The Awe-inspiring Organization

Awe is an emotional reaction caused by transcendent and vast stimuli. Awe creates a sense of wonderment that makes one feel small and interconnected with others and the world. Research in psychology, neuroscience, and ecology has found beneficial effects of awe, and research on awe continues to accumulate. Despite the growing interest in understanding awe in the broader scientific community, organizational research has generally overlooked this affective state and its potential impact on employees and organizational life. This shortcoming is surprising given that a wide variety of practitioners are adopting awe-focused initiatives within their organizations. We develop a theoretical model to understand what awe-focused organizational practices are and how they can give rise to employee state and persistent awe. The model helps show the link between awe experienced at work and critical employee work-related behaviors and perspectives, thereby demonstrating why this phenomenon warrants organizational scholars’ interest. Our theorizing also highlights areas that future organizational scholars should explore to enhance our understanding of positive workplace design.