Green with Envy

When Getting Along Is Critical

Envy @ Work

I’ve lived in NYC long enough to know that over the next several days, shamrocks will sprout everywhere. A city that many sons and daughters of Ireland built, New York takes seriously the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and all things Irish.

Which got me to thinking . . . green. Could there be specific “green” issues that this year’s interns, summer associates and new hires might face? And how should new professionals manage these issues in a way that positions them well for the future?

Three issues immediately came to mind.

The first: The person who is green with envy. When someone receives something that we want, for example, a raise, an office with windows, or an invitation to a conference, we may feel envious of their good fortune. Contrast this with jealousy, which emerges when things don’t proceed the way we want on a relationship-level, for example, a group of interns regularly lunch together, and they never extend an invitation for us to join them.

Like many other emotions, envy can actually motivate performance. In fact, some business models—think sales competitions—encourage these feelings.

Once these emotions get out-of-hand, however, they can be destructive to workers and their employers. Successful work environments require loads of collaboration and communication. Emotions like envy and jealousy are more likely to produce workplaces filled with backstabbing, political intrigue and stress. None of these is good in environments where getting along is critical.

Managing Envy @ Work

To the extent you feel green with envy at work, manage this negative emotion by taking the following steps:

Refuse to become a victim. Instead of complaining about the raise your co-worker just received, explore what you can do to position yourself for a salary increase in the future.

Take an inventory of your accomplishments. Regularly set stretch goals for yourself. As you meet those goals, keep your boss and key decision-makers up-to-date on your accomplishments.

De-stress. When you’re at work, be fully present. Then, set aside time to unplug. A good exercise routine, healthy diet and plenty of sleep may help cure those feelings that turn you green.

What Do You Need to Know?

Take control of your emotions. When you feel envious at work, make a mental list of your accomplishments. If the list is too short to help you feel good about yourself, set some more goals!

Related Things You Need to Know

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When You Need to Get to "Yes"

Because of covid-19, many employers will have a unique opportunity to discern how well their summer hires manage conflict. My contacts indicate that this year’s summer associates and interns have been assigned to group projects. Disagreements are inevitable when any team goes through the process of forming, storming, norming and performing. Additionally, since most summer hires will work from home, they will need to negotiate with family members or roommates over who gets access to the best printer, the extent to which background noise needs to be minimized during Zoom calls, and who and when someone can just walk into their workspace for a quick chat.

Proving You're a Professional During a Shortened Summer Program

Because so many summer associate and internship programs have been significantly curtailed, the students who will participate in these shortened programs must avoid unforced errors. Like never before, summer hires will have very few opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities. How they handle one or two assignments will create critically important impressions.

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