How and when high commitment work systems backfire on employee unethical pro-organizational behavior

Purpose This study aims to enhance the comprehension of the intricate and multifaceted processes by which High Commitment Work Systems (HCWS) may give rise to a potential dark side, specifically employee unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB), mediated through organizational identification (OI). Additionally, it investigates the moderating effect of leader silence on UPB. Design/methodology/approach To test the proposed moderated mediation model, we collected data from a three-wave time-lagged field survey containing 247 U.S. employees. We tested our hypotheses in an integrated fashion by using structural equation modeling. Findings After demographics, organizational industry, job roles, and the baseline level of the focal variables were controlled for, the results indicated that HCWS is positively related to employee OI, which in turn, leads to employee UPB. Additionally, leader silence on UPB moderated the above indirect relationship. Originality/value This study followed the recent “dark side” view of HCWS by shedding insights on how and when HCWS lead to individual UPB. We considered leader behavior—specifically leader silence on UPB—as important contingency for the impact of HCWS on employee UPB via OI. We conceptualized leader silence on UPB and explained how the potential adverse effects of HCWS could be addressed by navigating leader reactions.