Managers’ Perspectives on Workplace Envy: A Qualitative Study in the Private Sector

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to explore the perspectives of individuals in managerial positions within the private sector regarding the emotion of “envy” and the behaviors it elicits.
Design/methodology/approach – For the purpose of this research, in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 department managers working in small and medium-sized enterprises located in the Çiğli district of İzmir, Türkiye. The study employed in-depth interviews as a qualitative data collection method. The data obtained from these interviews were transferred to NVivo 11, a qualitative data analysis software, and subsequently analyzed using content analysis.
Results – Research results show that both constructive and destructive feelings of envy can be experienced among employees, and the reasons for these are “wage” and “nepotism” issues.
Discussion – Envy, as experienced by managers, appears to have both constructive and destructive implications within organizational settings. On the one hand, managers reported that when confronted with feelings of envy, they encouraged employees to engage in self-improvement and assumed a guiding role. They also indicated that such feelings enabled them to recognize their own deficiencies and motivated them to address these shortcomings and pursue further personal development. On the other hand, envy was found to generate negative organizational outcomes, including unrest and dissatisfaction, as well as behaviors such as resignation, complaining, opposition, and social exclusion.