INTRODUCTION
The two anecdotes above highlight the complex and sometimes contradictory nature of envy in the workplace. Both instances involve a social comparison, comparing one’s own level of success or accomplishment with that of a coworker. The individual’srelative inferiority is highlighted through this ‘‘upward’’ comparison — in both cases, the employee doesn’t quite measure up. Yet one is struck by the vastly different emotional and behavioral reactions each employee had. The first employee reacted in a destructive manner, experiencing feelings of resentment and hostility that resulted in damaging negative gossip aimed at harming the envied employee. When we typically think about envy, this is what is usually called to mind — a negative, destructive emotion that costs the organization dearly, leading to high turnover rates, workplace incivility, and outright sabotage. Recent research, however, suggests that there may be another side to this much-maligned emotion, a motivational side that can result in positive outcomes. The second employee exemplifies this view; he expresses admiration for the successful coworker, which reinforces a strong motivation to succeed in a similar fashion. Understanding workplace envy in order to promote a motivational response and minimize a destructive response is important if managers want to encourage a collaborative and engaging work environment. Ironically, most of us rarely acknowledge actively comparing ourselves to others; nor do we often admit, even to ourselves, that our behavior may be motivated by feelings of envy or inferiority. Yet the very nature of organizational life, which includes competing for both limited spots in the formal hierarchy as well as informal status among groups of friends and colleagues, makes these comparisons and the related experience of envy a relatively common occurrence.
