The initiative paradox: A social comparison perspective on why and when relational crafting leads to loneliness

Drawing upon social comparison theory, we investigated the influencing mechanism between relational job crafting and workplace loneliness and its boundary condition. A multiple-source, multi-wave field study was conducted with data collected from 267 employee-peer dyads in three Chinese firms. The results showed that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between promotion-oriented relational crafting and loneliness via peer social undermining. Meanwhile, prevention-oriented relational crafting is positively related to loneliness through peer social undermining. Moreover, impression management motive moderates the inverted U-shaped relationship between promotion-oriented relational crafting and peer social undermining. Implications of these findings are discussed.