Backfire effect of organizational pressure to behave unethically: The roles of organizational dehumanization and moral attentiveness

In this research, we first propose that employees who are pressured by their organization to engage in unethical behavior perceive that they are dehumanized, that is reduced to a mere instrument at the service of the organization. We further suggest that this organizational dehumanization leads them to engage in a reciprocity process that materializes into silence, i.e. intentionally withholding ideas, information, and opinions that could improve work and work organization. Finally, we argue that moral attentiveness strengthens the indirect effect of organizational pressure to behave unethically (OPBU) on silence via organizational dehumanization. Overall, the combined results of a cross-sectional field study, two experimental studies, and a three-wave field study provide evidence for our hypotheses. When facing OPBU, morally attentive employees are more likely to perceive organizational dehumanization, and to restore the balance and harm the organization back by displaying silence. Overall, these findings indicate that OPBU backfires on the organization.