Why and when job insecurity breeds abusive supervision

Abstract

Although job insecurity has become a ubiquitous threat for working adults across organizational levels, we know little about its effects on leadership behaviors. In this study, we aim to examine why and when supervisors’ perceived job insecurity results in their abusive supervision. Adopting the stress perspectives on job insecurity and aggression, we posit that job insecurity evokes workplace anxiety, which in turn leads to abusive supervision. Further, drawing on the victim precipitation theory, we argue that the positive relationship between workplace anxiety and abusive supervision is stronger when subordinate performance is low. A three-wave study of 172 supervisor-subordinate dyads supports our model. We discuss the implications for scholars of job insecurity and abusive supervision, and for practitioners to prevent the occurrence and detriments of job insecurity.