Impostor phenomenon at work: Examining the effect of impostor phenomenon on procrastination and employee performance and its relationship with perfectionism

The term "Impostor Phenomenon" was first used by Clance and Imes to describe an individual's experience of intellectual dishonesty and fear of exposure. Impostor phenomenon is a psychological phenomenon characterized by a high-achieving individual's inability to internalize their success despite substantial evidence, leading them to feel like an imposter in their status. The aim of this study is to examine the direct and indirect effects of the impostor phenomenon in the workplace on employee performance, perfectionism, and procrastination behaviors. In addition, the study investigates whether these variables differ across demographic characteristics. Conducted through a quantitative relational survey design, datum were collected via questionnaires from 403 employees working in public and private sector organizations in Istanbul, and analyzed using AMOS and SPSS software. The findings reveal that the impostor phenomenon negatively affects employee performance while positively influencing perfectionism and procrastination behaviors. In other words, as employees' levels of impostor feelings increase, their tendencies toward perfectionism and procrastination also rise, whereas their performance levels decline. Moreover, perfectionism was found to have a positive effect on employee performance but no significant impact on procrastination. The effect of procrastination on performance was statistically insignificant. These results are largely consistent with national and international literature, which also suggests that the impostor phenomenon undermines work performance, reinforces perfectionistic tendencies, and triggers fear of failure and risk avoidance. Furthermore, this study proposes a Multilevel Theoretical Model of the Impostor Phenomenon to explain the phenomenon in a broader psychosocial context. Grounded in the Conservation of Resources Theory, the model explains resource depletion and burnout at the individual level, while Social Identity and Social Dominance theories address the influence of status, belonging, and identity pressures at the organizational and societal levels. System Justification Theory elucidates how individuals internalize existing power hierarchies and devalue their own achievements, whereas Social Representation Theory emphasizes the role of societal perceptions of success and competence in shaping self-evaluations. Taken together, this framework conceptualizes the impostor phenomenon not merely as an individual issue but also as a multilayered psychosocial construct shaped by organizational, cultural, and social dynamics. The results highlight the importance of strengthening psychological safety in organizations, reducing fear of failure, and implementing resource-restorative interventions to enhance employee performance. Overall, the study offers original contributions to human resource policies and organizational psychology literature by providing insights into mitigating the negative effects of the impostor phenomenon on employee productivity and well-being.