Linking workplace ostracism to interpersonal citizenship behavior: A moderated mediation model of work-to-family conflict and rumination

Exposure to ostracism has been argued to be a severe social stressor. However, few studies have explicitly investigated its adverse impact on the victim's interpersonal citizenship behavior (ICB) in a work setting. In a sample of 323 employees in the manufacturing industry in China, the present study tested a moderated mediation model on the effects of workplace ostracism on victims' ICB with the key objective of exploring the mediation effects of work-to-family conflict (WFC) and the moderating effects of rumination on this relationship. Also, the relationship between employees' vulnerability and workplace ostracism was tested. The research revealed that the vulnerable groups (i.e., the disabled, immigrants) are more likely than others to experience workplace ostracism. In addition, the research revealed that employees who experience workplace ostracism tend to withhold their ICBs, and WFC mediates the workplace ostracism-ICB relationship. Finally, results indicated that both workplace ostracism's direct effects on WFC and its indirect effects on ICB via WFC were strengthened among high-rumination employees.