Narcissism, perfectionism, and workplace boredom: an unexpected moderation effect

Abstract

This cross-sectional study investigated the associations between narcissistic traits, perfectionism, and workplace boredom in a sample of 210 Hungarian employees. Drawing on prior research linking grandiose narcissism to both high perfectionistic strivings and boredom, we examined whether workplace boredom moderates the relationship between grandiose narcissism and perfectionistic strivings, expecting that individuals high in grandiose narcissism would report lower perfectionistic strivings in contexts perceived as boring. Participants completed validated self-report measures of narcissism (Pathological Narcissistic Inventory), perfectionism (Short Almost Perfect Scale), and workplace boredom (Achievement Emotions Questionnaire items). Analyses included zero-order correlations, hierarchical linear regression, and PROCESS moderation (Model 1, 5,000 bootstraps). Contrary to our hypothesis, higher workplace boredom was associated with a stronger -rather than weaker- relationship between grandiose narcissism and perfectionistic strivings (β = 0.22, p < .01). Individuals with higher grandiose narcissism scores reported greater perfectionistic strivings under conditions they perceived as boring, compared to those lower in grandiose narcissism. Vulnerable narcissism was associated with perfectionistic concerns and boredom, but not strivings. These findings contribute to the growing evidence on the adaptive features of narcissism, suggesting that boredom may serve as a motivational cue. The results offer practical insights for job design, performance management, and personality-context fit strategies in the workplace.