Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Workplace Spirituality and Experienced Incivility at Work: Modeling Dark Triad as a Moderator

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Management scholars view workplace spirituality as an effective means of improving employee well-being and organizational productivity. However, a spiritual work environment may also be beneficial for controlling employees’ experiences of uncivil behaviors in the workplace. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and cognitive appraisal theory, we proposed and explored the linkage between workplace spirituality and incivility experienced from supervisors and colleagues in the workspace. We also investigated the moderating effect of the dark triad on the relationship. The data collected from two different samples (Sample 1—Banking industry, N = 225, and Sample 2—Information Technology (IT) industry, N = 220) provided support for our hypotheses. In both studies, we found a significant negative correlation between workplace spirituality and incivility experienced from the two sources (supervisors and colleagues). While only psychopathy moderated the linkage between workplace spirituality and supervisor incivility in Sample 1, the moderation effect of all three dark traits was significant in case of colleague incivility. In Sample 2, each member of the dark triad moderated the association between workplace spirituality and incivility experienced from seniors and peers. The findings provided support for the cognitive appraisal theory by explaining how the practice of workplace spirituality alters employees’ perceptions of uncivil behaviors shown by their superiors and peers. The study makes a significant contribution to theory, research, and practice by presenting workplace spirituality as a solution to the ever-rising epidemic of incivility in the workplace.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

WPS = workplace spirituality; EI (S) = experienced incivility from supervisor; EI (C) = experienced incivility from colleague

Fig. 3

WPS = workplace spirituality; EI (S) = experienced incivility from supervisor; EI (C) = experienced incivility from colleague

Fig. 4

WPS = workplace spirituality; EI (S) = experienced incivility from supervisor; EI (C) = experienced incivility from colleague

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. https://statisticstimes.com/economy/sectorwise-gdp-growth-of-india.php.

  2. https://www.statista.com/statistics/320776/contribution-of-indian-it-industry-to-india-s-gdp/.

  3. https://pib.gov.in/newsite/mbErel.aspx?relid=162046.

  4. https://timespro.com/the-impact-of-banking-sector-on-national-economy/.

  5. https://timespro.com/the-impact-of-banking-sector-on-national-economy/.

References

  • Afsar, B., & Badir, Y. (2017). Workplace spirituality, perceived organizational support and innovative work behaviour. Journal of Workplace Learning, 29, 95–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allan, B. A., Dexter, C., Kinsey, R., & Parker, S. (2018). Meaningful work and mental health: Job satisfaction as a moderator. Journal of Mental Health, 27, 38–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allport, G. W. (1961). Pattern and growth in personality. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, P. (2000). This place hurts my spirit! The Journal for Quality and Participation, 23, 16–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, S. E., & Burchell, J. M. (2019). The effects of spirituality and moral intensity on ethical business decisions: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04258-w.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, L., & Pearson, C. (1999). Tit for tat? The spiraling effect of incivility in the workplace. Academy of Management Review, 24, 452–471.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold, K. A., Turner, N., Barling, J., Kelloway, E. K., & McKee, M. C. (2007). Transformational leadership and psychological well-being: The mediating role of meaningful work. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12, 193–203.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashmos, D. P., & Duchon, D. (2000). Spirituality at work: A conceptualization and measure. Journal of Management Inquiry, 9, 134–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayoun, B., Rowe, L., & Yassine, F. (2015). Is workplace spirituality associated with business ethics? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27, 938–957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennis, W. (1999). Inclusion, initiatives, and cooperation of followers. Organizational Dynamics, 27, 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernerth, J., & Aguinis, H. (2016). A critical review and best-practice recommendations for control variable usage. Personnel Psychology, 69, 229–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry, C. M., Ones, D. S., & Sackett, P. R. (2007). Interpersonal deviance, organizational deviance, and their common correlates: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 410–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolger, N., DeLongis, A., Kessler, R. C., & Schilling, E. A. (1989). Effects of daily stress on negative mood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 808–818.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunk, J. A., & Magley, V. J. (2013). The role of appraisals and emotions in understanding experiences of workplace incivility. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18, 87–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burack, E. H. (1999). Spirituality in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 12, 280–291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, A. F., & Webster, J. (2011). Relational outcomes of multi communicating: Integrating incivility and social exchange perspectives. Organization Science, 22, 754–771.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chawla, V. (2014). The effect of workplace spirituality on salespeople’s organizational deviant behaviours: Research propositions and practical implications. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 29, 199–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chawla, V., & Guda, S. (2010). Individual spirituality at work and its relationship with job satisfaction, propensity to leave and job commitment: An exploratory study among sales professionals. Journal of Human Values, 16, 157–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chawla, V., & Guda, S. (2013). Workplace spirituality as a precursor to relationship-oriented selling characteristics. Journal of Business Ethics, 115, 63–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioural sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortina, L. M., Kabat-Farr, D., Leskinen, E. A., Huerta, M., & Magley, V. J. (2011). Selective incivility as modern discrimination in organizations evidence and impact. Journal of Management, 39, 1579–1605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortina, L. M., & Magley, V. J. (2009). Patterns and profiles of response to incivility in the workplace. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 14, 272–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cortina, L. M., Magley, V. J., Williams, J. H., & Langhout, R. D. (2001). Incivility in the workplace: Incidence and impact. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 6, 64–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duchon, D., & Plowman, D. A. (2005). Nurturing the spirit at work: Impact on work unit performance. The Leadership Quarterly, 16, 807–833.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dutton, J. E., & Heaphy, E. D. (2003). The power of high-quality connections. Positive Organizational Scholarship: Foundations of a New Discipline, 3, 263–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eissa, G., Lester, S. W., & Gupta, R. (2019). Interpersonal deviance and abusive supervision: The mediating role of supervisor negative emotions and the moderating role of subordinate organizational citizenship behaviour. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04130-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernando, M. (2005). Workplace spirituality: Another management fad? In M. Adams & A. Alkhafaji (Eds.), Business Research Yearbook: Global Business Perspectives, (Volume XII, No. 2). International Academy of Business Disciplines.

