Trait conscientiousness, leader‐member exchange, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviour: A test of an integrative model

Abstract

Competing theoretical models were tested, linking organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) to trait conscientiousness, job satisfaction and leader‐member‐exchange (LMX) quality. Meta‐analytic structural equation modelling results provide strongest support for a model wherein more conscientious employees display more OCB, which enhances LMX quality, leading to greater job satisfaction. In‐turn, employees reciprocate their higher job satisfaction by demonstrating more OCB. Beyond supporting the view that OCB represents employee reciprocation for the satisfying job experiences typically stemming from higher‐quality LMX, our findings help to legitimize the notion that OCB may be used, particularly by more conscientious employees, as a means of nurturing higher‐quality LMX and to gain access to more satisfying job experiences.