Leaders’ response to employee overqualification: An explanation of the curvilinear moderated relationship

This research aimed to advance overqualification literature by examining how leaders’ perceived employee (LPEO) influences their empowering behaviour and work behaviours. Drawing upon the individualized leadership theory, we proposed that LPEO has an inverted U‐shape relationship with such leaders are more motivated empower employees from low moderate levels of overqualification, but this tendency decreases after a certain inflection point. We also predicted point occurs at lower level when perceive higher (vs. lower) status threats. Leader was hypothesized positively predict employees’ voice negatively withdrawal behaviour. Two multi‐source time‐lagged studies were conducted examine moderated mediation curvilinear model. In Study 1, survey data 372 leader–employee dyads supported model behaviour, then outcomes (i.e., behaviour). 2, collected sample 73 team 286 employees, results full Taken together, these findings offer perspective enrich understanding have important practical implications. Practitioner points When regard as overqualified, they can assist them via means appropriate empowerment best utilize skills benefit company. inspire reduce To minimize potentially negative aspects highly overqualified organizations should concern about threat, encourage proactive responses so achieve positive returns employees.