Influences of Perceived Motivational Climate on Employee Work Passion and Subsequent Work Behaviour

Drawing on achievement goal theory, self-determination theory and the dualistic model of passion, this study identifies distinct contextual antecedents and subsequent work behavior for employees’ harmonious and obsessive passion. The results based on data collected from 259 leader-subordinate dyads largely support our theoretical model. First, employees’ perceived mastery climate is positively related to harmonious passion while perceived performance climate is positively related to obsessive passion. Second, employees’ harmonious passion is positively related to their proactive work behavior, whereas employees’ obsessive passion is positively related to their pro-job unethical behavior. Finally, the results also show that harmonious passion mediates the positive relationship between a mastery climate and proactive work behavior and that obsessive passion mediates the relationship between a performance climate and pro-job unethical behavior. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are also discussed.