A relational identity approach to study the antecedents of family supportive supervision

This research focuses on the antecedents of family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) - the support from supervisors that can help employees manage their competing demands across work and nonwork domains. Drawing on theories of relational identity and self-construal, I conceptualize subordinates' likeability (interpersonal abilities) and competence (task abilities) as antecedents of family supportive supervisor behaviors, and examine whether supervisors' relational identification with subordinates mediates this relationship. In addition, I also examine the extent to which this mediation depends on the level of relational self-construal of supervisors. Data from 205 subordinates and 84 supervisors from a Chilean private bank and results support the hypothesized mediated moderation model. While supervisors' relational identification with subordinates fully mediates the relationship between competence and family supportive supervisor behaviors, supervisors' relational identification with subordinates partially mediates the relationship between subordinates' likeability and family supportive supervisor behaviors. Further, supervisors' relational identification with subordinates mediates the relationship between likeability and family supportive supervisor behaviors when supervisors' relational self-construal is high to medium but not when it is low. Overall, this research offers a novel lens for better understanding subordinates as more than mere recipients of supervisory behaviors.

Employee innovative behavior and workplace wellbeing: Leader support for innovation and coworker ostracism as mediators

INTRODUCTION

Most previous studies focused on the antecedents of employee innovative behavior but rarely examined the outcomes of employee innovative behavior. Moreover, previous studies ignored the relationship between employee innovative behavior and workplace wellbeing. Based on social comparison theory and social exchange theory, this study introduces coworker ostracism and leader support for innovation as mediating variables to explore the "double-edged sword" effect of employee innovative behavior on workplace wellbeing.

METHODS

Based on a sample of 319 employees from Chinese companies, this study used SPSS 26.0 and MPLUS 8.3 to examine the hypotheses.

RESULTS

Empirical results demonstrate that (a) employee innovative behavior is directly and positively related to workplace wellbeing, (b) employee innovative behavior is indirectly and positively related to workplace wellbeing through leader support for innovation, and (c) the negative association between employee innovative behavior and workplace wellbeing via coworker ostracism is unsupported.

DISCUSSION

The findings of this study enrich the literature by exploring the double-edged sword effect of employee innovative behavior on workplace wellbeing. The practical implications of this study are that leaders in organizations should give employees innovation support.

Work-Life Balance, Job Satisfaction, and Job Performance of SMEs Employees: The Moderating Role of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors

Even though studies on work-life balance and family-supportive supervisor behaviors are prevalent, there are few studies in the SME setting, and the implications are yet unexplained. Thus, the study examines the effect of work-life balance on the performance of employees in SMEs, along with the mediating role of job satisfaction and the moderating role of family-supportive supervisor behaviors. We have developed a conceptually mediated-moderated model for the nexus of work-life balance and job performance. We collected data from SMEs and employed SEM-PLS to test the research hypothesis and model. Empirical results demonstrate that work-life balance positively influences job satisfaction and performance. Our empirical findings also revealed that job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between work-life balance and job performance. We also found that when FSSB interacts with work-life balance and job satisfaction, it moderates the relationship between work-life balance and job performance and job satisfaction and job performance. Hence, our findings provide exciting and valuable insights for research and practice.

Linking Supervisor Role Identity Saliences to Supervisor Work-Family Support

Drawing upon role identity theory and the dual judgment model of perspective-taking, we investigated a model describing the relationship between supervisor family identity salience (SFIS) and supervisor work-family support, with supervisor work identity salience (SWIS) as a moderator and supervisor work-family perspective taking as a mediator. We tested the model using two data sets. Results from supervisor-reported data indicated that SFIS was related to supervisor work-family perspective-taking, which was, in turn, related to supervisor work-family support. Results from leader-follower dyadic data found that SFIS was related to work-family support. In both samples, the effects of SFIS were stronger when SWIS was high. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

The influence of altruistic leadership behavior and learning culture on work–family relationship in Chinese SMEs

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between supervisor’s altruistic leadership behavior (ALB) and family-to-work development (FWD) in the context of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and test the mediation effect of learning organization culture (LOC) between ALB and FWD.

Design/methodology/approach

A non-experimental, quantitative, cross-sectional survey research approach was applied. A structural equation modeling technique was used to test all hypotheses.

Findings

Results indicated that ALB is positively and significantly correlated with FWD. Additionally, the relationship between ALB and FWD is mediated by LOC.

Practical implications

This study suggests that building and maintaining an effective LOC requires leaders to champion, human resource (HR) professionals to strengthen and employees to support learning as a system. Thus, HR professionals should implement altruistic leadership mentoring and coaching programs. In the case of Chinese SMEs, altruistic leaders are especially instrumental in generating followers’ positive outcomes in both work and family domains.

Originality/value

This study looks into the influence of organizational factors on the direction of FWD. In particular, this study seeks to examine organizational factors that relate to spillover from family to work.

