How and when supervisor bottom-line mentality affects employees' voluntary workplace green behaviors: A goal-shielding perspective

Abstract

The present study examines how and when employees respond to supervisor bottom-line mentality (BLM) by withholding voluntary workplace green behavior (VWGB). Drawing upon goal shielding theory, we developed a serial mediation model explaining that supervisor BLM inhibits their green advocacy, undermining the green work climate (GWC) and reducing employee VWGB. The analyses of multilevel data obtained from 287 employees and 68 supervisors provided support for the study hypotheses. Our findings showed that supervisor BLM constrained their green advocacy, which undermined the GWC and, in turn, dampened employee VWGB. Furthermore, supervisor moral reflectiveness muted the negative association between supervisor BLM and green advocacy and the negative indirect effect of supervisor BLM on employee VWGB serially via supervisor green advocacy and GWC. Our research provides novel insights into the values that responsibly impact voluntary green behaviors in the workplace by illuminating supervisors' BLM, moral reflectiveness, green advocacy, and GWC. Finally, we provide practical implications for leaders committed to enhancing their organization's environmental sustainability. We recommend future studies investigating the consequences of supervisor BLM, underlying mechanisms, and boundary conditions in understanding employees' responses toward workplace green behaviors.