Subordinate Organizational Citizenship Behavior Trajectories and Well-Being: The Mediating Roles of Perceived Supervisor Consideration and Initiating Structure

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although there are numerous benefits associated with organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), recent research has shown that they can have both benefits and costs for the well-being of employees engaging in these behaviors. Thus, it is crucial to understand how and why OCBs can have positive and negative impacts on well-being in order to mitigate unintended consequences associated with these otherwise positive behaviors. Drawing on social exchange and conservation of resources theories, we argue that change in OCBs that subordinates direct toward their supervisors correspond with changes in supervisor consideration and initiating structure behaviors, as rated by subordinates. In turn, subordinate perceptions of supervisor behaviors have important implications for subordinate well-being (i.e. job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion). Using a longitudinal design and a sample of 205 students, we found that supervisor consideration and initiating structure in response to receiving OCBs from subordinates explains the benefits and costs that arise from engaging in OCBs over time.