The moderating role of self‐efficacy in the relationship between workplace envy and social undermining

Abstract

AbstractEnvy can motivate individuals to strive harder or to harm others. We examine the relationship between workplace envy and social undermining ‐ the insidious act of dragging down others. The role of self‐efficacy in this relationship has not been explored in previous research; therefore, it is proposed that self‐efficacy acts as a moderator. The study, based on data from a survey of 304 Egyptian physicians, provides insights into the ways in which social undermining is practiced, and suggests how it could be managed. Two hypotheses are developed and tested using hierarchal regression analysis: that workplace envy and social undermining are positively related, and that self‐efficacy moderates that relationship. The results of the study support these hypothesized relationships. They also demonstrate that the relationship between workplace envy and social undermining is significantly stronger among physicians with low self‐efficacy than those with high self‐efficacy. The article offers several suggestions for how to manage the problem of social undermining which are particularly relevant to physicians and health care managers.