Workplace incivility's daily toll on job satisfaction: the mediating role of psychological need threats

Purpose Integrating need–threat and conservation of resources (COR) theories, this study examines how daily workplace incivility affects job satisfaction. It investigates how incivility from hierarchical versus lateral sources differentially frustrates needs for belonging, self-esteem and control, identifying which threats most directly undermine overall job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 132 full-time employees in diverse sectors using a two-week daily diary design, yielding 1,052 daily survey responses. Findings Results show that the source of incivility shapes the nature and severity of psychological need threats. Supervisor incivility has a broader impact than coworker incivility, primarily reducing job satisfaction through control and self-esteem frustration. Originality/value This study refines the need–threat model by identifying distinct threat profiles for supervisor versus coworker incivility. It shows how hierarchical standing shapes the scope of need threats and their effects on work attitudes, advancing understanding of low-intensity workplace mistreatment.