Current Psychology https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00673-9 Workplace mistreatment and emotional exhaustion: The interaction effects of self-compassion Muhammad Adeel Anjum1 & Dapeng Liang1 & Dilawar Khan Durrani2 & Anjum Parvez3 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020 Abstract Extant research has shown that experiencing incivility and ostracism can increase the risk of emotional exhaustion, however, lesser is known about the factors that mitigate such risk. Framed through the conservation of resources theory, this study identifies and tests the hitherto unexplored moderating role of self-compassion in the relationships between workplace incivility and emotional exhaustion, and workplace ostracism and emotional exhaustion. A total of 310 employees working in the service- sector organizations (higher education institutions, banks, and telecom companies) in Pakistan participated in this cross-sectional study. While workplace incivility and workplace ostracism were positively correlated with emotional exhaustion, self- compassion was negatively correlated with workplace incivility, workplace ostracism, and emotional exhaustion. Results further revealed that self-compassion moderated the workplace incivility–emotional exhaustion and workplace ostracism–emotional exhaustion relationships such that people high in self-compassion felt less emotionally exhausted. The findings indicate that there is potential value in developing self-compassion, for which a number of interventions are discussed. Keywords Workplace mistreatment . Self-compassion . Emotional exhaustion . Moderation Introduction behaviors, ranging from ‘social slights’ to ‘violence’ on a subtle–blatant continuum (Cortina and Magley 2003). To date, In the past two decades, research in the field of workplace mis- many constructs have been introduced in the lexicon of mistreat- treatment has grown exponentially, providing a wealth of knowl- ment with examples including workplace incivility, mobbing, edge and valuable insights (Hershcovis 2011). Mistreatment is a emotional abuse, abusive supervision, social undermining, work- dark side of organizational life and has been defined as “aspe- place victimization, bullying, aggression, interpersonal conflicts, cific, antisocial variety of organizational deviance, involving a anti-social behavior, interpersonal deviance, counterproductive situation in which at least one organizational member takes work behaviors, retaliation, and revenge (Hershcovis 2011). counter normative negative actions—or terminates normative This study examines the relationships of two misbehaviors, positive actions—against another member” (Cortina and namely workplace incivility (WI) – being berated or belittled Magley 2003, p. 247). As explained in the definition, mistreat- by others (Andersson and Pearson 1999) – and workplace ment encompasses a variety of counter-normative actions and ostracism (WO) – being shunned and excluded at work (Ferris et al. 2008) – with emotional exhaustion (EE) –“feel- ings of being emotionally overextended and depleted of one’s Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article emotional resources” (Maslach 1993,p.20–21) – by taking (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00673-9) contains supplementary into consideration the hitherto unexplored moderating role of material, which is available to authorized users. self-compassion (SC) – a positive self-attitude that helps peo- ple suffer less from adversities (Neff 2003a). In so doing, the * Muhammad Adeel Anjum [email protected] present study attempts to contribute to the relevant literature in following ways. First, whilst several studies have shown that WI and WO can increase the risk of EE (e.g., Jahanzeb and 1 School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China Fatima 2018; Han et al. 2019;HuangandLin2019; Karatepe et al. 2019;Koay2018), lesser is known about the factors that 2 University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan mitigate such risk (Cho et al. 2016;Choi2019; Karatepe et al. 3 ’ Sardar Bahadur Khan Women s University (SBKWU), 2019;Rheeetal.2017;Wuetal.2012). The main purpose of Quetta, Pakistan Curr Psychol this study is therefore, to extend this relatively limited body of may require considerable effort and resources (Rhee et al. knowledge. Particularly, we assume that SC would moderate 2017). Similar could be the case in WO, as the intent of this the WI–EE and WO–EE relationships. We assume this based misbehavior is also ambiguous (for a discussion, see Ferris on SC’s positive implications for emotional and subjective et al. 2017). Hence, the entire process of experiencing, man- well-being (Neff 2003b;Neffetal.2018; Stoeber et al. aging and/or avoid having to endure