Self-Assessment
Organizational Citizenship Behavior Test
How often do you go above and beyond at work? This assessment measures the voluntary behaviors that help your coworkers and organization thrive.
Research-based tool · Based on OCB framework by Organ & Podsakoff
Five Dimensions of Workplace Citizenship
Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) refers to the voluntary actions that aren't part of your formal job description but help your colleagues and organization function better.
How to answer: Think about your typical behavior in your current (or most recent) workplace. Rate how often you do each action. There are no right or wrong answers. Be honest with yourself for the most useful results.
Your OCB Profile
How you contribute beyond your formal role
Your Five OCB Dimensions
What Each Score Means
Your Strengths & Growth Areas
- OCB is not job performance: This measures extra-role behaviors, not how well you do your assigned tasks. Someone who excels at their core duties might score lower here simply because they focus on their formal role.
- Context shapes behavior: Workplace culture, job demands, and management style all influence how much OCB people display. A lower score might reflect a demanding job rather than unwillingness to help.
- Self-reports have limits: We tend to overestimate our positive behaviors. Research often uses peer or supervisor ratings for OCB. Consider asking a trusted colleague how they see you.
- Balance matters: Too much OCB can lead to burnout or neglecting core duties. The goal isn't maximum citizenship at all costs.
The Research
From the Research
"OCB represents individual behavior that is discretionary, not directly or explicitly recognized by the formal reward system, and in the aggregate promotes the efficient and effective functioning of the organization."
— Organ, D. W. (1988). Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Good Soldier Syndrome . Lexington Books.
The Five Dimensions
Helping/Altruism: Voluntarily assisting coworkers with tasks or problems, stepping in when someone is absent, and generally making others' work lives easier.
Conscientiousness: Going beyond minimum requirements in attendance, punctuality, and following rules. Not the same as being good at your job, but rather being exceptionally reliable.
Courtesy: Preventing problems for others through advance notice, consultation, and consideration. Thinking about how your actions affect colleagues before acting.
Sportsmanship: Tolerating workplace inconveniences without complaining. Maintaining a positive attitude even when things aren't perfect.
Civic Virtue: Participating in organizational life beyond your role. Attending optional meetings, staying informed about company matters, and offering constructive suggestions.
From the Research
"OCB was positively related to performance ratings and negatively related to turnover intentions. Employees who exhibited more citizenship behaviors received higher performance evaluations from their supervisors."
— Podsakoff, N. P., Whiting, S. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & Blume, B. D. (2009). Individual- and organizational-level consequences of OCB . Journal of Applied Psychology.
Why OCB Matters
- Meta-analyses show employees who display more OCB receive higher performance ratings, even though OCB isn't formally part of their job description
- Teams with higher aggregate OCB tend to have better productivity and lower turnover than teams with less citizenship behavior
- OCB is associated with employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. People who engage in OCB tend to be more satisfied at work
- The relationship works both ways: supportive work environments encourage more OCB, and more OCB creates more supportive environments
From the Research
"Although citizenship behaviors are often thought to be discretionary and unrewarded, managers do in fact consider them when making reward allocation decisions, including salary increases and promotions."
— Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Paine, J. B., & Bachrach, D. G. (2000). Organizational citizenship behaviors: A critical review . Journal of Management.
How We Built This Assessment
This assessment is inspired by the organizational citizenship behavior research conducted by Dennis Organ, Philip Podsakoff, and colleagues since the 1980s. We created original items that capture the five established OCB dimensions while respecting intellectual property.
About this tool: This assessment is based on the OCB framework developed by Organ, Podsakoff, and colleagues. We use original question wording designed for educational self-reflection. We are not affiliated with the original researchers or publishers.
Our Item Design
- Altruism/Helping (5 items): Helping colleagues with workload, orienting new employees, solving work problems voluntarily
- Conscientiousness (5 items): Punctuality, attendance, following rules, not wasting time, work ethic
- Courtesy (3 items): Avoiding actions that inconvenience others, considering impact of decisions, respecting others' rights
- Sportsmanship (3 items, reverse-scored): Not complaining about trivial matters, not focusing on negatives, not finding fault
- Civic Virtue (4 items): Staying informed, attending optional meetings, participating in organizational life, making suggestions
Scoring Method
- Each item uses a 5-point frequency scale (1 = Never to 5 = Always)
- Sportsmanship items are reverse-scored (agreement with complaints = lower OCB)
- Subscale scores are averaged for comparability across dimensions
- Total score is the sum of all items (range: 20-100)
Sources We Drew From
- Smith, C. A., Organ, D. W., & Near, J. P. (1983). OCB: Its nature and antecedents. Journal of Applied Psychology
- Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Moorman, R. H., & Fetter, R. (1990). Transformational leader behaviors and their effects on OCB. The Leadership Quarterly
- Lee, K., & Allen, N. J. (2002). OCB and workplace deviance. Journal of Applied Psychology
- Organ, D. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & MacKenzie, S. B. (2006). Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Its Nature, Antecedents, and Consequences. Sage Publications
Why Citizenship Behaviors Matter
Research consistently shows that OCB has measurable benefits for individuals and organizations.
| OCB Dimension | What Research Shows | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Helping/Altruism | Strongly linked to team effectiveness | Teams with helpers get more done and have better morale |
| Conscientiousness | Associated with positive performance ratings | Reliable employees are noticed and trusted with more responsibility |
| Courtesy | Prevents workplace conflict and friction | Considerate colleagues create smoother workflows |
| Sportsmanship | Correlated with better team climate | Less complaining means more energy for actual work |
| Civic Virtue | Related to organizational commitment | Engaged employees contribute ideas and stay longer |
Based on meta-analytic findings from Podsakoff et al. (2000, 2009)
Common Questions
No. OCB specifically measures extra-role behavior, not job performance. You might be excellent at your core duties while scoring moderate on OCB simply because you focus on your assigned work. Additionally, demanding jobs with heavy workloads leave less capacity for discretionary behaviors. A lower score reflects current behavior patterns, not your worth as an employee.
Yes. Research on "citizenship fatigue" shows that constantly going above and beyond can lead to burnout, especially if core job demands are already high. Excessive helping can also mean neglecting your own tasks. The healthiest approach is sustainable OCB that doesn't sacrifice your wellbeing or core responsibilities. If you scored very high, make sure you're also protecting your own energy.
Organizational culture strongly influences OCB. Supportive leadership, fair treatment, and a trusting environment encourage citizenship behaviors. Toxic, competitive, or micromanaging environments suppress them. If your score is lower than you'd expect, consider whether your workplace context makes OCB difficult or unrewarded. This reflects the situation, not a character flaw.
About This Assessment
What This Tool Is
A free self-reflection tool inspired by organizational citizenship behavior research dating back to Organ, Podsakoff, and colleagues in the 1980s-1990s. We wrote original items based on published descriptions of the five OCB dimensions.
What This Tool Is Not
- Not an official OCB scale: Published scales like Smith et al. (1983) and Podsakoff et al. (1990) are copyrighted. Our items are original adaptations. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the original researchers.
- Not a performance evaluation: This is for personal insight, not hiring decisions, reviews, or formal assessment.
- Not peer-rated: Research often uses colleague or supervisor ratings for OCB since self-reports can be inflated. Consider this a starting point for self-awareness, not a definitive measure.
For Deeper Assessment
If you want validated measurement for research or organizational purposes, consult the original published scales and obtain proper permissions, or work with an organizational psychologist who can implement multi-rater assessments.