Polluted Work: A Self-Control Perspective on Air Pollution

Abstract

In rapidly developing nations such as China, air pollution is a growing concern. Nonetheless, theory and data on the impact of air pollution on employee behavior are essentially nonexistent. In this paper we employ a diary methodology to examine the within-individual effects of air pollution appraisals on employees' daily self-control resources and behavior. Multilevel data collected across two weeks from 155 employees located in urban China indicate that appraisals of air pollution severity deplete employees' self-control resources. This depletion in turn mediates the effects of air pollution appraisals on employee behavior, resulting in decreased organizational citizenship behavior and increased counterproductive work behavior. In support of the depletion perspective, the effects of air pollution appraisals are moderated by employees' trait self-control, and hold even after controlling for employees' daily negative affectivity and objective levels of air pollution. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.