Organizational support, legitimacy, and workplace outcomes: A mediation model

Abstract

Perceived organizational support (POS) is considered a central factor in employees' work-related attitudes and behaviors. Drawing on the relational model of authority, we propose that perceived authority legitimacy, which reflects subordinates' identification with and acceptance of authority directives and power, may mediate the effect of POS on employees' work-related outcomes, including job satisfaction, affective commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, and work deviance behavior. We analyzed the data from a cross-organizational sample of n = 343 employees using structural equation modeling with latent constructs. Results indicated perceived authority legitimacy partially mediated the relations of POS with work-related outcomes. When organizations recognize their employees' contributions, acknowledge their importance, and demonstrate an interest in their needs, employees tend to better accept the authority directives. Perceived authority legitimacy is then echoed in employees' functioning. While the benefits of POS have mostly been discussed as reflecting exchange processes, our findings point to identity-based processes emphasizing the important role of perceived authority legitimacy. The paper concludes by discussing implications for human resource management theory and practice.