GOSSIP AS A COPING MECHANISM FOR SUPERVISORY INJUSTICE: A WITHIN-INDIVIDUAL EXAMINATION

Abstract

Research on organizational injustice has extensively examined its negative impact on employee work outcomes; however, it remains largely unknown what employees themselves can do to cope with injustice and mitigate its negative consequences. I draw upon the functional values of gossip and propose workplace gossip as a coping mechanism for supervisory interactional injustice. Specifically, I posit that workplace gossip towards supervisor is positively related to received social support, acquired information, and perceived influence. The increased social support and perceived influence may, in turn, weaken the positive effects of supervisory interactional injustice on negative affect and retaliation intention. At the same time, the increased acquired information may, in turn, weaken the positive effects of supervisory interactional injustice on rumination. I also examine the implications of supervisory interactional justice on distal outcomes such as employee well-being and counterproductive work behavior. I conducted an experience sampling study to investigate the hypothesized relationships.