Work–family conflict and job performance: mediating role of work engagement in healthcare employees

This study aims to examine the mediating role of work engagement in the effect of work interfering with the family (WIF) and family interfering with the work (FIW) on employees' employee-rated and supervisor-rated contextual and task performance, drawing on Job Demands and Job Resources model. The sample of the study consisted of 432 healthcare employees and 61 supervisors working for public hospitals in Turkey. We found support for a mediational model such that the relationship between FIW and employee-rated job performance (contextual and task) was mediated by work engagement. Although some studies examined how work–family conflict affects job performance, our knowledge on how these relationships can be mediated through work engagement is still limited. This study further investigates the underlying mechanism in the relationship between WFC and job performance.

The Effectiveness of Family-Supportive Supervisors: The Moderating Role of Employees’ Collectivistic Self-Construal

Built upon conservation of resource theory and self-determination theory, this study explores boundary conditions under which family-supportive supervisors (FSSs) influence employee-perceived leader–member exchange (LMX) and work–family enrichment (WFE). Findings from this research reveal that FSSs positively relate to employee perceptions of LMX and WFE. Employees’ collectivistic self-construals moderate the effect of FSSs on LMX but not on WFE. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Managing job performance, social support and work-life conflict to reduce workplace stress

Purpose

Workplace stress costs £3.7bn per annum in the UK and in excess of $300bn per annum in the USA. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existence, strength and direction of relationships between perceptions of social support, work–life conflict, job performance and workplace stress in an Irish higher education institution.

Design/methodology/approach

The selected theoretical framework consisted of a combination of reward imbalance theory, expectancy theory and equity theory. An organizational stress screening survey instrument was used to survey the staff (n= 1,420) of an academic institution. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the independent variables (social support, work–life conflict, job performance), the covariates (staff category, direct reports, age, gender), and the dependent variable (workplace stress).

Findings

The results showed a negative correlation between social support and workplace stress, a positive correlation between work–life conflict and workplace stress, and a negative correlation between job performance and workplace stress (p< 0.05). The results also revealed significant relationships between the covariates direct reports and gender and the dependent variable workplace stress.

Practical implications

The findings from this research can trigger an organizational approach where educational leaders can enable workplace change by developing and implementing social support and work–life strategies, and potential pathways to reduce levels of workplace stress and improve quality of life for employees and enhance performance.

Originality/value

The examination and establishment of particular relationships between social support, work–life conflict and job performance with workplace stress is significant for managers.

Never let an academic crisis go to waste: Leadership Studies in the wake of journal retractions

In 2014, leadership studies saw the retraction of a number of journal articles written by prominent researchers who are closely associated with popular concepts such as transformational leadership, authentic leadership, ethical leadership and spiritual leadership. In response, The Leadership Quarterly published a lengthy editorial that presented these retractions as a sign of health in a mature scientific field. For the editors of The Leadership Quarterly, there is no crisis in leadership studies. In this paper, we suggest that the editorial is a missed opportunity to reflect on positivist leadership studies. In our view, leadership ought to be in crisis because this would stimulate the community to question its guiding assumptions and reconsider its methods and objectives. We therefore hope to open up a critical discussion about the means and ends of mainstream leadership studies – not least of all its scientific pretensions.

The impact of work engagement and workaholism on well-being

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper are twofold. First, the authors examined the effects of two types of working hard (i.e. work engagement, workaholism) on employees’ well-being (i.e. job satisfaction, perceived stress, and sleep problems). Second, the authors tested the extent to which both types of working hard mediate the relationship between three types of work-related social support (i.e. perceived organizational support, perceived supervisor support, and perceived coworker support) and employees’ well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

– An online questionnaire was administered to 343 PhD students.

Findings

– Results revealed that work engagement mediates the relationships between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction and perceived stress. Perceived organizational support has also a direct positive impact on job satisfaction and a direct negative impact on perceived stress and sleep problems. Furthermore, work engagement mediates the influence of perceived supervisor support on job satisfaction and perceived stress. Finally, workaholism was found to mediate the relationships between perceived coworker support, and job satisfaction, perceived stress, and sleep problems.

Practical implications

– The findings suggest that managers should promote practices in order to foster work engagement and prevent workaholism. In line with this, the findings indicated that the most powerful source of support that fosters work engagement is perceived supervisor support. Organizations should, therefore, train their supervisors to be supportive in their role of directing, evaluating and coaching subordinates or encourage supervisors to have regular meetings with their subordinates. Additionally, the results showed that perceived coworker support is the only source of work-related social support that has a negative influence on workaholism. Managers should foster coworker support, for instance by encouraging informal mentoring among employees in order to build a strong social network.

Originality/value

– Because scholars argued that each type of work-related social support might have different consequences and might vary in terms of strength of associations with their outcomes, the study aimed to examine the concomitant effects of three forms of work-related social support on two types of working hard which, in turn, influence employees’ well-being.