  • Fry, L. W. (2003). Toward a theory of spiritual leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 14, 693–727.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, L. W. (2005). Toward a theory of ethical and spiritual well-being, and corporate social responsibility through spiritual leadership. In R. Giacalone, C. Jurkiewicz, & C. Dunn (Eds.), Positive psychology in business ethics and corporate responsibility (pp. 47–83). Greenwich, Connecticut: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, L. W., & Slocum, J. W. J. (2008). Maximizing the triple bottom line through spiritual leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 37, 86–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A., Richards, S. C., & Paulhus, D. L. (2013). The Dark Triad of personality: A 10 year review. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 7, 199–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galperin, B. L., Bennett, R. J., & Aquino, K. (2011). Status differentiation and the protean self: A social-cognitive model of unethical behaviour in organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 98, 407–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Zamor, J. C. (2003). Workplace spirituality and organizational performance. Public Administration Review, 63, 355–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garg, N. (2017). Workplace spirituality and employee well-being: An empirical exploration. Journal of Human Values, 23, 129–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garg, N., & Saxena, A. (2020). Analyzing the inter-relation between workplace spirituality and constructive deviance. Asian Journal of Business Ethics, 9, 121–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giacalone, R. A., & Jurkiewicz, C. L. (2010). The science of workplace spirituality. Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Performance, 2, 3–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giumetti, G. W., Hatfield, A. L., Scisco, J. L., Schroeder, A. N., Muth, E. R., & Kowalski, R. M. (2013). What a rude e-mail! Examining the differential effects of incivility versus support on mood, energy, engagement, and performance in an online context. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18, 297–309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillory, W. A. (2000). Spirituality in the workplace. Salt Lake City, UT: Innovations International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, M., Kumar, V., & Singh, M. (2014). Creating satisfied employees through workplace spirituality: A study of the private insurance sector in Punjab (India). Journal of Business Ethics, 122, 79–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, A. F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hershcovis, S. M., Turner, N., Barling, J., Arnold, K. A., Dupre, K. E., Inness, M., et al. (2007). Predicting workplace aggression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 228–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44, 513–524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, J. D., Neck, C. P., & Krishnakumar, S. (2016). The what, why, and how of spirituality in the workplace revisited: A 14-year update and extension. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 13, 177–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • Idris, M. A., Dollard, M. F., & Winefield, A. H. (2011). The effect of globalization on employee psychological health and job satisfaction in Malaysian workplaces. Journal of Occupational Health, 53, 447–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilies, R., Guo, C. Y., Lim, S., Yam, K. C., & Li, X. (2019). Happy but uncivil? Examining when and why positive affect leads to incivility. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-04097-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakobwitz, S., & Egan, V. (2006). The dark triad and normal personality traits. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 331–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joelle, M., & Coelho, A. M. (2019). The impact of spirituality at work on workers’ attitudes and individual performance. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30, 1111–1135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jonason, P. K., & Webster, G. D. (2010). The dirty dozen: A concise measure of the dark triad. Psychological Assessment, 22, 420–432.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jurkiewicz, C. L., & Giacalone, R. A. (2004). A values framework for measuring the impact of workplace spirituality on organizational performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 49, 129–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, K. J., & D'Aunno, T. A. (1986). Psychological sense of community in the workplace. Journal of Community Psychology, 14, 365–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klenke, K. (2005). Introducing spirituality. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 13, 4–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohut, H. (1977). The restoration of the self. New York: International University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2010). The truth about leadership: The no-fads, heart-of-the-matter facts you need to know. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnakumar, S., & Neck, C. P. (2002). The "what", "why" and "how" of spirituality in the workplace. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 17, 153–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaRocco, J. M., House, J. S., & French, J. R., Jr. (1980). Social support, occupational stress, and health. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 21, 202–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lata, M., & Chaudhary, R. (2019, July). Workplace spirituality and incivility at work: A conceptual framework. In Academy of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2019, No. 1, p. 18394). Briarcliff Manor, NY: Academy of Management.

