Double-edged Sword of Leader Workaholism: Subordinate Cognitive Appraisals and Work Outcomes

Abstract

Grounded on the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study examines how subordinates appraise work stressors, hence shaping their behaviors toward the organization. We especially argue that leader workaholism is a double-edged sword for employees, such that they may appraise leader workaholism as both a challenge and hindrance, and in turn, leader workaholism will be positively associated with organization-directed organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBO) and negatively related with organization-directed counterproductive work behaviors (CWBO), respectively. Further, we contend that prototypical leader traits, namely trait agency and communion, will moderate the positive relationship between leader workaholism and subordinate challenge appraisal, while moderating the positive association between leader workaholism and subordinate hindrance appraisal. Results suggest that leader workaholism has a positive indirect association with subordinate OCBO via subordinate challenge appraisal, while leader workaholism did not have a significant indirect effect on subordinate CWBO. In addition, the indirect relationship between leader workaholism and subordinate OCBO via challenge appraisals was conditional on both leader agency and communion, while the indirect relationship between leader workaholism and subordinate CWBO via hindrance appraisals was moderated by leader communion.