Quiet quitting in the context of high performance work practices: the nexus of perceive organizational exploitation, organizational cronyism and employee moonlighting

Purpose Using conservation of resource theory and the transactional theory of stress and coping, the current study conceptualizes quiet quitting (QQ) as a coping response to workplace stimuli and examines the impact of high-performance work practices (HPWPs) on employee quiet quitting. HPWPs were expected to influence QQ both directly and indirectly through the mediating role of perceived organizational exploitation (POE). Further, the association between HPWPs and POE was proposed to be moderated by perceived organizational cronyism (POC). At the same time, employee moonlighting (EM) was hypothesized to moderate the link between HPWPs and QQ. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research method was employed, utilizing data collected from 223 employee-supervisor dyads within business organizations that had adopted HPWPs in Hanoi, Vietnam. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results show that HPWPs were positively associated with QQ. In addition, POE partly mediated the impact of HPWPs on QQ. POC interacted with HPWPs in enhancing QQ. Finally, EM intensified the HPWPs-QQ linkage. Research limitations/implications The research suggests that HPWPs, at the same time, provide and drain employees' resources. Depending on how the employees evaluate the status of their resource under the HPWPs context, the employees may engage in QQ behaviors to cope with the situation. In an organization where cronyism is present, the employee may experience POE, which leads to QQ. They may quit quietly to protect their resources or to invest their resources elsewhere. When holding multiple jobs simultaneously is possible, the employees are more likely to moonlight to develop their resources. Therefore, HPWPs implementing organizations should pay attention to the interplay between EM and QQ. Originality/value This study investigates the relationship between HPWPs and QQ, taking the dark side view of HPWPs. In addition, QQ is operationalized as both resource-protection and resource-investment moves. The moderating role of EM in HPWPs and QQ has not been widely examined. Lastly, the roles of POE and POC in the model offer new insights to the literature.