Pragmatic impact of workplace ostracism: Toward a theoretical model

• Published in: European Journal of Management and Business Economics Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 35 - 47
• Main Author: Al-Atwi, Amer Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bingley Emerald 01.01.2017; Emerald Group Publishing Limited; Emerald Publishing
• Subjects: Employees; Empowerment; Extra-role performance; Impact analysis; In-role performance; Mediators; Ostracism; Power; Psychological needs; Social network; Social networks; Social relations; Structural empowerment; Studies; Work environment; Workplace ostracism; Workplaces
• ISSN: 2444-8451; 2444-8494
• DOI: 10.1108/EJMBE-07-2017-003

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend the ostracism literature by exploring the pragmatic impact of ostracism on performance. Design/methodology/approach Ostracism workplace, social relations and empowerment structures are discussed. The paper then develops a theoretical framework that explains why and under what conditions workplace ostracism undermines employees’ performance. The author proposes that empowerment structures mediate the link between ostracism and in-role and extra-role performance. In addition, it was proposed that relational links buffer the negative relationship between ostracism and empowerment structures on performance and weaken the negative indirect effect of ostracism on performance. Findings The theoretical arguments provide support for the model showing that empowerment structures mediate the relationship between ostracism and performance, and the mediation effect only occurred when external links were high but not when external links were low. Originality/value The author has expanded the extant literature by answering recent calls for research exploring the pragmatic impact of workplace ostracism where past research has typically focused solely on the psychological impacts such as psychological needs.