Good soldier syndrome. Do organizational cynicism and work alienation matter?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of organizational cynicism (OCyn) on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among bank employees with a focus on the role of work alienation (WA) as a potential mediator. Design/methodology/approach Using standardized questionnaire, data were collected from 381 employees working in the banking sector of Punjab, a northern state of India. Statistical techniques such as hierarchical multiple regression and confirmatory factor analysis along with PROCESS macro were used for data analysis. Findings Results reveal that OCyn has a significant negative effect on OCB. Further, WA is found to be significantly partially mediating the relationship between the aforementioned constructs. Research limitations/implications This study pertains to a single sector i.e., banking sector restricting the generalizability to other industrial and vocational settings. Further, it may be difficult to draw any causal inferences as the research design adopted for this study is cross-sectional in nature. Practical implications In order to promote OCBs among bank employees, the formation of negative workplace attitudes such as OCyn and WA needs to be regulated. This can be achieved through improving communications network, encouraging participative decision-making activities, conducting psychological counseling and stress management training sessions. Originality/value This study is one of the scarce empirical research works that have substantiated the direct impact along with the indirect impact of OCyn (through work alienation) on OCB among bank employees.