Different Effects of Supervisor Positive and Negative Feedback on Subordinate In-Role and Extra-Role Performance: The Moderating Role of Regulatory Focus.

Weilin Su,Shuai Yuan,Qian Qi

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757687

Abstract

As an important tool for supervisors to intervene subordinates’ work and influence their performance, supervisor feedback has gradually become a new academic research hotspot. In this study, we build and verify a theoretical model to explore the different effects of supervisor positive and negative feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance, and the moderating role of regulatory focus in these relationships. With data from pairing samples of 403 Chinese employees and their direct supervisors, the results indicate that supervisor positive feedback is positively related to subordinate in-role and extra-role performance. Supervisor negative feedback is positively related to subordinate in-role performance and negatively related to subordinate extra-role performance. Regulatory focus of subordinate can moderate the influence of supervisor positive feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance, but it cannot moderate the influence of supervisor negative feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance. That means when subordinates have promotion focus, the influence of supervisor positive feedback on their in-role performance and extra-role performance was stronger than those with prevention focus. These results further enrich the research on the relationship between supervisor feedback and subordinate performance, especially the different effects of positive and negative feedback from supervisor on subordinate with different regulatory focus. All conclusions from the analyses above not only further verify and develop some previous points on supervisor feedback and subordinate performance, but also derive certain management implications for promoting subordinate in-role and extra-role performance from the perspective of supervisor positive and negative feedback.

Highlights

How to improve organizational performance has been the focus of many scholars (e.g., Burke and Litwin, 1992; Richard et al, 2009; Fahrenkopf et al, 2020; Li C. et al, 2020), and the key to the level of organizational performance depends on individual performance (Katz and Kahn, 1978; Janardhanan et al, 2020)
It indicates that the hypothesized five-item model fits the data better than other nested models (χ2/df = 1.633, RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.916, TLI = 0.906, SRMR = 0.045)
Supervisor negative feedback is positively related to subordinate in-role performance (r = 0.352, p < 0.01), and negatively related to subordinate extra-role performance (r = −0.174, p < 0.01)

Summary

Introduction

How to improve organizational performance has been the focus of many scholars (e.g., Burke and Litwin, 1992; Richard et al, 2009; Fahrenkopf et al, 2020; Li C. et al, 2020), and the key to the level of organizational performance depends on individual performance (Katz and Kahn, 1978; Janardhanan et al, 2020). Supervisor Feedback and Subordinate Performance (Williams and Anderson, 1991; Wingerden and Poell, 2017) and extra-role performance (Becker and Kernan, 2003; Eisenberger et al, 2010). In-role performance refers to the quantity and quality of job performance that is defined in the organization and should be achieved within the scope of responsibilities (Katz and Kahn, 1978), which can correspond to individual in-role behavior and task performance to a certain extent. Extra-role performance refers to individual’s spontaneous activities in the organization that exceed his/her job role and the requirements of the organizational reward system (Becker and Kernan, 2003), which can be corresponding to the individual extra-role behavior (Van Dyne et al, 1994) and situational (non-task) performance. Positive feedback emphasizes that supervisors treat their subordinates in an affirmative, inclusive and encouraging way, while negative feedback emphasizes that supervisors treat their subordinates in a critical, frustrating and disapproving way

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