Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes: Manager-Facilitated Moral Repair and Unethical Pro-Supervisor Behavior

Managers’ efforts to repair workplace harm are known to benefit both offenders and organizations, yet related research suggests these restorative actions could also lead to unintended negative consequences. Drawing on a framework of restorative justice and unethical prosocial behavior, we examine whether managerial attempts at moral repair can inadvertently prompt employees to engage in unethical pro-supervisor behavior (UPSB). In a multi-wave survey of 244 full-time employees who recalled an incident in which they caused workplace harm, we find that managers’ restorative justice behaviors are positively associated with employees’ subsequent UPSB. This effect is mediated by employees’ gratitude, desire to reciprocate, and identification with their manager. Further, employees with a strong moral identity show weaker links between gratitude, desire to reciprocate, and UPSB. We discuss implications for restorative justice theory and managerial practice.