Do Illegitimate Tasks Lead to Work Withdrawal Behavior among Generation Z Employees in China? The Role of Perceived Insider Status and Overqualification

Abstract

Generation Z employees in the workplace cause a management challenge that enterprises have recently faced. The unique characteristics of Generation Z employees necessitate an urgent update to the knowledge of organizational management. However, few studies of the literature focus on the workplace behaviors of Generation Z. This study proposes that illegitimate tasks may lead to work withdrawal behavior among Generation Z employees. Based on the equity theory model, this study constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the impact of illegitimate tasks on the work withdrawal behavior of Generation Z employees, as well as the mediating role of perceived insider status and the moderating role of perceived overqualification. The analysis of survey data from 283 Generation Z employees in China at two time points found that illegitimate tasks are positively correlated with work withdrawal behavior. At the same time, the mediating role of perceived insider status was successfully confirmed. The results also showed that perceived overqualification strengthened the effect of illegitimate tasks on work withdrawal behavior and the mediating effect of perceived insider status. This study offers new insights into the management and development of Generation Z employees and the sustainable evolution of workplace relationships from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

Keywords

• illegitimate task
• work withdrawal behavior
• perceived insider status
• perceived overqualification
• Generation Z employee