Constructive and Destructive Employee Responses to Envy at Work: The Role of (In)justice and Core Self Evaluations

Envy is a pervasive emotion in the workplace, often resulting in negative outcomes. Utilizing social comparison and self-evaluation maintenance theories and an organizational (in)justice framework, the objective of this study was to determine whether differences in constructive and destructive workplace behaviors occur as a function of two alternative episodic envy forms, malicious and benign, and if core self-evaluations moderate these relationships. Differences between justice (adherence to rules and policies) and injustice (violation of rules and policies) perceptions were also examined. Currently and previously employed adults (N = 237) provided a narrative of a recalled workplace event in which they experienced envy and completed online measures assessing (in)justice perceptions, malicious and benign episodic envy, and core self-evaluations. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The episodic envy experience, malicious or benign, and behavioral responses, constructive or destructive, varied as a function of (in)justice perceptions: low justice or high injustice led to malicious episodic envy and destructive behaviors, whereas high justice or (to a lesser extent) low injustice led to benign episodic envy, constructive behaviors and decreased destructive behaviors. Additionally, malicious episodic envy led to passive and/or active disengagement from work and the envied individual. Qualitative analyses revealed negative feelings accompanied both episodic envy types, even when feelings towards the envied person were positive. To the extent that these findings reflect direct and indirect effects, they provide insight to the various responses to workplace episodic envy and support for negative emotional experiences having positive outcomes. Differences in (in)justice perceptions support anecdotal evidence that individuals react to injustice in a manner distinct from justice. Understanding the situational nuances influencing whether those who experience episodic envy will respond in a constructive or destructive manner can assist companies in helping employees cope with envy-provoking situations, which are frequent events in work environments. In turn, companies can use this information to minimize malicious envy and its negative outcomes and promote benign envy and its positive and constructive outcomes, optimizing employee and organizational performance.