Abusive Coworker Treatment, Coworker Support, and Employee Turnover

Hostile treatment from others at work can have undesirable consequences. The present study aims to validate this proposition by examining whether abusive coworker treatment is a significant predictor of employee turnover among entry-level employees in the hospitality industry. With a sample of 979 restaurant servers, this research examined the impact of abusive coworker treatment along with coworker emotional and instrumental support on turnover over a 6-month period. Abusive coworker treatment was significantly related to higher turnover among newcomers but not among experienced employees. Furthermore, coworker emotional support was related to lower turnover among all employees in the sample. These findings provide a more nuanced perspective on the role of abusive coworker treatment and coworker support in combating the perennial turnover challenge in the hospitality industry.