Can qualitative job insecurity instigate workplace incivility? The moderating roles of self-compassion and rumination

• Published in: Career development international Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 511 - 525
• Main Authors: Qian, Shanshan, Lim, Vivien K.G., Gao, Yongduan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Publishing Limited 15.09.2022; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Aggression; Altruism; Behavior; Emotional Response; Emotions; Employees; Employment; Employment security; Individual Characteristics; Intention; Job performance; Job Security; Negative Attitudes; Psychological Patterns; Self compassion; Work Attitudes; Work Environment; Workplace incivility; Negative emotions; Rumination; Self-compassion; Qualitative job insecurity
• ISSN: 1362-0436; 1758-6003
• DOI: 10.1108/CDI-11-2021-0280

PurposeThis study examines why and when qualitative job insecurity (JI) leads to instigated workplace incivility.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from 227 Chinese full-time employees from multiple organizations at two time points. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses.FindingsResults show that qualitative JI is positively related to instigated workplace incivility through negative emotions; this indirect relationship is weaker among employees with higher self-compassion and stronger among employees with higher rumination.Originality/valueThe authors shift the predominant focus on the predictor of instigated workplace incivility from quantitative JI to qualitative JI. Based on the transactional model of stress and the stressor–emotion model of counterproductive work behavior (CWB), they provide new theoretical insights on why qualitative JI affects workplace incivility and identify new boundary conditions that affect employees' reactions to qualitative JI.