PurposeThis study examines how team-level mediating mechanisms (i.e. team psychological safety and team helping behaviour) facilitate the relationship between employees' ingratiation and performance ratings.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 180 customer service teams working in Pakistan's hospitality industry through multiple sources using a paper and pencil questionnaire.FindingsThe multi-level structural equation modelling results showed that team psychological safety and helping behaviour fully mediated the relationship between ingratiation and performance ratings.Practical implicationsThe study has offered some implications for theory and practices.Originality/valueThis study showed that ingratiation might be a helpful impression management tool within a team context. Such an influence technique nurtures a psychologically safe climate and encourages peers to help each other perform mutual tasks within the hospitality context.