The burden of being good: Exploring the sources and implications of citizenship pressure

This research investigates citizenship pressure, defined as the perception of pressure to perform organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), by examining its sources, outcomes and mechanisms. Study 1 surveyed employees to test how supervisor and coworker OCB demands, along with personality traits (conscientiousness and agreeableness), predict citizenship pressure at the between‐person level. Although personality traits showed no direct effects, they moderated how individuals responded to interpersonal demands. As for outcomes, citizenship pressure was positively related to both OCB and withdrawal, underscoring its dual implications. Study 2 extended the model at the within‐person level using a five‐day daily diary design, revealing a cross‐level interaction in which agreeableness amplified the daily effect of supervisory demands. Across both studies, citizenship pressure mediated the link between OCB demands and behavioural outcomes. Overall, this research highlights citizenship pressure as a dynamic construct shaped by contextual demands and personal dispositions that leads to positive organizational contributions yet also increases strain‐based outcomes. These findings underscore the need for organizations to manage informal expectations carefully, ensuring that extra‐role encouragement does not inadvertently trigger disengagement or strain.