WI and WO could be 2020), and its role in attenuating people’s reactions to negative very stressful and resource-draining for the targets, which may events and stressful situations (Leary et al. 2007). Second, aggravate strain (EE) in them (Karatepe et al. 2019;Rheeetal. whilst research on SC has flourished mainly in social and 2017;Wuetal.2012). clinical settings, the role of this positive self-attitude in orga- COR theory’s principle that resource investment can aid nizational settings has seldom been examined (Reizer 2019,p. stress resistance (Hobfoll 2001) provides sound basis for the 4). By drawing sample from organizations in Pakistan, the buffering role of SC. Researchers have also asserted that per- current study seeks to contribute to this still burgeoning stream sonal resources can help people deal better with stress- of research (Dev et al. 2018; Rafique et al. 2018;Reizer2019). inducing and resource depleting situations (De Clercq et al. Finally, this study is an addition to the existing indigenous 2018, 2019). A wealth of empirical evidence suggesting that research explicating the buffering role of personal resources personal resources can mitigate the deleterious effects of against the adverse effects of WI and WO (e.g., Bibi et al. workplace stressors also exists (for a review, see De Clercq 2013;DeClercqetal.2019;Jahanzebetal.2019). et al. 2019;Jahanzebetal.2019; Karatepe et al. 2019; Rhee et al. 2017;Wuetal.2012). In keeping with these facts and the theoretical rationale, it is expected that SC would moderate the Theory and Hypotheses WI–EE and WO–EE relationships. This study uses COR theory (Hobfoll 1989, 2001) as its the- oretical lens to expound: i) the WI–EE and WO–EE relation- Workplace Incivility and Emotional ships; and ii) the moderating role of SC. COR is a broad-based Exhaustion stress and motivation theory that follows from a set of tenets, principles (e.g., resource loss and resource investment) and Extant research has shown that small acts of rudeness and related corollaries (Hobfoll 2001). It delineates how stressful derision can lead on to a wide array of negative affective circumstances can impact individuals and organizations, and outcomes such as psychological distress (Cortina et al. 2001; how they might act during them (Westman et al. 2005). COR Lim and Cortina 2005;Parketal.2018); negative emotions theory’s(Hobfoll2001) basic tenet states that individuals en- (Sakurai and Jex 2012); end-of-work negative affect (Zhou deavor to attain, sustain, protect, and foster their resources, et al. 2015); emotional labor (Sliter et al. 2010); sadness, fear, whichhavebeenreferredtoas“objects, personal character- and guilt (Kabat-Farr et al. 2018; Porath and Pearson 2012); istics, conditions, or energies that are valued by the individual deteriorated mental-health (Lim et al. 2008); feelings of being or that serve as a means for attainment of these objects, per- ostracized (Caza and Cortina 2007); and heightened emotion- sonal characteristics, conditions, or energies” (Hobfoll 1989, ality and reduced optimism (Bunk and Magley 2013). p. 516). Feeling valuable to others, support from co-workers, A large majority of researchers also agree that being and affection from others are a few examples of resources berated or belittled by others (e.g., supervisors, co-workers, (Hobfoll 2001,p.342). family, and customers) can emotionally exhaust the targets From the standpoint of COR theory, EE is likely to occur (Alola et al. 2019; Cho et al. 2016;DeClercqetal.2018; when resources are threatened, lost, or anticipated returns/ Han et al. 2019;HuangandLin2019; Hur et al. 2015, 2016; gains in resources following resource investment are not ob- Karatepe et al. 2019;Rheeetal.2017;Sliteretal.2010; Tong tained. In other words, people might feel emotionally et al. 2019). The strength of incivility–EE relationship, as exhausted when they perceive that their emotional resources reported in these studies, ranged from r = 0.26 to 0.58. are no longer sufficient to handle workplace stressors (Wright Concurrent with these findings, we also expect a positive re- and Cropanzano 1998, p. 487). WI and WO are such work- lationship between WI and EE. The main theoretical explana- place stressors that can deplete targets’ resources (Karatepe tion for why incivility seems likely to invoke EE is that it can et al. 2019;Rheeetal.2017; Wu et al. 2012). In fact, the deplete targets’ social and emotional resources, which may sustained exposure to these stressors/misbehaviors depletes lead them to feel emotionally exhausted. Targets also have targets’ social and emotional resources, which culminates in to expend extra effort and considerable resources (emotional EE. Researchers note that the targets of uncivil behaviors, in and cognitive) to