Perfectionism at Work

Abstract

Perfectionism, characterized by striving for excessively high standards and having overly critical self-evaluations, has attracted increasing interest in the work context in recent years. This review synthesizes the growing body of research on perfectionism in the workplace, exploring its impact on individual, leadership, team, and organizational dynamics. We review four conceptualizations of perfectionism—trait, state, behavioral, and domain-specific perspectives—and summarize findings from existing studies under each framework. Additionally, we examine how perfectionism influences managers’ leadership behaviors and followers’ outcomes. Furthermore, we discuss potential future research through a multilevel lens, considering within- and between-individual levels, leader–follower dyadic dynamics, team and organizational levels, and societal and cross-cultural differences. Our review highlights the complexities of perfectionism at work and identifies opportunities for advancing this area of research.