The mediating effects of organization-based self-esteem for the relationship between workplace ostracism and workplace behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) for the relationship between workplace ostracism with helping behavior, voicing behavior, in-role behavior, and deviant behavior. The workplace has now become a social context where ostracism occurs and the study emphasizes how ostracism can affect workplace behaviors. Design/methodology/approach The study was designed using a three-wave self-reported survey. Confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping for indirect effects were conducted to test the study’s hypotheses. Findings The study found OBSE to fully mediate the relationship between workplace ostracism and helping behavior, voicing behavior, and in-role behavior, while OBSE partially mediated workplace ostracism and deviant behavior as workplace ostracism was found to have a direct effect on deviant behavior. Originality/value The study explores and empirically tests the mediating effects of OBSE with helping behavior, voicing behavior, in-role behavior, and deviant behavior. Therefore, the study extends research on workplace ostracism by investigating beyond the direct effects of workplace ostracism on workplace behaviors.