Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • June 14, 2023
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review (website)

Research: Your Love for Work May Alienate Your Colleagues

By: Mijeong Kwon, Julia Lee Cunningham and Jon M. Jachimowicz
  • Format:Electronic
ShareBar

Abstract

Research shows that employees who are passionate about their work are more productive, innovative, and collaborative. New research suggests that these employees also see passion for work as a moral imperative, and they’re more likely to judge colleagues who are motivated by other reasons, such as financial stability, social status, or familial obligations. The research also found that these employees were more likely to offer help to their more passionate colleagues. Leaders must recognize the diverse motivations that drive their workforce and create an inclusive environment that supports and values all forms of motivation, rather than penalizing those who do not fit the passion-centric mold.

Keywords

Employees; Motivation and Incentives

Citation

Kwon, Mijeong, Julia Lee Cunningham, and Jon M. Jachimowicz. "Research: Your Love for Work May Alienate Your Colleagues." Harvard Business Review (website) (June 14, 2023).
  • Read Now

About The Author

Jon M. Jachimowicz

Organizational Behavior
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • April 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Giving Up on a Passion: Elizabeth Rowe at the Boston Symphony Orchestra

    By: Jon M. Jachimowicz, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon and Alexis Lefort
    • September 2024
    • Social Psychological & Personality Science

    A Potential Pitfall of Passion: Passion Is Associated with Performance Overconfidence

    By: Erica R. Bailey, Kai Krautter, Wen Wu, Adam D. Galinsky and Jon M. Jachimowicz
    • July 24, 2024
    • Harvard Business Review Digital Articles

    Research: How Passion Can Backfire at Work

    By: Erica R. Bailey, Kai Krautter, Wen Wu, Adam D. Galinsky and Jon M. Jachimowicz
More from the Authors
  • Giving Up on a Passion: Elizabeth Rowe at the Boston Symphony Orchestra By: Jon M. Jachimowicz, Maisie Wiltshire-Gordon and Alexis Lefort
  • A Potential Pitfall of Passion: Passion Is Associated with Performance Overconfidence By: Erica R. Bailey, Kai Krautter, Wen Wu, Adam D. Galinsky and Jon M. Jachimowicz
  • Research: How Passion Can Backfire at Work By: Erica R. Bailey, Kai Krautter, Wen Wu, Adam D. Galinsky and Jon M. Jachimowicz
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College.