| 其他摘要 | The public and academic spotlight has increasingly turned towards individual authenticity, particularly within the realm of the workplace. There exists a widespread positive anticipation regarding employees' capacity to embody their authentic selves, with an expectation of affirming the beneficial impact of employee authenticity (characterized by the unfettered expression of one's genuine and core self in the professional setting) on work performance. Nonetheless, owing to disparate findings from various studies, the positive association between employee authenticity and performance has come under scrutiny. Furthermore, prevailing cross-sectional studies have failed to establish a causal linkage between employee authenticity and work performance. To rectify these limitations, we undertook two investigations to ascertain the favorable influence of employee authenticity on work performance and its causal underpinnings.
In Study 1, we consolidated existing empirical research and systematically investigated the relationship between employee authenticity and work performance as well as its boundary condition through meta-analysis. The results show that employee authenticity can significantly and positively predict work performance, indicating that authenticity in the workplace promotes performance. However, this positive relation is moderated by the way of performance assessment. Specifically, employee authenticity can improve work performance assessed by supervisor, self-report, or behavioral experiment indicators, but the positive effect was most pronounced in self-report performance, followed by behavioral task referral performance, and marginally less significant when performance was assessed by leaders. Additionally, Study 1 revealed some negative findings, suggesting that the inclusion of external influence acceptance dimensions and regional cultural disparities (individualism versus collectivism) in authenticity measurement did not significantly influence the positive effect of employee authenticity on work performance.
Study 2 employed a situational simulation behavioral experiment, leveraging scenarios of high and low authenticity to reveal the causal relationship between employee authenticity and work performance. The results show that our manipulation of employee authenticity was successful. That is, employees in high authenticity scenarios were more capable of showing their authentic selves than those in low authenticity scenarios. Furthermore, employees with high levels of authenticity had significantly better performance than those with low levels of authenticity, providing causal proof that employee authenticity can improve work performance. Moreover, female employees with high levels of authenticity tended to outperform their male counterparts. Further analysis revealed that an augmentation in employee authenticity in low authenticity scenarios could induce ego depletion, which subsequently elevated work performance. The mediating role of ego depletion was further moderated by employees’ gender. That is, the mediating role of ego depletion was only significant among male employees.
Our two investigations delved into the positive impact of employee authenticity on work performance and its mechanisms, which has substantial theoretical significance. Firstly, through meta-analysis techniques, multiple studies on employee authenticity were amalgamated, culminating in the comprehensive conclusion that employee authenticity significantly fosters work performance. This conclusion reinforced the credibility and stability of the findings, offering more exhaustive and precise research support for the beneficial effects of employee authenticity. Secondly, the study further validated the positive effect of employee authenticity on work performance through situational simulation experiments, providing the causal evidence for this relationship. This discovery bridged a gap in related research fields, presenting novel empirical evidence for theoretical construction. Additionally, the experiment uncovered the mediating function of ego depletion and the moderating effect of gender, contributing to the advancement of positive organizational behavior theory and presenting fresh perspectives and avenues for future exploration. Finally, our findings have practical implications for management, emphasizing the significance of employees embodying their authentic selves, organizations fostering a positive environment, evaluating performance through diverse and scientific methodologies, and acknowledging gender disparities. |
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