The Dark Side of Top Performers: How High Achievers Can Hurt Team Spirit

Ever wondered how superstars at work might be affecting their colleagues? A recent study reveals that when employees start to compare their performance with these "stars, " it can lead to trouble. The study uses something called social comparison theory to explain this. As regular employees get closer to the level of star employees, they start feeling more entitled. This feeling of entitlement can cause them to act out or be less happy at work.

What makes this even more interesting is that this effect is stronger in teams where everyone depends on each other. When teamwork is crucial, the difference between star employees and others can have a bigger impact on how everyone feels and behaves. The studies included real-world surveys and experiments to prove this. They found that employees who were almost as good as the stars were actually more negatively affected than those who weren't as close in performance. This gives us a new way to look at how star employees influence the rest of the team.

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