Being ignored by loved ones: Understanding when and why family ostracism inhibits creativity at work

Babalola M.T. Kwan H.K. Ren S. Agyemang-Mintah P. Chen H. Li J.
March 2021 John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Journal of Organizational Behavior
2021 #42 Issue 3 349 - 364 pp.

This paper extends the understandings of the contextual antecedents of employee creativity at work by examining what can happen when employees are ostracized by loved ones at home, a phenomenon referred to as family ostracism. Drawing on insights from the conservation of resources (COR) theory, we examine the moderated multiple mediation relationships between family ostracism and an individuals creativity at work through strain-based family-to-work conflict (FWC) and creative process engagement (CPE), moderated by the need for affiliation. Using time-lagged data collected from working adults in the United Kingdom, our results demonstrate that the relationship between family ostracism and creativity is negatively and serially mediated by both strain-based FWC and CPE. These results hold even when controlling for the time- and behavior-based dimensions of FWC, workplace ostracism, family undermining, harmonious passion, and Time 1 creativity. Furthermore, individuals with a higher need for affiliation react more strongly to their experiences of family ostracism than those with a lower need. The implications for research and practice are also discussed.

creative process engagement , creativity , family ostracism , family–work conflict , need for affiliation

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Graduate School of Business, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management, China Europe International Business School, Shanghai, China
Department of Management, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
Department of Accounting and Finance, Brunel University London, London, United Kingdom
College of Business, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
College of Business, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China

Graduate School of Business
Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
Department of Management
Department of Accounting and Finance
College of Business
College of Business

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