The Role of Workplace Popularity: Links to Employee Characteristics and Supervisor-Rated Outcomes

Abstract

Popularity in the workplace is relatively unexplored but has multiple potential applications in organizations. This field study uses data collected from 223 supervisor–subordinate dyads at various organizations in China to examine core self-evaluation (CSE) as an antecedent of employee popularity, the ability of political skill and work engagement to predict popularity above and beyond CSE, and the moderating roles of political skill and work engagement on the relationship between CSE and popularity. The current research also extends potential effects of workplace popularity beyond coworker-related outcomes to supervisor trust and task performance ratings for popular employees. Results showed that political skill and work engagement relate to popularity above and beyond CSE and moderate the CSE–popularity relationship. Employees’ popularity is also positively associated with supervisor trust and task performance ratings. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.