From workplace bullying to workplace withdrawal: mediating role of fear-based silence and moderating role of personality

PurposeThe study aims to attempt to investigate the mediating role of fear-based silence (FBS) and moderating role of personality in the relationship between workplace bullying (WPB) and workplace withdrawal (WW) in hotel industry.Design/methodology/approachDrawing upon conservation of resources theory, two waves approach was used to collect data from 263 hotel employees in India. Partial Least Squares (PLS) based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyse the data.FindingsFear based silence was seen to mediate the relationship between WPB and WW. Further, proactive personality moderated the relationship between FBS and WW.Practical implicationsThe present study has vital implications for practitioners, academicians and policy makers. Executives must take cognizance of incidences of WPB and take on well-timed actions to curb it altogether. Taking into consideration the significance of resources in mitigating the adverse impacts of WPB, organizations must try to promote conditions necessary for that resource acquisition.Originality/valueThis is the first study to examine FBS as a mediator in the relationship between WPB and WW.