Are Women More Susceptible to the Job Performance Contagion?

Abstract

Purpose: Performance contagion is an individual’s emotional – behavioral reaction to the
performance of a person or a group in close contact with him or her which leads to a kind of relatively
unconscious and sometimes conscious conformity. Identifying the factors that influence performance
contagion can play a great role in human resource management; therefore, this paper aims to determine the
effect of gender on performance contagion.
Methodology: The study scale was developed according to the role-based performance scale. The construct
validity was tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and reliability of the questionnaires was approved by
using Cronbach's alpha test. Data was obtained through the questionnaires collected from a sample of 183
non-teaching staff of Science and Research branch of Azad University.
Findings: The study results suggested that there was a relationship between gender and extent of
susceptibility to the performance and women were more susceptible to the contagion. Moreover, interviews
conducted with the managers showed male and female employees were more susceptible to the performance
of male colleagues regarding positive performance.
Practical implications: In comparison to men, women are more susceptible to the negative performance of
their colleagues, so the superiors should pay more attention to the certain colleagues and immediate working
environment of an employee during the orientation, training and retention procedures.
Originality: This study may contribute to the existing literature of performance contagion and knowledge
on the extent to which performance contagion is influenced by gender.
Key words: job performance, performance contagion, susceptibility, performance management, human
resource management