The unwelcoming experience of abusive supervision and the impact of leader characteristics: turning employees into poor organizational citizens and future quitters

When team members retaliate: The effect of LMX differentiation on team CWB

Leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation, or a leader's differentiated treatments among team members, is a prevalent phenomenon in any type of organization due to constraints of personal, social, and organizational resources. Despite numerous empirical examinations of such phenomenon, the impact of LMX differentiation on group outcomes is inconsistent and inconclusive. Based on team diversity framework, we approach LMX differentiation as disparity and draw on social comparison theory and social exchange theory to examine the positive effect of LMX differentiation on team counterproductive work behavior (CWB) through a supervisory justice climate. In addition, we investigate leader competence as an essential boundary condition that influences the impact of LMX differentiation on supervisory justice climate and subsequent team CWB. Using a sample of 94 teams in South Korea, we found that LMX differentiation negatively impacts supervisory justice climate, subsequently promoting team CWB. Furthermore, when team members perceive their leader as incompetent, the positive impact of LMX differentiation on team CWB is strengthened. Theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Leading with DEI on my Mind: Examining the Interactive Effects of Supervisor Perceptions of Psychological Diversity Climate and Supervisor Characteristics on Leadership Style

Management researchers have recently shifted their focus to examine the effects of psychological diversity climate (PDC). Whereas the majority of this research has focused on front-line employees, we shift our attention to personnel in leadership positions to extend this literature. On the basis that PDC encourages the demonstration of fairness and discourages the demonstration of mistreatment, we rely on social information processing theory to explain why supervisor perceptions of PDC impact supervisory leadership style. Across three studies (one experiment and two multi-source field studies), we find that supervisor perceptions of PDC are positively related to employees’ evaluations of ethical leadership and negatively related to employees’ evaluations of abusive supervision. We also find that the impact of supervisor perceptions of PDC on ethical leadership and abusive supervisor is accentuated when supervisor negative affectivity is relatively high compared to relatively low. However, the impact of supervisor perceptions of PDC on ethical leadership and abusive supervision is attenuated when supervisor conscientiousness is relatively high compared to relatively low. In summary, our studies clarify why and when supervisor perceptions of PDC interact with supervisor characteristics to impact supervisory leadership style. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Abusive supervision and employee well-being of nursing staff: Mediating role of occupational stress

AIM

The study examined whether occupational stress mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and well-being of nursing staff.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was administered.

METHODS

Data were collected at three-time points between July 2020 and January 2021. A total of 313 valid responses were obtained from nurses working in a general hospital in Taiwan. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis and the bootstrap method.

RESULTS

Abusive supervision was positively associated with occupational stress (β = 0.288, SE = 0.069, 95% CI [0.152, 0.423]) and negatively associated with employee well-being, including psychological (β = -0.350, SE = 0.084, 95% CI [-0.515, -0.186]), physical (β = -0.301, SE = 0.080, 95% CI [-0.459, -0.143]) and social well-being (β = -0.422, SE = 0.121, 95% CI [-0.661, -0.183]). Occupational stress was negatively related to employee well-being. A mediation analysis with bootstrapping revealed that occupational stress mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and employee well-being, which included psychological (95% bootstrap CI [-0.183, -0.046]), physical (95% bootstrap CI [-0.212, -0.062]) and social well-being (95% bootstrap CI [-0.178, -0.040]).

CONCLUSION

Abusive supervision influences employee well-being. Occupational stress mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and employee well-being. To improve employee well-being, hospital administrators should develop policies for effectively managing nursing supervisors' abusive behaviour and subordinates' stress management.

IMPACT

Abusive supervision increased the occupational stress of employees and influenced their well-being. Thus, educational courses should be implemented to train supervisors to practice positive leadership and treat employees fairly. Promoting stress management among nursing staff may lead to the prompt reporting of abusive events and improved employee well-being.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study investigated the relationship between the abusive supervision and employee well-being of nursing employees. No patient or public contribution is involved in this study.

Abusive leadership: A moderated-mediation through leader-member exchange and by organizational politics

Abusive leadership has been shown to have adverse consequences for both the employees and the organization. In the current paper, the impacts of such a leadership style on workers’ turnover intentions (TIs), counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) are investigated through a dyadic lens—the mediation of leader-member exchange (LMX). Furthermore, when the workplace atmosphere is also tainted by high level of perceived organizational politics (POP) (as a moderator), these relationships deepen and and/or change (for the worse). To test the moderated-mediation research model, an online sample of 619 participants was obtained. The results support an interesting moderated-mediation of LMX by POP. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations and future research suggestions are discussed.

