "Breaking (or making) the silence: How goal interdependence and social skill predict being ostracized," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 51-66.
    14. Shabneez Bhankaraully & Michel Goyer & Jeremy Aroles, 2023. "Workplace discrimination against LGBT employees in Mauritius: A sociological perspective," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(4), pages 1105-1126, November.
    15. Jacobo Gomez‐Conde & Ernesto Lopez‐Valeiras & Ricardo Malagueño & José Carlos Tiomatsu Oyadomari, 2022. "Quality of performance metrics, informal peer monitoring and goal commitment," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(3), pages 4041-4077, September.

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