Another Sleepless Night: Does Leader’s Poor Sleep Lead to Subordinate’s Poor Sleep?

Abstract

Given the prominence of sleep to an individual’s health and well-being, relatively little research has been conducted in the management and organizational behavior literature on the relationship between sleep and work behavior. Using spillover/crossover theory, we conducted an experience sampling study involving 101 supervisors and subordinates over 5 consecutive working days (N = 505 occasions). In doing so, we extended the literature by investigating the supervisor-subordinate sleep relationship and argued that supervisor sleep is a predictor of abusive supervision which, in turn, affects subordinate sleep. Results demonstrated a spillover effect for supervisor’s poor night’s sleep on his/her next-day abusive behavior due to morning depletion. We also found that the spillover effect of supervisor’s poor sleep on his/her next-day abusive supervisory behavior via morning depletion has a crossover negative effect on his/her subordinate’s sleep. Finally, results indicated that physical exercise moderates the influence of abusive supervision on subordinate sleep. Future research should continue to examine the supervisor-subordinate sleep relationship and identify interventions in both the work and non-work domains of supervisor and subordinates as avenues for improving sleep health.