<p>The phenomenon of workplace exclusion has been widely reported in organizations, highlighting the need to understand the psychological and behavioral mechanisms involved in managing it effectively. Based on self-enhancement theory, the study investigates the mediating role of self-enhancement motive between workplace exclusion and ingratiation, as well as the moderating role of political skill. Data were collected from 359 valid samples using a multi-source design approach in enterprises in Zhejiang Province. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS27.0 and AMOS26.0, along with hierarchical regression and bootstrapping methods to test hypotheses. The study reveals that workplace exclusion positively influences employee ingratiation; self-enhancement motivation mediates the relationship between workplace exclusion and ingratiation; and that political skill positively moderates the effect of workplace exclusion on self-enhancement motivation, as well as the above mediation effect. The study clarifies why and when certain employees adopt positive or complex psychological and behavioral measures to confront workplace exclusion, i.e., ingratiation, from a self-enhancement perspective. It highlights the importance of managers focusing on employees' responses to workplace exclusion and identifying those with the political skill to mitigate its negative consequences. This study proposes a new direction about the self-enhancement theory for future research, contributes to the research on the antecedent variables of employee ingratiation, and advanced the literature on political skill as a boundary moderator. And provide opinions on how managers and HR specialists' can enhance workplace dynamics, employee well-being, and performance.</p>