The impact of organizational dehumanization on creative performance through self-esteem threat: the moderating role of work locus of control

Purpose This paper aims to enhance our understanding of how organizational dehumanization affects employees’ creative performance. We propose the self-esteem threat as a mediator in the relationship between organizational dehumanization and employees’ creative performance. We also examine how work locus of control moderates the relationship between organizational dehumanization and creative performance. Design/methodology/approach Through convenience sampling, online and face-to-face surveys, multisource time-lagged data ( N = 257) were collected from full-time employees and their supervisors in Pakistani organizations in the information technology, media industry and oil and gas sectors. Findings Organizational dehumanization negatively affects employees’ creative performance, and threats to self-esteem mediate this relationship. Work locus of control moderates the effect of organizational dehumanization on creative performance, and this negative relationship is attenuated when individuals have an external work locus of control. Originality/value This study provides novel insights into the process underlying the relationship between organizational dehumanization and creative performance by revealing the mediating role of threat to self-esteem and the buffering role of work locus of control.