Employees generally favor private rewards, but people who score higher on a measure of narcissism are more drawn to recognition their colleagues can see, according to a Cornell-led study published this month.
In online surveys of more than 1,000 full-time employees, researchers found that those higher in narcissism reported stronger interest in public rewards and were more willing than others to choose a better job title over higher pay. The results suggest that the way an employer recognizes work can appeal differently to different employees.
The paper, published Oct. 8 in Social Psychological and Personality Science, reports four online studies. Cornell associate professor Emily Zitek led the work with Verena Krause of University College London and Alexander Jordan of Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital.
Private pay, public status
The researchers asked employees to report their level of narcissism and their preferences for public and private workplace rewards. Questions covered motivation, preferences between versions of the same reward and a choice between a more impressive title and higher salary.
Private rewards, including a raise or a positive performance review not announced to coworkers, appealed to respondents overall. People higher in narcissism liked those rewards too, but they also showed more enthusiasm for rewards displayed publicly, Zitek said. She said she was surprised that private rewards were generally more popular despite the frequency of public recognition at work.
The research linked that preference to a stronger desire for status and less concern about drawing envy from coworkers. Zitek said some workers may see others' envy as evidence of their standing, while others may worry about damage to workplace relationships.
What managers can take from the findings
Zitek said the results may help managers consider whether public recognition works for the people they supervise. A title change without a change in duties or pay, sometimes called title inflation, may appeal to a worker seeking status but offer less to other employees.
“I’d warn companies that title inflation might not be helping your employees as much as you think it is,” she said. She also cautioned that inflated titles could undermine an employer's credibility.
The studies measured self-reported traits and preferences. Zitek is now examining how managers with narcissistic traits affect employees' behavior in follow-up work.
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