Longitudinal relations between abusive supervision, subordinates' emotional exhaustion, and job neglect among Pakistani Nurses: The moderating role of self-compassion

The main purpose of this study was to investigate reciprocal relationships between abusive supervision, subordinates' emotional exhaustion, and job neglect, and to examine the mediating role of emotional exhaustion in the cross-lagged relationship between abusive supervision and job neglect. Besides, we tested the moderating role of self-compassion in the cross-lagged relationship between abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion. We applied a two-wave cross-lagged panel design with a time lag of six months. Participants were 331 staff nurses of public sector hospitals in Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire at two points in time. Longitudinal structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to compare nested models. Results of cross-lagged SEM analyses supported the posited reciprocal model, indicating that abusive supervision, emotional exhaustion, and job neglect are mutually related. Results of mediation analysis showed that emotional exhaustion partially mediates the cross-lagged relationship between abusive supervision and job neglect. Further, we found that self-compassion attenuates the positive cross-lagged effect of abusive supervision on emotional exhaustion, and the indirect effect of abusive supervision on job neglect was weaker at higher levels of self-compassion. Our findings suggest that subordinates may find themselves in abusive relationships, in part, because their own behavioral responses to abuse can reinforce abusive supervision. Moreover, we identified the stress-buffering effect of self-compassion on emotional exhaustion.

Abusive supervision: a systematic literature review

The interest generated by abusive supervision among researchers can be gauged from the fact that more than 140 articles on abusive supervision have been published by leading journals in the last five years alone. However, a comprehensive understanding of the same is lacking. As a result, we systematically reviewed 273 articles on abusive supervision published between 2000 and 2022. This enabled us to present five interrelated aspects of abusive supervision literature. First, we focus on the definitional issues associated with abusive supervision. Second, we examine two widely used abusive supervision scales. Third, we review and critique different research designs utilized in abusive supervision studies. Fourth, we look at the key theories underpinning abusive supervision research and map the nomological network of abusive supervision. Fifth, we suggest novel avenues for theoretical advancement. In sum, we endeavored to portray a detailed picture of research on abusive supervision.

How Do Employees Understand Negative Leadership? The Non-linear Relationship Between Abusive Supervision and Employee Innovation Behavior: Job Performance as a Moderator

This study aims to investigate the non-linear relationship between abusive supervision and employee innovation behavior and further examine how job performance moderates this relationship. Two hundred and seventy-six employees across three industries (restaurant service, tourism, and financial service) in China participated in this study and completed the survey at two time points. The results of curve regression show as follows: (1) There exists a non-linear relationship between abusive supervision and innovation behavior, and (2) job performance moderates the non-linear relationship between abusive supervision and employee innovation behavior. For employees who perform well at work, there exists a U-shaped relationship between abusive supervision and innovative behavior. Whereas, for employees with poor job performance, when abusive supervision reaches a certain level, it will promote employee innovation behavior; and the excess of abusive supervision will inhibit employee innovation behavior, showing an inverted U-shaped curve relationship. The finding suggests it is important for managers to understand the stakes arising from abusive supervision. That is, managers should manipulate the right level of abuse supervision to promote employee innovation behavior.

A Multidimensional Model of Abusive Supervision and Work Incivility

The ubiquity of abusive supervision in the workplace, as well as the serious repercussions that come with it, has prompted scholars to investigate the numerous dynamics of this problem. This research examines the circumstances in which subordinates react to abusive supervisory behavior. The study hypothesizes the negative impacts of abusive supervision associated with the impression of unfairness and politics in the workplace toward a subordinate deviant attitude based on current research and theoretical perspectives. According to the suggested paradigm, abusive supervision leads to subordinates’ work incivility by creating an unfair and politically thrilling atmosphere in the workplace. Furthermore, the study found that political skill and work incivility are linked to each other; workers who are experts in using political tactics are not supposed to turn toward work incivility while responding to the abusive behavior of the top management. The research was based on the social exchange theory and uncertainty management theory.

A social exchange examination of upper-level management and supervisor organizational embodiment: the roles of supervisor psychological contract fulfillment and conscientiousness

In effort to extend supervisor organizational embodiment (SOE) research, we integrate social exchange and psychological contract theories to examine and explain how upper-level management impacts SOE. We propose that when upper-level managers demonstrate ethical leadership, middle-level supervisors are likely to reciprocate positively by acting as organizational agents who embody the key attributes of their organizations. Conversely, when upper-level managers demonstrate abusive management, middle-level supervisors are likely to reciprocate negatively by acting as independent agents who reject the key attributes of their organizations. We also position and find support that supervisor psychological contract fulfillment (PCF) mediates the relationships between (1) upper-level managerial ethical leadership and SOE and (2) upper-level abusive management and SOE. Additionally, high levels of supervisor conscientiousness strengthened these relationships. In summary, results from a multi-source field study support our proposed first-stage moderated-mediation model. Implications, limitations, and future research are noted.

Employee state paranoia: linking abusive supervision with employee voice behavior

Purpose

Utilizing affective event theory (AET), this paper aims to understand the affective reasoning behind choosing to speak up for or against abusive supervision. For this purpose, the authors examine the underlying mechanism of employee state paranoia in the relationship between abusive supervision and promotive and prohibitive voice of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 307 microfinance bank employees were collected using supervisor–subordinate nested design and time-lag approach. The analysis was performed through partial least square (PLS) structural equation modeling using Smart PLS software.

Findings

The results support the direct relationship of abusive supervision with promotive and prohibitive voice. They also support the mediating relation of paranoia arousal between abusive supervision and promotive voice. However, the results do not support the mediating relationship of paranoia arousal between abusive supervision and prohibitive voice.

Originality/value

In light of the literature drawn from AET and empirical data, this study forwards robust recommendations for theory and practice and may assist future researchers interested in the role of employee paranoia arousal.