Effect of Job Insecurity on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: Mediating Role of Job Stress

Employees occasionally engage in unethical behavior intended to benefit their organization despite the moral ambiguity of such actions. This phenomenon, known as (UPB), is often motivated by a desire to shield the organization from external criticism and align with its interests. However, not all questions about the antecedents of UPB, its consequences and the boundary conditions have yet been answered. This study analyzes the effects of job insecurity and job stress on UPB. Within this context, the mediating role of job insecurity and the moderating role of job experience are explored. Research data were gathered from 202 sales and marketing employees (% 73.3 male, SD: 0.73; mean age: 37, SD: 0.444) through face-to-face surveys. Research hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that job insecurity exerts positive effects on job stress and UPB. In addition, job stress fully mediates the effect of job insecurity on UPB. Thus, it was concluded that work experience is one of the boundary conditions of UPB intention among employees. This study contributes to UPB literature by showing what consequences the interaction of job stress and perceived job insecurity can have on employees. In addition, this study offers a new perspective on coping strategies for UPB.