When Humble is Humbled: The Moderating Role of Leader Underestimation in the Dual Relationship Between Employee Humility and Well-Being

Previous research has found inconsistent relationship between general humility and individual well-being. Moreover, there is very limited exploration of its underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. Drawing from ego-depletion theory and self-efficacy literature, we propose an integrated model that examines the concurrent effects of employee humility on well-being. Taking a multi-faceted perspective of well-being, we suggest that employee humility is associated with both positive and negative aspects of well-being through two routes: increased self-efficacy and ego depletion. In line with internal identity asymmetry theory, we further propose that perceived leader underestimation serves as a critical boundary condition that influences these relationships. To test our hypotheses, we utilized time-lagged and supervisor-subordinate matched data and conducted a moderated-mediation analysis. Our results partially supported the hypothesized relationships. Specifically, employee humility was found to be associated with increased well-being in terms of personal growth and job satisfaction through enhanced self-efficacy and increased ego depletion. However, it was also linked to decreased well-being in terms of sleep deprivation through heightened ego depletion. Moreover, while perceived leader underestimation did not moderate the positive relationship between employee humility and ego depletion, it did play a moderating role in the positive association between employee humility and self-efficacy. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the positive and negative aspects of employee humility in relation to individuals’ well-being.