The Role of Organizational Stress in the Relationship Between Leader–Member Exchange and Workplace Envy

Abstract

Existing literature suggests that there is a relationship between leader–member exchange (LMX) and workplace envy (WE). However, a degree of inconsistency among research results was detected which could be due to overlooking the possible role of organizational stress (OS). Building on social comparison theory and transactional theory of stress and coping, it is proposed that the relationship between LMX and WE is moderated by OS. This study aims to provide additional insight into the mechanisms that develop WE and how it could be managed among Egyptian athletes. Two hypotheses were developed, and data was collected via self-report surveys from a sample of 320 Egyptian athletes. Regression analysis and multi-group moderation analysis were employed to test research hypotheses. Results indicated that LMX is negatively related to WE among Egyptian athletes. Moreover, it was found that OS moderates this relationship in the way that the strength of the relationship between LMX and workplace is significantly stronger among athletes with high perceived OS than among athletes with low perceived OS. Results were discussed and theoretical and managerial applications were presented. Fruitful insights have been communicated to coaches, athletes, and sport managers. Limitations and proposals for future research were suggested.

Workplace ostracism as an antecedent to workplace envy: the mediating roles of metacognitive resources and dimensions of social perception

“…It is important to shed light on as it provides a new insight on how social-related events may trigger envy, which is considered a detrimental dilemma in the workplace (Tai et al ., 2012). By exploring this novel perspective, organizations may impede such behaviors, which in turn creates more positive work environments (Anjum et al ., 2022), leading to enhanced organizational and individual outcomes (Hilal, 2022).…”

“…Envy is one of the pervasive and dysfunctional negative emotions in the workplace surfacing from social comparisons (Tai et al, 2012;Duffy et al, 2008). It is a well-researched construct in terms of its detrimental theoretical and practical implications such as creating job dissatisfaction, demoting group performance and reducing individuals' self-esteem (Hilal, 2022). Yet, the antecedents and mechanisms by which envy arises at work have not received adequate attention (Veiga et al, 2014;Lee et al, 2018).Building on social comparison theory (SCT), envy could be induced from contextual factors, such as the occurrence of specific work events, for instance performance appraisals (Duffy et al, 2008;Corcoran et al, 2011) and being passed over for a promotion (Schaubroeck and Lam, 2004).…”

“…Envy is one of the pervasive and dysfunctional negative emotions in the workplace surfacing from social comparisons (Tai et al ., 2012; Duffy et al ., 2008). It is a well-researched construct in terms of its detrimental theoretical and practical implications such as creating job dissatisfaction, demoting group performance and reducing individuals' self-esteem (Hilal, 2022). Yet, the antecedents and mechanisms by which envy arises at work have not received adequate attention (Veiga et al ., 2014; Lee et al ., 2018).…”

“…Despite envy's severe implications (job dissatisfaction, lower self-esteem, etc.) (Hilal, 2022), its antecedents and underlying mechanisms remain under addressed (Veiga et al ., 2014; Lee et al ., 2018). Most reviews have mainly showcased contextual events to induce envy, that are performance-related and materialistic in nature (Duffy et al ., 2008; Corcoran et al ., 2011; Schaubroeck and Lam, 2004), without showcasing other social-related events (like workplace ostracism (WO)) which may be a root cause of such phenomenon and hence require due attention to remedy the issue.…”

Manager sense of envy and employee overqualification: The moderating role of job outcomes

“…According to research, there is a negative association between overqualification and employment career development (Ghadi, 2018), as the sense that one is overqualified for their job is likely to link to the sense that one is deprived of the career that they are entitled to (Hilal, 2022). We believe that managers can alleviate these feelings by fostering an environment that encourages people to pursue their career aspirations.…”