When Injustice Breeds Silence: How Benevolence Keeps Knowledge Flowing

What is it about?

This study examines how organizational injustice—employees’ perceptions that they are treated unfairly by their employer—can lead them to hide knowledge from others at work. It highlights organizational disidentification, a psychological process where employees distance themselves from the organization, as the key mechanism behind this behavior. The study also investigates how benevolence, or tolerance for inequity, can weaken this negative reaction. Using three-wave survey data from employees in Pakistani organizations, the study finds that perceived unfair treatment leads to psychological withdrawal, as employees feel detached from organizational values and goals. This disidentification drives them to protect personal resources by withholding useful knowledge. However, employees high in benevolence—those inclined to forgive and value collective well-being—are less likely to respond this way, maintaining constructive behavior even when they feel wronged. For organizations, these findings underscore that perceived unfairness can quietly erode collaboration and trust, diminishing the open exchange of information vital for innovation. Managers should therefore foster transparent, equitable processes for recognition and reward, while cultivating a culture that values empathy and mutual support. Training programs that strengthen benevolence and emotional intelligence may help employees respond to injustice with understanding rather than withdrawal.

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Photo by jose aljovin on Unsplash

Photo by jose aljovin on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique in pinpointing organizational disidentification as the underlying psychological link between injustice and knowledge hiding, while demonstrating how benevolence can buffer this harmful effect. It advances both social identity and equity theories by showing that emotional and moral resources play a decisive role in how employees process and react to workplace inequities. Its timeliness lies in addressing fairness concerns within Pakistani organizations, where hierarchical structures and social sensitivity to justice are particularly pronounced. As global organizations grapple with rising employee demands for transparency and inclusion, this research highlights how fostering fairness and moral tolerance can sustain knowledge sharing and organizational harmony in challenging times.