Modern organizations operate in an extremely dynamic and complex environment, requiring teams to be flexible, engaged, and perform beyond formal duties. In this context, the Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB) model has gained significant attention from researchers and management practitioners as a concept that describes employee behaviors which, although not formally required by the organization, significantly contribute to its effectiveness and success.
The Essence and Importance of the OCB Model in the Organization
OCB (Organizational Citizenship Behaviors) is a set of dimensions through which employee behavior within an organization can be considered. Although the dimensions described in the model are not areas that the company can control or formally require specific behaviors from employees, it can influence this behavior by increasing the employee’s identification with the company. Research shows that citizenship behaviors are a key factor influencing organizational effectiveness, improving work atmosphere, increasing productivity, and reducing employee turnover.
The OCB model is particularly important in the context of the growing importance of data analysis in decision-making processes. Research by Qlik, conducted by Harvard Business Review Analytics Services, shows that more than three-quarters (78%) of global business leaders believe that data analysis in decision-making has gained importance over the past two years. In such an environment, employees’ citizenship behaviors can significantly streamline analytical and decision-making processes through better collaboration and information exchange.
Key Dimensions of the OCB Model
Based on scientific research, five basic dimensions of Organizational Citizenship Behaviors have been identified, which are crucial in the context of team management:
Altruism
This dimension describes the level of altruistic behavior within the team, meaning the willingness of employees to help each other without expecting direct benefits in return. Research has shown that altruism in the workplace contributes to increased productivity, particularly in the healthcare sector, where OCB has a significant impact on organizational performance.
Civility
This dimension refers to respecting the rights and dignity of each employee. A high level of this dimension leads to a reduction in conflicts and better communication within the team. Studies conducted by researchers from the Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology have shown that civility as an element of OCB is positively correlated with organizational justice, which in turn leads to lower stress levels in the workplace.
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness refers to the efficient use of work time and commitment to completing tasks. The higher the conscientiousness, the less time is wasted on activities unrelated to work. Research conducted on a group of 74 supervisors and 167 employees showed a strong correlation between self-control, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors, confirming the importance of conscientiousness in the context of OCB.
Initiative
This dimension describes employees’ interest in improving processes within the company. This initiative is not directly rewarded by the company but stems from the employee’s desire to build a better work environment and higher profits for the company. Research suggests that employees who show high initiative within OCB are more likely to engage in innovative activities and improve organizational processes.
Team Spirit
The final dimension is the ability of employees to engage in healthy competition and collective action. The higher the sense of shared “spirit,” the fewer problems and trivial matters arise. A study conducted on 273 employees and their colleagues showed that team spirit as an element of OCB can lead to “citizenship fatigue” when employees do not receive organizational support.
Conditions and Correlates of Citizenship Behaviors in the Organization
Scientific research indicates a number of factors that can influence the occurrence of citizenship behaviors in the workplace. One of the key conditions is organizational justice. Studies conducted on Arab respondents revealed a positive relationship between organizational justice and OCB. This means that employees who perceive the organization as fair are more likely to engage in citizenship behaviors.
Another important factor is organizational support. Research has shown that the relationship between OCB and citizenship fatigue depends on the levels of perceived organizational support, the quality of exchange relationships among team members, and the pressure to engage in OCB. Specifically, the relationship between OCB and citizenship fatigue is significantly stronger and positive when perceived organizational support is low.
Research conducted among employees of municipal offices in Poland revealed that the manifestation of OCB-O (organizationally oriented citizenship behaviors) correlated with a greater number of psychosocial work conditions than OCB-P (personally oriented citizenship behaviors). In analyzing OCB-O, strong correlations were observed with the following variables: development opportunities, job satisfaction, and the significance of the work. In the case of OCB-P, these correlations were moderate.
The Impact of OCB on Organizational Effectiveness and Competitiveness
A study conducted in Poland by Joanna Schmidt confirms that organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) are a key relational aspect of human resources that significantly impact the development of the organization. The analysis showed dependencies between individual characteristics of human resources and their relational aspect (OCB), which in turn influences the type of organizational development.
It is also worth noting a study published in the Polish Journal of Management Studies, which revealed that OCB has a significant impact on organizational competitiveness. Furthermore, this study showed that citizenship behaviors significantly impact organizational outcomes, with organizational competitiveness acting as an intermediary variable. Additionally, citizenship behaviors have a direct impact on organizational results.
A study conducted in the healthcare sector revealed that OCB significantly impacts organizational performance. Altruism increases productivity, while human resource management practices have the opposite relationship. A study conducted in an American company showed that organizational culture plays a dominant role, and pro-social employee behaviors lead to higher outcomes. OCB is a predictor of organizational performance.
OCB and Citizenship Fatigue
An interesting perspective on the OCB model is introduced by the concept of “citizenship fatigue.” A study published in PubMed aimed to identify workplace conditions that influence the degree to which employees feel drained, tired, or upset due to engaging in OCB. Using data collected from 273 employees and their colleagues at multiple points in time, the researchers discovered that the relationship between OCB and citizenship fatigue depends on the levels of perceived organizational support, the quality of exchange relationships among team members, and the pressure to engage in OCB.
Specifically, the relationship between OCB and citizenship fatigue is significantly stronger and positive when perceived organizational support is low, and significantly stronger and negative when the quality of exchange among team members is high, and the pressure to engage in OCB is low. The study results also indicate that citizenship fatigue is negatively related to subsequent acts of OCB. Moreover, supplementary analyses reveal that the relationship between OCB and citizenship fatigue may differ depending on the specific aspect of OCB.
Practical Implications for Team Management
In the context of team management, the OCB model provides valuable insights for managers and leaders. Awareness of the importance of the OCB model in the organization is still too low among managers and entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, actively supporting the development of the behaviors described by the model allows not only for a better work atmosphere – leading to increased employee productivity and reduced turnover – but also improves the client-employee business relationship, which in turn translates into the financial performance of the company.
Gartner research has shown that companies using so-called human-centric work models experience a significant increase in employee productivity and engagement. According to a study conducted in June 2022, employees working in a human-centric work environment are three times more likely to achieve high results, stay with their current company, and experience less reported work fatigue than employees in other companies. This model includes flexible work, intentional collaboration, empathy-based management, and technologization, which corresponds to many aspects of the OCB model.
Research results also show that employers can indirectly influence the development of OCB behaviors in employees by increasing their identification with the company. A prime example here are Japanese companies, which are based on an extremely strong sense of mission among employees. In European culture, such employee engagement is not possible, but it is worth striving to increase awareness of the company’s organizational culture and positively connect employees to the company, as it clearly translates into the organization’s successful functioning.
Final Conclusions and Directions for Future Research
The OCB model is a valuable tool for understanding and shaping employee behaviors that go beyond formal organizational requirements, yet contribute to increasing the effectiveness of the team and the organization as a whole. Scientific research clearly confirms that citizenship behaviors have a positive impact on various aspects of organizational functioning, including competitiveness, employee satisfaction, and customer service quality.
However, as research on citizenship fatigue has shown, promoting OCB should be implemented with consideration of organizational support and the quality of relationships within the team to avoid negative consequences for employees. Future research should focus on a deeper understanding of the mechanisms linking OCB to organizational effectiveness, as well as the development of effective strategies for supporting citizenship behaviors in various cultural and organizational contexts.
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