Social Behavior and Personality , Volume 47, Issue 5, e5727 https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.5727 www.sbp-journal.com Gossip fiercer than a tiger: Effect of workplace negative gossip on targeted employees’ innovative behavior Aiqin Zhou 1 , Yi Liu 2 , Xin Su 3 , Haoying Xu 4 1 School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University 2 Zhengzhou Ethnic Affairs Committee 3 School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications 4 School of Business, Central University of Finance and Economics How to cite: Zhou, A., Liu, Y., Su, X., & Xu, H. (2019). Gossip fiercer than a tiger: Effect of workplace negative gossip on targeted employees’ innovative behavior. Social Behavior and Personality: An international journal, 47(5), e5727 From a self-evaluation perspective, we explored the influence of negative workplace gossip on targeted employees’ innovative behavior. We surveyed 296 employees of 19 enterprises. The results of regression analysis showed that negative workplace gossip was negatively related to employees’ innovative behavior, that organization-based self-esteem mediated the relationship between negative workplace gossip and employees’ innovative behavior, and that employees’ creative self- efficacy moderated the relationship between organization-based self- esteem and employees’ innovative behavior, such that the positive relationship was stronger when employees’ creative self-efficacy was higher. Our findings offer insight into the potential harm of gossip in the workplace and contribute to delineating the underlying mechanism and boundary condition of the link between negative workplace gossip and employees’ innovative behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Keywords negative workplace gossip; employees’ innovative behavior; organization-based self- esteem; creative self- efficacy Workplace gossip is defined as informal and evaluative talk in an organization, usually among no more than a few individuals, and about another organizational member who is not present (Kurland & Pelled, 2000). With some exceptions (e.g., Ellwardt, Labianca, & Wittek, 2012), researchers have mainly focused on exploring the functional value of gossip for organizations, groups, and gossipers (e.g., Baumeister, Zhang, & Vohs, 2004; Kniffin & Wilson, 2010; Kurland & Pelled, 2000; Michelson & Mouly, 2004). However, although gossip may benefit organizations, groups, and gossipers, its effect on the target employee is negative in most cases (Chandra & Robinson, 2009). Negative workplace gossip is a form of violence that is essentially a form of attack that empowers one person while disempowering another (Ellwardt et al., 2012; Grosser, Lopez-Kidwell, Labianca, & Ellwardt, 2012). Therefore, in this study we addressed a research inadequacy to facilitate understanding about the potential costs to, and harm of, workplace gossip on the target employee. We defined workplace gossip as organizational members discussing personal information or spreading rumors about a third party. Drawing on Chandra and Robinson’s (2009) work, we investigated gossip from the target employee’s point of view and perception of negative workplace gossip (NWG). Specifically, we examined the potential detrimental effect of NWG on target employees’ innovative behavior in the workplace. Innovative behavior involves not only the generation of new ideas but also their CORRESPONDENCE Xin Su, Jingguan Building, Room 113, No. 10 Xitucheng Road, Haidian, Beijing 100876, People’s Republic of China. Email: xin.su@bupt.edu.cn © 2019 Scientific Journal Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved.