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Such a high cost: the positive effect of leader humor on employee incivility via psychological safety

Author

Listed:
  • Yue Yuan

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Qi Zhang

    (Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

  • Mengxi Yang

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    MOE Social Science Laboratory of Digital Economic Forecasts and Policy Simulation at UCAS)

Abstract

Unlike prior studies, which have focused on the positive outcomes of leader humor, the current study seeks to understand why and when leader humor produces negative results such as employee incivility. This study creates a cross-level second-stage moderated mediation model and tested it with multi-time and multi-source data from 290 employees in China. The results show that employee psychological safety mediated the relationship between leader humor and employee incivility. Leader moral identity is found to negatively moderate the relationship between employee psychological safety and incivility and negatively moderate the mediating effect of employee psychological safety between leader humor and employee incivility. These findings enrich the theoretical research on leader humor and incivility and provide guidance to help organizations effectively control employee incivility in the workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • Yue Yuan & Qi Zhang & Mengxi Yang, 2023. "Such a high cost: the positive effect of leader humor on employee incivility via psychological safety," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(2), pages 529-548, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:abaman:v:22:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1057_s41291-022-00180-8
    DOI: 10.1057/s41291-022-00180-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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