Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) refers to voluntary actions and behaviors that employees undertake that go above and beyond their formal job responsibilities.
These actions are not typically part of an employee’s contractual duties, nor are they directly recognized by the formal reward system.
However, they contribute significantly to the effective functioning and positive social and psychological environment of an organization.
Think of it as employees choosing to “go the extra mile” out of their own initiative, benefiting their colleagues and the organization as a whole.
Key Characteristics of OCB:
- Discretionary: These behaviors are voluntary and not mandated by job descriptions or formal policies.
- Not Explicitly Recognized by Formal Reward Systems: While OCBs are valued, they are not usually tied to direct monetary rewards or formal performance appraisals.
- Promotes Organizational Effectiveness: Collectively, these behaviors enhance the overall efficiency, morale, and smooth operation of the workplace.
Common Dimensions of OCB:
Organizational citizenship behaviors are often categorized into several dimensions:
1. Altruism
This involves helping behaviors directed towards specific colleagues. It’s about assisting coworkers who are struggling with their workload, newcomers who need guidance, or anyone facing a work-related challenge.
2. Conscientiousness
This dimension refers to behaviors that go beyond the minimum requirements for a task. It includes being diligent, disciplined, and proactive in one’s work, such as arriving early, staying late when needed, or ensuring tasks are completed to a high standard, even when not explicitly instructed.
3. Sportsmanship
This is an employee’s willingness to tolerate inconveniences and less-than-ideal situations without complaining. A good sport doesn’t dwell on minor setbacks, avoids unnecessary grievances, and maintains a positive attitude, even when things don’t go as planned.
4. Courtesy
This involves polite and considerate behavior towards others. It means taking actions to prevent problems for colleagues, such as giving advance notice of changes that might affect them or being mindful of how one’s actions impact others’ work.
5. Civic Virtue
This dimension relates to an employee’s participation in the organizational life of the company. It includes staying informed about organizational matters, attending non-mandatory meetings that are important, and generally acting as a responsible and engaged member of the organization, often by representing it positively.
How OCB Benefits Organizations?
Organizations that foster OCB often experience:
- Improved productivity and efficiency: When employees help each other and go the extra mile, workflows become smoother.
- Higher employee morale and job satisfaction: A positive and supportive work environment boosts well-being.
- Reduced need for supervision: Engaged employees are more self-directed.
- Better adaptation to change: Employees willing to go beyond their roles are more flexible during times of transition.
- Enhanced organizational culture: OCB contributes to a more cohesive, collaborative, and positive workplace.
Relational Coordination, on the other hand, is a theoretical framework that describes how communication and relationships work together to integrate tasks effectively, especially in complex and interdependent work environments.
It emphasizes shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect, supported by frequent, timely, accurate, and problem-solving communication.
While OCB is about individual voluntary actions, Relational Coordination is about the quality of interactions and connections between individuals and teams to achieve coordinated outcomes.