ABSTRACT
There is evidence suggesting that workplace mobbing or incivility may be contagious, and targets may respond to such behaviour with mistreatment. However, the link between experiencing mobbing and instigating incivility, as well as the mechanisms and factors that strengthen this association, have been relatively underexplored. The present study aims to investigate the mediating role of need satisfaction and moderating effect of self-compassion in the association between mobbing and instigated incivility. It is postulated that mobbing is positively linked to instigated incivility and inversely associated with need satisfaction. Furthermore, need satisfaction is suggested as a mediator and self-compassion as a moderator in the connection between mobbing and instigated incivility. Data was gathered for the study from 221 employees through an online questionnaire. Hypotheses were tested employing the Hayes Process Macro. The results indicated that mobbing had a negative correlation with need satisfaction and a positive correlation with instigated incivility. Furthermore, need satisfaction was found to mediate the relationship between mobbing and instigated workplace incivility. However, self-compassion was not observed to moderate the relationship between mobbing and instigated incivility. The results of an exploratory study indicate that the relationship between mobbing and basic need satisfaction is moderated by self-compassion. In conclusion, various forms of mistreatment may lead to one another by obstructing need satisfaction and self-compassion may enhance the effects of mobbing.