The Effect of Organizational Justice on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Diary Study on the Mediating Role of Challenge and Hindrance Stressors

Understanding the dynamic interaction between organizational environments and employee work outcomes is essential for developing effective policies and practices that encourage positive workplace behavior. This study investigates the relationship between organizational justice and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), with challenge and hindrance stressors serving as mediating variables. Utilizing a diary study design, data were collected from 31 employees across 310 daily entries to capture both within-person (Level 1) and between-person (Level 2) variations. The multilevel structure enabled a nuanced analysis of daily experiences and their impact on individual work behavior. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between distributive justice—a component of organizational justice—and OCB. Specifically, when employees perceive fairness in the distribution of resources and rewards, they are more likely to engage in discretionary behaviors that benefit the organization. The mediation analysis further suggests that perceived stressors influence how justice perceptions translate into citizenship behaviors, offering insight into the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship. These results underscore the importance of fostering distributive justice within organizational settings to cultivate a more supportive and productive work environment. By highlighting the role of daily workplace experiences and individual perceptions, this study contributes to the growing body of literature on organizational behavior, particularly within the Malaysian context. It provides practical implications for managers aiming to enhance employee engagement and organizational performance through justice-oriented practices.