Paradoxical Effects of Performance Pressure on Employees' In-Role Behaviors: An Approach/Avoidance Model.

Xiaofeng Xu,Yihui Wang,Miaomiao Li,Ho Kwong Kwan

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.744404

Abstract

Performance pressure acts as a double-edged sword for employees. Based on an approach/avoidance framework, we theorize that performance pressure produces both positive and negative effects on employees’ in-role behaviors via approach motivation (i.e., self-objectification) and avoidance motivation (i.e., workplace anxiety), and work meaningfulness moderates employees’ reactions to performance pressure. We examine our hypotheses using data from a sample of 345 employees in various organizations. The results show that self-objectification provides an approach motive that mediates the positive indirect effect of performance pressure on employees’ in-role behaviors. However, workplace anxiety provides an avoidance motive that mediates the negative indirect effect of performance pressure on employees’ in-role behaviors. Work meaningfulness strengthens both the approach and avoidance tendencies that employees experience under performance pressure. Our findings have significant theoretical and managerial implications.

Highlights

In the 21st century, organizations are facing increasingly complex, dynamic, and competitive business environments
Approach and avoidance motives produce positive and negative consequences. In using this approach/avoidance framework, we argue that approach and avoidance motives can play crucial roles in the relationship between performance pressure and employees’ in-role behaviors
Our results show that performance pressure is a double-edged sword, motivating an approach and avoidance toward employees’ in-role behaviors

Summary

Introduction

In the 21st century, organizations are facing increasingly complex, dynamic, and competitive business environments. Since the resumption of work, organizations have vigorously expanded production, seeking to recover their losses. They have called on employees to expand their abilities and improve performance. Performance pressure, defined as “the urgency to achieve high-performance levels because performance is tied to substantial consequences” 533; Mitchell et al, 2018), is one of the most critical factors in today’s workplace (Leinhos et al, 2018), and it has attracted increasing attention from numerous scholars (e.g., Gardner, 2012; Mitchell et al, 2019). Many scholars have recognized performance pressure as a double-edged sword, as it can trigger both helpful

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