Research on Impression Management: Current Progress and Future Possibilities

In recent years, impression management (IM) has garnered substantial scholarly attention, significantly enhancing our comprehension of various factors within organisational contexts. This is a systematic literature review (SLR) research on IM from 2016 to 2024, building on both foundational and recent research. IM involves intentionally influencing how others see us, which significantly affects both individual behaviour and the way organisations function. This review highlights the widespread role and implications of IM in workplaces. It looks at how IM techniques, organisational rules and gender stereotypes interact. Our review presents two major findings. First, we found a strong positive link between successful IM strategies and better organisational performance, showing the real benefits of skilled IM. Second, we noticed a complex connection between IM methods and employee satisfaction, pointing out the need to align IM practices with employee happiness. This SLR not only deepens our theoretical knowledge but also has practical applications for managers. It emphasises the importance of ethically managing IM to ensure authenticity and openness. Also, by pointing out missing pieces in the existing research, this review suggests new areas for future studies to investigate the changing trends and finer details of IM in modern organisational settings.