The influence of altruism on employee helping behaviour in public telecommunication firms in Zimbabwe
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64754/zqn80n33Abstract
This study examines the influence of courtesy a key dimension of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) on work quality within Zimbabwe’s public telecommunication sector. Drawing on OCB theory the study utilized a mixed methods approach combining quantitative survey data from 350 employees and qualitative insights from six senior managers at TelOne and NetOne. Quantitative findings revealed a significant positive relationship between courtesy and work quality (β = 0.451, p = 0.021), suggesting that respectful communication, proactive conflict prevention and considerate workplace behaviour enhance service delivery, attention to detail and operational efficiency. Qualitative results further underscore courtesy as a catalyst for team cohesion, smother workflows and reduced interpersonal friction, particularly in resource constrained and bureaucratic environments. However, the study also identified potential drawbacks. In high pressure situations employees often deprioritised courtesy in favour of task completion and excessive emphasis on harmony occasionally suppressed critical feedback and innovation. These findings highlight the context dependent nature of courtesy impact on organisational outcomes and emphasise the moderating role of leadership style, organisational cultural enablers. The study recommends fostering balanced workplace practices that promote courtesy alongside openness to constructive dialogue and systemic reforms to support sustainable improvements in work quality.
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