Negative workplace gossip and employees’ innovative behaviors: The role of psychological resilience

Applying affective events theory, this article examined the mechanism of negative workplace gossip on employees’ innovative behaviors, and explored the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of psychological resilience. We collected questionnaires from 313 frontline workers in the airport services industry and analyzed the data using Amos and the SPSS PROCESS macro. The findings indicated that negative workplace gossip had a significant negative influence on employees’ innovative behaviors, and emotional exhaustion partially mediated this relationship. Additionally, contrary to our initial hypothesis, psychological resilience not only failed to weaken the impact of workplace gossip on employees’ emotional exhaustion, but actually amplified this relationship. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed.