Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Benefits and Best Practices
“I want people to do the right thing when no one is watching,” says a plant manager at a large food processing plant. “Well, that’s organizational citizenship,” responds Wharton management professor Michael Parke.
Employees may not even recognize it themselves. A simple “good morning,” offering to show a new colleague around, or staying an extra 15 minutes to perfect a report are all signs of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). These individual behaviors not only create a positive work environment but also have a cumulative and collective effect on an organization’s overall performance.
We’ll take a closer look at examples of organizational citizenship behavior, their benefits, and how to use your HR expertise to drive OCB in the workplace.
Contents
What is organizational citizenship behavior?
5 organizational citizenship behaviors
Benefits of OCB
Organizational citizenship behavior: Best practices for HR
FAQ
What is organizational citizenship behavior?
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is the positive and constructive actions and behaviors that employees perform that go beyond their formal job description.
OCB is entirely voluntary. It’s anything that employees do, out of their own free will, that supports and benefits their colleagues and the organization as a whole. Examples of organizational citizenship behavior can include helping colleagues with assignments, doing extra tasks without being asked, or going above and beyond expectations.
Organizational citizenship behavior was first defined by Dennis Organ in 1988 as “an individual behavior which is not rewarded by a formal reward system… but that, when combined with the same behavior in a group, results in effectiveness.”
Employees who demonstrate OCB are often driven by intrinsic motivation. However, extrinsic factors—such as enhancing their workplace image or status—can also influence these behaviors, whether intentionally or unintentionally. When cultivated effectively, OCBs can significantly enhance organizational success by fostering higher morale, stronger teamwork, and improved performance.
5 organizational citizenship behaviors
The five most common organizational citizenship behaviors, according to Dennis Organ, are:
- Altruism: In the workplace, altruism is the practice of helping co-workers without expecting anything in return. An example of altruistic behavior at work is assisting a busy colleague with some of their tasks or volunteering to help clean up after an internal company event. Altruism in the workplace can boost employee engagement, productivity, and effectiveness.
- Courtesy: Courtesy is polite and considerate behavior toward others in the workplace. Examples of courtesy at work include simple practices like saying good morning to colleagues, asking a co-worker how their kids are doing, and inquiring about how a project is going. When employees are courteous, it can make others feel seen, enhance relationships, and create a positive work environment.
- Sportsmanship: Being able to deal with situations that don’t go as planned is an essential aspect of sportsmanship. A ‘good sport’ doesn’t react negatively or get upset when things don’t meet their expectations or go their way at work.
An example of good sportsmanship in the workplace is when an employee experiences an unexpected setback in a project. While this may considerably increase their workload, they do not complain about it to other colleagues because they know it’s a temporary situation. - Conscientiousness: Behaviors and actions that demonstrate a certain level of self-control and discipline and that go beyond the minimum requirements are signs of conscientiousness.
In a work setting, conscientiousness means more than showing up on time and meeting deadlines. It involves, for instance, an employee taking the initiative to finish critical tasks before going on holiday or doing an excellent job without constant supervision. Conscientious workers increase quality, efficiency, and performance. - Civic virtue: A fundamental aspect of civic virtue is how well an employee embodies company values and positively represents their organization. Employees who possess civic virtue are great workplace ambassadors; they talk positively about their organization to their friends, family, and professional network.
Civic virtue can also be demonstrated by employees signing up for business events such as fundraisers or running a (semi) marathon for a charity with a team of co-workers. Civic virtue is a type of organizational citizenship behavior that creates a sense of community and camaraderie, positively impacting company culture.
HR tip
You can promote these five OCBs by embedding them into your company’s mission and values. Updating your mission or vision statement to reflect these behaviors helps establish a shared understanding of their significance, reinforcing their role in your organizational culture.
Benefits of OCB
We’ve already mentioned a few benefits of OCB above, but here are some more to consider:
- Improved team dynamics: Employees who engage in OCB willingly support their colleagues, share knowledge, and step in to help when needed. These actions foster trust and build supportive relationships within teams.
- Reduced stress levels: Organizational citizens help alleviate both individual and collective stress. When employees actively give and receive support, it enhances their sense of wellbeing and helps prevent burnout.
- Higher productivity: By assisting each other and filling in gaps, employees practicing OCB help maintain workflow efficiency. This reduces bottlenecks and keeps tasks on track, particularly during high-pressure periods.
- Increased performance: Behaviors like altruism and conscientiousness significantly impact team and individual performance. In fact, research shows that OCB positively predicts success, helping employees achieve goals and exceed expectations.
- Minimized competition: OCB discourages harmful competition by promoting a culture of collaboration and mutual respect. Employees focused on relationships, and high-quality work inspires others to do the same, creating a more cohesive environment.
- Lower employee turnover: Positive work environments fostered by OCB encourage employees to stay. Increased motivation and engagement often lead to greater commitment to the organization.
- Enhanced employer brand: When an organization’s employees consistently adopt positive behaviors and actions, they set a positive example that can improve a company’s overall image, making it an employer of choice.
When it comes to OCB, it’s important to create moments and opportunities for the organization to highlight these behaviors, enabling others to model them. Embedding OCB doesn’t require extensive programs—ensuring that every company communication, line manager interaction, or employee connection reflects these behaviors can go a long way toward integrating OCB into the organization.
Beyond these benefits, how exactly can HR play a role in encouraging OCB? Let’s explore this next.
Organizational citizenship behavior: Best practices for HR
OCBs may seem like an obvious (yet underappreciated) part of many HR professional’s everyday work. But how exactly can you extend the reach of these behaviors throughout your organization?
Here are some best practices to lead by example and encourage others to follow:
Hire right
You can incorporate specific elements into your selection process to highlight the organizational citizenship behaviors your company values and assess candidates for their potential fit. Here are some examples of how this might look in practice:
- Job description: Your job description should reflect your company values, allowing candidates to determine if those values align with their own. If your values resonate with them, they’ll be more likely to appreciate, for instance, acts of civic virtue promoted in your company culture.
- Realistic job preview: Using a realistic job preview enables you to show candidates an actual ‘day in the life of.’ This means you can demonstrate how people treat each other (courtesy), how they work (conscientiousness), collaborate (altruism), etc. This preview is an excellent way to showcase the organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) you value and hope to see in employees.
- Pre-selection: Organizations that recruit high volumes of people often use pre-employment assessment tools. These tools can include cognitive tests, job sample tasks, and personality assessments to measure traits like conscientiousness. They can also determine whether there is a culture fit between the candidate and the company culture.
- Interview: During interviews, hiring managers or HR can highlight examples of OCBs within the organization or specific teams. By using structured methods like the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when asking questions, they can assess whether a candidate is likely to exhibit OCBs.
Involve management
Managers play a crucial role in encouraging organizational citizenship behavior. As leaders, they have the opportunity to set a powerful example. When employees see their managers being polite, considerate, supportive of team members, demonstrating good sportsmanship, or participating in charity or community events, it can inspire them to follow suit.
Recognizing and reinforcing OCB is another way managers can encourage these behaviors. For example, they can highlight employees’ positive actions during weekly team meetings, offering well-deserved recognition. OCB can also be celebrated on a larger scale, such as during company-wide meetings or events, to emphasize its importance.
A particularly effective practice is “cheers for peers.” This initiative allows colleagues to acknowledge each other’s contributions and impact. For instance, during an end-of-week gathering, employees can share their ‘cheers’—thanking peers or managers for their support or positive actions. Submissions can be sent through email or an online platform and then read aloud to the whole team, creating a culture of appreciation and encouragement. Here are a few examples:
“Cheers to James for staying late to help me meet that deadline. You worked super hard and it really made a difference to the project. I owe you one!”
“Cheers Sophie for organizing the office party. Everyone had a great time and it was awesome to celebrate all together. Looking forward to the next one!”
Rethink performance management
Some companies include their employees’ OCB in their performance management process and appraisals as a way to formally encourage, measure, and reward their actions. How this is implemented can vary. Here are a few examples of integrating OCB into performance management:
- Setting goals and objectives that promote teamwork and encourage employees to support their colleagues, with corresponding evaluation and rewards.
- Recognizing altruism or other forms of OCB in a way that allows performance ratings to exceed 100%.
- Including criteria such as “collaboration with other teams” as part of performance evaluations.
The image below is based on a 2007 research that explored the positive and negative effects of formalizing OCB in performance management.
While including OCB in performance management can promote these behaviors, it’s essential to highlight their voluntary nature. OCB is not part of an employee’s contractual obligations; rather, it is a value-added contribution. Evaluating performance based on actions beyond official duties could be perceived as unfair if not handled thoughtfully.
Promote community involvement
Encouraging employees to participate in volunteer or community projects—either individually or as a team—can foster civic engagement and build goodwill, both of which often positively impact the workplace
HR teams can consider including volunteer time off (VTO) as an employee benefit. Companies like Salesforce, Patagonia, and Timberland offer employees volunteer days off to pursue causes they care about. Organizations can further promote these initiatives by matching donations to employee-organized charity events.
When employees feel supported by their company in pursuing volunteer or community initiatives, it helps create a culture where organizational citizenship becomes the norm rather than the exception.
Recognize and reward organizational citizens
While organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is voluntary and not performed with the expectation of reward, it can still be acknowledged and celebrated. Consider incorporating OCB into your company’s rewards program in small, informal ways, such as offering gift cards, discounts, or unique employee experiences.
However, it’s important to avoid creating a system that pressures employees to engage in OCB solely to receive rewards. To maintain the genuine nature of these behaviors, consider non-material recognition, such as sharing OCB stories through internal communication channels or platforms.
Whatever approach you take, the goal is to make OCBs a visible and celebrated part of your company culture. When employees see and hear about positive actions happening around them, even if they aren’t directly impacted, it can significantly boost motivation, engagement, and performance.
HR tip
Before embarking on building OCBs in your organization, review your latest employee surveys. What is the current state of your company culture? Key metrics to consider include levels of job satisfaction, engagement, psychological safety, and leadership effectiveness. This approach will help you identify where OCBs are needed the most.
On a final note
While organizational citizenship behavior isn’t something every employee will engage in, it can have tremendous benefits for both your workforce and the organization. As such, it’s worth looking for ‘OCB potential’ in candidates during the hiring process, actively involving managers in setting the right example, and rethinking your performance management to make organizational citizenship behavior an intrinsic part of your company culture.
FAQ
Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) refers to voluntary actions employees take that go beyond their formal job responsibilities, contributing to a positive workplace environment and overall organizational success. Examples include helping colleagues, being adaptable, and showing initiative.
As Dennis Organ identified, there are five different types of organizational citizenship behavior:
• Altruism: Helping colleagues with tasks or challenges.
• Conscientiousness: Going above and beyond in responsibilities.
• Courtesy: Being considerate and preventing conflicts.
• Sportsmanship: Maintaining a positive attitude, even in tough situations.
• Civic virtue: Participating in and showing commitment to organizational activities.
Best practices for organizational citizenship behavior include looking for OCB potential in your hiring process, actively involving managers in setting the right example, rethinking your performance management, and rewarding organizational citizens.
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