Workplace incivility and outcomes in Australian and Singaporean employees

Title of publication

Workplace incivility and work outcomes: Cross-cultural comparison between Australian and Singaporean employees

Abstract 

Workplace incivility is a common issue experienced by employees around the globe. However, research has found cultural variability in how workplace incivility is perceived and interpreted. Studies have shown that employees from high power distance societies tend to be more accepting of workplace mistreatment than employees from low power distance societies. Adopting Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and national culture as theoretical frameworks, we tested a moderated mediation model that linked the experience of workplace incivility, burnout/exhaustion, job satisfaction and work withdrawal between Australian and Singaporean white-collar employees. Data were collected through an online survey of 301 Australian and 303 Singaporean employees. Results indicated that workplace incivility contributed to burnout/exhaustion, which in turn predicted employees’ job dissatisfaction and work withdrawal. Specifically, Australians were more negatively affected by workplace incivility than Singaporeans. The findings suggest the need to consider employees’ national culture/ethnicity when examining relationships between mistreatment in different workplaces and the outcomes.

Cite

Loh, J., Thorsteinsson, E. B., & Loi, N. (2019 first online). Workplace incivility and work outcomes: Cross-cultural comparison between Australian and Singaporean employees. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources.  https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12233