Should more senior workers be better citizens? Expectations of helping and civic virtue related to seniority

BACKGROUND: Organizational citizenship behavior, or extra-role behavior, refers to voluntarily going beyond job task requirements. This study aims to provide a new lens to citizenship behaviors by specifically exploring different expectations of citizenship behaviors related to employees’ demography and suggesting how such expectations might shape employees’ citizenship behaviors. RESULTS: Using a cross-national sample of 469 workers, interpersonal and helping and civic virtue were more likely to be regarded as in-role behaviors for more senior than for junior employees. On the other hand, results indicate that expectations of courtesy are unrelated to seniority. CONCLUSIONS: By exploring expectations of promotive citizenship behaviors, this study contributes to expanding the OCB literature focused on motives for citizenship behaviors. Findings from this study indicate that there are some significant patterns of expectations related to employees’ seniority. Also, the findings call on managers to set clear boundaries of in- and extra-role behaviors.