Does negative performance feedback always lead to negative responses? The role of trust in the leader

Abstract

This study draws from cognitive appraisal theory to examine when and how negative performance feedback could prevent employees from engaging in interpersonal counterproductive workplace behaviour towards the leader. We test the hypotheses using a three‐wave survey and a scenario‐based experiment with Chinese and Western samples, respectively. Our results indicate that negative performance feedback has a negative effect on perceived feedback quality when employees have a lower (vs. higher) level of trust in the leader. In addition, perceived feedback quality is negatively related to employee hostility towards leader and, in turn, interpersonal counterproductive workplace behaviour towards the leader. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.