When the boss steps up: Workplace power, task responsibility, and engagement with unpleasant tasks

•Powerholders (vs. subordinates) have more freedom to shirk unpleasant work tasks. Yet we expect workplace power to yield task engagement, rather than shirking.•This is because workplace power increases a sense of responsibility for tasks.•In two field studies, power predicted task engagement, via task responsibility. This mediated pathway was stronger for unpleasant than pleasant tasks.•In two experiments, power increased unpleasant-task engagement, via task responsibility.