Making a Difference in the Workplace: A Systematic Literature Review of Prosocial Impact

Prosociality at work has attracted academic interest for decades. Particularly, the concept of prosocial impact— the subjective experience of making a positive difference for others through one’s work—calls for more research. Our systematic review of literature from 2018 to 2023 examined: (1) How has prosocial impact been defined in prior research? (2) Which theories underpin the research? (3) In what organizational contexts has prosocial impact been studied, and with what specific samples/populations?, and (4) How has the variable of prosocial impact been used in quantitative studies, mixed methods research, and as a concept in qualitative research? Thirty-six empirical articles met our inclusion criteria. The findings consolidate knowledge on prosocial impact and highlight its relevance in organizational studies, providing insights for both practitioners and researchers. Moreover, the review outlines a research agenda to further explore prosocial impact within human resource development, emphasizing its growing significance in understanding organizational behavior.