Don't Envy Me Because I'm Creative: A Field Study of Coworker Reactions to Creative Employees

Creative performance in the workplace is typically regarded as a universally desirable achievement, however we show that the consequences are not always positive for the creative performer. Leveraging social comparison theory and the self-evaluation maintenance model, we propose and test a model of creative performance leading to coworker envy which then results in coworkers ostracizing the focal employee. We also propose and test differing moderation effects resulting from the quality of relationships the employee has with his/her leader and his/her coworkers. Specifically, employees with high quality leader-member exchange relationships are expected to experience stronger effects while those with high quality coworker-member exchange relationships may experience weaker effects. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.