Reap what you sow: the impact of negative workplace gossip sent by supervisors on quiet quitting through psychological safety and quiescent silence

Purpose Negative workplace gossip sent by supervisors (NWGS) is a prevalent yet understudied form of poor managerial communication. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study aims to propose that NWGS depletes employees’ psychological resources and examine its effect on employee quiet quitting (QQ). This study tests both the direct and mediating effects via psychological safety and quiescent silence. Design/methodology/approach Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the measurement model and ensure the robustness of the constructs. Covariance-based structural equation modeling tested the proposed hypotheses using data from 431 participants recruited in the USA and UK via Prolific Academic. Findings The effect of NWGS on QQ is indirect, mediated by psychological safety, and serially mediated by psychological safety and quiescent silence. Furthermore, both psychological safety and quiescent silence have significant direct effects on QQ. Practical implications This study highlights the need to reduce downward gossip by training managers to deliver constructive feedback and normalize leadership challenges. It also emphasizes fostering psychological safety through open, transparent communication and building a culture of trust, inclusion and mutual respect. Originality/value This study identifies NWGS as a novel antecedent of QQ and explains its mechanism, showing how NWGS depletes emotional resources and undermines psychological safety. It also contributes to the COR theory by demonstrating how resource depletion spreads across interdependent resources, leading to disengagement.