Suspicion at Work: The Impact on Counterproductive and Citizenship Behaviors

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of state suspicion in the workplace, specifically, employee suspicion of managers, on counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 251 working adults (Study 1) and a vignette randomized experiment of 219 working adults (Study 2). Findings indicate that employees suspicious of their managers are more likely to engage in CWB and less likely to engage in OCB. These findings may help to focus practitioners’ attention on reducing workplace suspicion through open communication. Additionally, this research integrates the stressor–emotion model and the model of attributional suspicion to explain the relationships among suspicion, CWB, and OCB.

KEYWORDS:

• Suspicion
• counterproductive work behavior
• organizational citizenship behavior

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Johnna Capitano

Johnna Capitano is an assistant professor of management in the College of Business and Public Management at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She received her PhD from Drexel University. Her research interests are in the areas of organizational socialization, negative workplace experiences, temporal constructs, and the work–home interface. She has previously published articles in the Journal of Vocational Behavior and the Journal of Business Ethics. She can be reached at [email protected]

Quinn W. Cunningham

Quinn W. Cunningham is an assistant professor of management in the College of Business Administration at Rider University. She received her PhD from Drexel University, and her primary research interests are in the areas of teams, leadership, and deviant behavior. She has previously published an article that appeared in the Journal of Business and Psychology. She can be reached at [email protected]