Leader favorable feedback and withdrawal behavior: a moderated mediation model of gratitude and leader-member exchange

Purpose This study investigates why and when leader favorable feedback inhibits employees' withdrawal behaviors. The authors propose that leader favorable feedback reduces employees' withdrawal behaviors via employees' gratitude toward the leader. The authors further posit that this mediation is contingent on leader-member exchange, arguing that as the quality of leader-member exchange increases, employees are more likely to feel grateful and are less likely to withdraw from work. Design/methodology/approach Two-wave, multisource field data collected from 662 employees were used to test our hypotheses. Findings Employees' feelings of gratitude mediated the negative relationship between leader favorable feedback and employees' withdrawal behavior. The negative effect of gratitude on withdrawal behavior was stronger under higher levels of leader-member exchange, as was the indirect effect of leader favorable feedback on withdrawal behavior via employees' gratitude. Originality/value These results contribute to a social exchange-based understanding of gratitude as an emotional mechanism underlying the feedback and withdrawal relationship and provide important practical implications for managers.