Bullying to Citizenship Loss and Withdrawal: The Roles of Politics and Resilience in Pakistan’s HEI Sector

Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examines the direct effects of workplace bullying (WPB) on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and work withdrawal behavior (WDB), as well as the indirect role of perceived organizational politics (POP) and the moderating role of employee resilience (EPR) within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Pakistan. Data were collected from 235 employees working in the HEI sector, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied using SmartPLS and SPSS to analyze the proposed relationships. The results reveal that WPB is negatively associated with OCB and positively associated with WDB. Furthermore, POP partially mediates the relationships between WPB, OCB, and WDB. In addition, EPR was found to buffer the effect of WPB on POP, thereby reducing its intensity. This study provides valuable insights for executives and policymakers in Pakistani HEIs by highlighting the detrimental impact of WPB on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the effects of WPB on OCB and WDB through POP, with EPR as a moderating factor. Moreover, the results underscore the need for HEIs in Pakistan to develop effective policies and resilience-building interventions to curb workplace bullying and foster a supportive organizational environment.