Stressed and confused : an exploration into citizenship fatigue and the dark side of workplace friendship

Abstract

This two-essay study investigated two growing areas of interest related to employee stress: citizenship fatigue and the dark side of workplace friendships. Essay 1 hypothesizes that person–organization fit is negatively related to citizenship fatigue and that citizenship fatigue is positively related to turnover intentions and negatively related to organizational commitment. Essay 2 hypothesizes workplace friendships are negatively related directly to psychological detachment and work–life balance while positively related to emotional exhaustion. Both studies applied the conservation of resources (COR) theory and utilized a cross-sectional research design of employees from diverse organizations in a midwestern town collected over Time 1 and Time 2. The relationships of the constructs were analyzed via regression analysis and the PROCESS macro in SPSS. Essay 1 had all hypotheses supported, while essay 2 had none. Suggestions for future research and implications for practitioners are provided.