Effects of Organizational Justice on Social Loafing: The Mediating Role of Felt Obligation

Abstract

Although there has been an increasing body of work on social loafing for over ten years, there are still gaps in our understanding that require further investigation. There is currently a lack of research on organizational justice and the sense of duty towards social loafing. This study examines how organizational fairness (procedural, distributive, interactional) affects social loafing to address a gap in the existing literature. According to social exchange theory, the study predicted that perceived obligation would act as a mediator in the relationship between organizational justice and social loafing. Information was collected from 272 private sector employees in Malaysia. The measurements were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. With the exception of distributive justice, most direct links have a considerable influence on social loafing, as indicated by the data. Statistical findings confirmed the mediating role of perceived obligation between procedural fairness, distributive justice, and social loafing. The findings did not show that felt obligation plays a mediating role in the link between interactional justice and social loafing behavior. The study advanced knowledge by establishing new connections between organizational fairness, felt obligation, and social loafing behavior. Distinct measures of employees' perceptions of organizational justice offer a more comprehensive understanding of the connection between negative outcomes and their views of the organization. Additionally, the reciprocation process explains the link between organizational justice and social loafing. This research demonstrates that organizational fairness is a crucial component in predicting social loafing behavior, which would be advantageous for employers and human resource experts. Improvements can be made by establishing equitable and uniform workplace standards, encouraging employee input and involvement in decision-making, and demonstrating decency and respect for subordinates to prevent counterproductive actions like social loafing.