Relational Misperceptions in the Workplace: New Frontiers and Challenges

AbstractUnderstanding the social landscape at work helps employees accomplish organizational goals. A growing body of evidence, however, suggests that people are fallible perceivers of their work relationships. People do not always know how much others trust (or distrust) them, consider them a friend (or enemy), or rely on them for advice or information at work. Such relational misperceptions may be especially likely in the context of work organizations. Here, we develop theoretical accounts to explain how and why employees misinterpret the nature of their relationships with others at work—and what consequences ensue when they do. We direct attention to five key opportunities for future research on when and why relational misperceptions occur and matter in organizations. Building on the small body of organizational research and larger body of nonorganizational research on relationship misperception, we also identify areas that may be fruitful for exploration, highlighting several topics in the organizational literature that could be enlivened by considering the role of relational misperceptions. For example, we consider how employees’ relational misperceptions may affect how influential they are at work, how effectively they lead others, and how they navigate the social landscape in organizations.