Unpleasant experiences about idiosyncratic deals: exploring the effects of i-deal hassles on employee performance

Purpose Unlike previous studies highlighting the benefits of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals), this study proposes that the occurrences of some events may lead i-deals to be perceived by recipients of i-deals (i-dealers) as negative experiences instead of positive ones. We introduce the concept of i-deal hassles, defined as negative events experienced by i-dealers related to their i-deals. Drawing on affective events theory (AET) and research on the negative aspects of i-deals, this study explores how i-deal hassles influence i-dealers’ affective and performance outcomes. We argue that i-deal hassles are likely to increase disappointment among i-dealers, which reduces task performance and organizational citizenship behavior toward individuals and organizations (OCB-I and OCB-O). We predict that disappointment at i-deal mediates the relationships between i-deal hassles and three performance outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A time-lagged, multi-source survey design was conducted using a sample of 207 full-time employees rated by 67 supervisors from Chinese firms. Findings I-deal hassles increased disappointment at i-deal, thereby reducing task performance, OCB-I and OCB-O, with disappointment at i-deal mediating these negative effects. Originality/value This study broadens the scope of research on i-deals by introducing a new aspect, i-deal hassles, and by demonstrating that i-deal hassles can impair i-dealers’ work performances via disappointment at i-deal.