The Corrosive Impact of Professional Jealousy on Workplace Cohesion

Abstract

Instructor’s Name A lot of personal values and a sense of fulfillment is wrapped in our careers. Emotions in the workplace are one of the most studied pieces of literature on organizational behavior in the workplace (Kucuk et al.). One of the most prevalent emotions is jealousy. Jealousy has positive and negative effects, but it tends to manifest as a negative emotion. Professional jealousy is human nature, and we all have felt it at some point. It relates to jealousy in money, beauty, body, beauty, talent, or professional accomplishments. However, when jealousy creeps into the workplace, it becomes repulsive, yielding devastating results. People make jealousy intuitive since admitting it is weak, shameful, and embarrassing. A jealous person is disentangled from reality. It is challenging to overcome jealousy since it is deeply connected to our core values. It is a negative emotion that holds individuals back, keeping all open doors closed. People promoted deservingly stirs attention more, yet most have worked for their space. People will get jealous when their fellows earn promotions for good job performance or as part of the job requirement, receive little recognition for a good performance, or get exciting arrangements that are lucrative and decent. This essay will discuss how jealousy promotes damaging cohesion in the workplace. Professional jealousy causes people to engage in socially undermining behaviors and sabotage, disengage in work, and decline productivity. Jealousy stems from fear, rejection, and loss (Bedeian, 1995). It is perilous and can cripple an individual’s confidence, and narcissistic behaviors emanate. Relating with narcissists is very tiresome since they thrive on elevating themselves to put others down. Jealous people will decline association, sharing of information, and engaging in productive conversations. Unfortunately, ascending to a professional ladder creates more enemies than friends. That is human nature. Jealous friends and co-workers will always try to bring one down and belittle their position and accomplishments. Team leaders or professional workers realize the negative energy directed at them, and it will not be easy to correlate and work efficiently. Jealousy prompts the crippling of ideas and professionalism in the workplace. Jealous people will set tramps and stumbling blocks to derail one’s career. They will eavesdrop and badmouth at every opportunity, especially when a mistake arises. It is easy for a person to view one's success as their failure. Not only are the feelings of jealousy detrimental, but they also emanate counterproductivity by disrupting team cohesion and relationships, undermining organizational performance. Victims of jealousy lose the attributes of self-awareness and self-reflection in the process of questioning their self-worth. Employees will not achieve their goals and become successful in an organization that is not cohesive due to jealousy. A degree of competition is necessary for an organization to promote cohesion and organizational performance. However, unhealthy competition breaches the game. When we take seed food, it is exciting and satisfactory, but when we overdo the food, it breeds indigestion and complications. Healthy jealousy is necessary, but poison when it supersedes its limits. The battles for promotions and recognition leave others with a green eye. Unhealthy competition simmers a lack of morale, collaboration, and productivity. Sometimes jealousy emanates from the higher hierarchy making it very dangerous. Leaders can tamp employees favoring and demeaning other employees they do not love for no valid reason turning employees into bitter rivals. A leader who engages in one-sided conversations erupts jealousy in her employees. Sometimes leaders award bonuses excluding some employees and reducing...