Contextual moderators of the relationship between organizational citizenship behaviours and challenge and hindrance stress

We studied the moderating roles of task interdependence and leader-member exchange (LMX) on the relationships between interpersonally (organizational citizenship behaviours -interpersonal [OCBIs]) and organizationally directed organizational citizenship behaviours (organizational citizenship behaviours targeted at organizations [OCBOs]) and challenge and hindrance stress perceptions. While OCBIs were more strongly related to challenge stress among employees reporting high levels of task interdependence, OCBOs were more strongly related to challenge stress among employees reporting high LMX. The same organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB)-context interactions were related to hindrance stress; as we predicted, these interaction patterns were the reverse of those observed for challenge stress. The model and findings extend research and theory concerning the potential negative consequences of OCBs, pointing to the role of social exchange context in these relationships. We discuss implications for performance management and theories of stress and well-being.