The effect of job insecurity on employee silence: test an interactive model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of job insecurity on employee silence by developing a moderated mediation model. The model focuses on the mediating role of ego depletion underpinning the relationship between job insecurity on employee silence and the moderating role of perceived coworker support and career growth opportunity in influencing the mediation. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts a questionnaire from 309 employees of six Chinese financial enterprises in two waves, with a one-month interval between the two waves. Moreover, this study uses bootstrapping and confirmatory factor analysis to verify the hypothesis. Findings Job insecurity has a significant positive impact on employee silence, and ego depletion partly mediated the relationship between job insecurity and employee silence. Perceived coworker support and career growth opportunity negatively moderated the relationship between job insecurity and ego depletion and also moderated the indirect effect of job insecurity on employee silence through ego depletion. Practical implications The study provides evidence for the positive effects of job insecurity on ego depletion, which, in turn, is significantly associated with employee silence. It highlights the important role of perceived coworker support and career growth opportunities in reducing employee negative perceptions and behaviors. Originality/value This empirical study provides preliminary evidence of the mediating role of ego depletion in the positive relationship between job insecurity and employee silence. The moderated mediation model also extends the existing finding by adding substantive moderators (perceived coworker support and career growth opportunity) to explain how the effect of job insecurity on employees’ behaviors unfolds.