  • Lau, C. M., & Sholihin, M. (2005). Financial and nonfinancial performance measurement: How do they affect job satisfaction. The British Accounting Review, 37, 389–413.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, S., & Cortina, L. M. (2005). Interpersonal mistreatment in the workplace: The interface and impact of general incivility and sexual harassment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 483–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, S., & Lee, A. (2011). Work and non-work outcomes of workplace incivility: Does family support help? Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 16, 95–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lips-Wiersma, M. (2003). Making conscious choices in doing research on workplace spirituality. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 16, 406–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques, J. (2005). Yearning for a more spiritual workplace. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 7, 149–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marques, J., & Dhiman, S. (2008). On teaching and learning about spirituality in the workplace at the MBA level. Journal of Global Business Issues, 2, 95–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milliman, J., Czaplewski, A. J., & Ferguson, J. (2003). Workplace spirituality and employee work attitudes: An exploratory empirical assessment. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 16, 426–447.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milliman, J., Ferguson, J., Trickett, D., & Condemi, B. (1999). Spirit and community at Southwest Airlines: An investigation of a spiritual values-based model. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 12, 221–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milliman, J., Gatling, A., & Kim, J. S. (2018). The effect of workplace spirituality on hospitality employee engagement, intention to stay, and service delivery. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 35, 56–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mintz, S. (2013). Workplace incivility: The new normal. Retrieved from https://www.workplaceethicsadvice.com/2013/09/workplace-incivility-the-new-normal.html. Accessed 10 July 2020.

  • Mirvis, P. (1997). “Soul Work” in organizations. Organization Science, 8, 193–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitroff, I. I. (2003). Do not promote religion under the guise of spirituality. Organization, 10, 375–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitroff, I. I., & Denton, E. A. (1999). A study of spirituality in the workplace. MIT Sloan Management Review, 40, 83–84.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naimon, E. C., Mullins, M. E., & Osatuke, K. (2013). The effects of personality and spirituality on workplace incivility perceptions. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 10, 91–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal, J. (2000). Work as service to the divine. American Behavioural Scientist, 43, 1316–1333.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Boyle, E. H., Jr., Forsyth, D. R., Banks, G. C., & McDaniel, M. A. (2012). A meta-analysis of the dark triad and work behaviour: A social exchange perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97, 557–579.

