The Effects of Feeling Envied on Employees’ Psychological Safety and Work Engagement

The Role of Workplace Friendship

Bibliographic Data

ID13664417
AuthorsGuang Xu (0000-0001-8328-6670, Harbin Normal University), Dou Huang (0000-0002-8590-7538, Harbin University of Science and Technology), Shan Liu (0000-0002-8554-6306, Harbin Normal University), Xue Zhang (0000-0001-5977-3639, Law and Political Science, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume128
Issue3
Pages2115-2137
Publication date2023-04-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-2941 • E-ISSN: 1558-691X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00332941231169670
PMID37119172
OpenAlexW4367367804
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited50

Despite the increasing interest of feeling envied in recent studies, understanding of its outcome is still limited. Based on the theory of social information processing, this study aims to examine how feeling envied affects work engagement through psychological safety, and how the effect of feeling envied is moderated by workplace friendship. Two rounds of surveys were conducted, and a sample of 340 participants was collected in China. The results show that feeling envied reduces employees' psychological safety, which in turn impacts their work engagement. Further, the negative effect of feeling envied is mitigated under a higher level of workplace friendship. This study contributes to the literature by further explaining the theoretical mechanism regarding the outcomes of feeling envied. The results can provide managers helpful suggestions to alleviate the negative outcomes of feeling envied

Feeling · Friendship · Occupational safety and health · Work (physics · Emotional Labor in Professions · Healthcare Education and Workforce Issues · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Psychology · Social Psychology

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