Although energy ties have critical implications for individual and team performance, little research has been done on the antecedents of energizing relationships. This paper explores the role of relational energy— the subjective feeling of being energized by social interactions—as a critical interpersonal resource in the workplace. While prior research has focused on the outcomes of relational energy, this study shifts attention to its antecedents, particularly the role of perspective-taking. Drawing on interaction ritual chain theory, we posit that perspective-taking by a network contact (alter) generates relational energy in the focal employee (ego) through nonverbal and verbal behaviors that foster social entrainment. Furthermore, by integrating expectancy disconfirmation theory with the status hierarchies literature, we examine the moderating effect of alter status, suggesting that ego’s relational energy decreases when both alter’s perspective-taking and status are low. Field data obtained from R&D employees working in a pharmaceutical organization supports our findings. This research contributes to the literature on social networks, perspective-taking, and status hierarchies, offering new insights into the dynamics of relational energy in organizational contexts.