    Google Scholar 

  • Otaye-Ebede, L., Shaffakat, S., & Foster, S. (2019). A multilevel model examining the relationships between workplace spirituality, ethical climate and outcomes: A social cognitive theory perspective. Journal of Business Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04133-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey, A. (2017). Workplace spirituality: Themes, impact and research directions. South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, 4, 212–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paulhus, D. L., & Williams, K. M. (2002). The dark triad of personality: Narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 556–563.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pawar, B. S. (2009). Individual spirituality, workplace spirituality and work attitudes: An empirical test of direct and interaction effects. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 30, 759–777.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, C. M., & Porath, C. L. (2005). On the nature, consequences and remedies of workplace incivility: No time for “nice”? Think again. Academy of Management Perspectives, 19, 7–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petchsawang, P., & McLean, G. N. (2017). Workplace spirituality, mindfulness meditation, and work engagement. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 14, 216–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, J. (2010). Business and the spirit: Management practices that sustain values. Handbook of workplace spirituality and organizational performance (pp. 43–59). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ployhart, R. E., & Vandenberg, R. J. (2010). Longitudinal research: The theory, design, and analysis of change. Journal of Management, 36, 94–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff, P., MacKenzie, S., Lee, J., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioural research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 879–903.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porath, C. L., & Erez, A. (2007). Does rudeness matter? The effects of rude behaviour on task performance and helpfulness. Academy of Management Journal, 50, 1181–1197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porath, C. L., & Erez, A. (2009). Overlooked but not untouched: How rudeness reduces onlookers’ performance on routine and creative tasks. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 109, 29–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pryor, R. G. L., & Bright, J. E. (2009). Game as a career metaphor: A chaos theory career counseling application. British Journal of Guidance & Counseling, 37, 39–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rezapouraghdam, H., Alipour, H., & Arasli, H. (2019). Workplace spirituality and organization sustainability: A theoretical perspective on hospitality employees’ sustainable behaviour. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 21, 1583–1601.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sackett, P. R., Berry, C. M., Wiemann, S. A., & Laczo, R. M. (2006). Citizenship and counterproductive work behaviour: Clarifying relationships between the two domains. Human Performance, 19, 441–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schilpzand, P., De Pater, I. E., & Erez, A. (2016). Workplace incivility: A review of the literature and agenda for future research. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 37, S57–S88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seers, A., McGee, G. W., Serey, T. T., & Graen, G. B. (1983). The interaction of job stress and social support: A strong inference investigation. Academy of Management Journal, 26, 273–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skeem, J. L., Polaschek, D. L., Patrick, C. J., & Lilienfeld, S. O. (2011). Psychopathic personality: Bridging the gap between scientific evidence and public policy. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 12, 95–162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sliter, M., Withrow, S., & Jex, S. (2015). It happened, or you thought it happened? Examining the perception of workplace incivility based on personality characteristics. International Journal of Stress Management, 22, 24–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava, R. (2017, February). Spirituality and workplace. People Matters. Retrieved from https://www.peoplematters.in/article/culture/spirituality-and-workplace-14997. Accessed 12 Nov 2019.

  • Steger, M. F., Dik, B. J., & Duffy, R. D. (2012). Measuring meaningful work: The work and meaning inventory (WAMI). Journal of Career Assessment, 20, 322–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoits, P. A. (1986). Social support as coping assistance. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 416–423.

    Google Scholar 

  • van der Walt, F. (2018). Workplace spirituality, work engagement and thriving at work. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 44, 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weitz, E., Vardi, Y., & Setter, O. (2012). Spirituality and organizational misbehaviour. Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, 9, 255–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, N. L., & Holmvall, C. M. (2013). The development and validation of the Incivility from Customers Scale. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18, 310–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, T. A., & Sweeney, D. A. (2016). The call for an increased role of replication, extension, and mixed-methods study designs in organizational research. Journal of Organizational Behaviour, 37, 480–486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu, J., & LeBreton, J. M. (2011). Reconsidering the dispositional basis of counterproductive work behaviour: The role of aberrant personality. Personnel Psychology, 64, 593–626.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yusof, R. M., Yunus, N. K. Y., & Adnan, A. A. Z. (2019). Examining moderating effect of industrial relations climate on workplace spirituality and counterproductive work behaviour. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 9, 353–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, S. (2020). Workplace spirituality and unethical pro-organizational behaviour: The mediating effect of job satisfaction. Journal of Business Ethics, 161, 687–705.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Bihta, Patna, Bihar, 801106, India

    Madhu Lata & Richa Chaudhary

Authors
  1. Madhu Lata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Richa Chaudhary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richa Chaudhary.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All of the study authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lata, M., Chaudhary, R. Workplace Spirituality and Experienced Incivility at Work: Modeling Dark Triad as a Moderator. J Bus Ethics 174, 645–667 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04617-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04617-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation