Supervisor-subordinate Relationship Research Articles

An incoming threat: the influence of automation potential on job insecurity

PurposeIn today’s digital age, news and social media are abuzz with ChatGPT and a myriad of advanced AI tools. Experts from disciplines like computer science and socioeconomics have discussed the profound transformations AI can bring. While certain industries have embraced AI, its penetration across all sectors remains uneven. Yet, even with this limited adoption, the psychological ramifications it presents for workplace employees are profound. Our study integrated social information processing and transactional stress theories to analyze the effect of automation brought by AI on job insecurity. Our study also considers whether moderating factors like supervisor–subordinate relationships and social media engagement can alleviate the adverse consequences of automation.Design/methodology/approachWe empirically test our research hypotheses with longitudinal data from the US General Social Survey (GSS).FindingsUsing US General Social Survey data, our findings indicate that employees in industries with high automation potential are more susceptible to job insecurity. Interestingly, social media engagement appears to dampen this relationship, while the quality of the supervisor–subordinate relationship shows negligible impact.Originality/valueThis study provides valuable insights into the effects of automation potential and the role of social media engagement in coping with it, making a meaningful contribution to the existing literature in this area.

Surviving in Temporary Aircrew Workplaces: Coping With Intermittent Abusive Supervision in Dynamic Supervisor–Subordinate Relationships

This study explores how victims of intermittent abusive supervision cope in the context of temporary professional teams where supervisor–subordinate relationships are transient and constantly shifting. Employing critical incident interviews with 23 non-management aircrew and using thematic data analysis, this study revealed that transient leader–member exchanges make supervisory abusive behaviors less enduring and more predictable. This provides opportunities to mitigate/eliminate workplace stressors through prevention strategies, including ingratiation, localization, withdrawing shifts, and seeking instrumental support. The study identifies victim coping tactics with different foci in three phases: pre-occurrence, proceeding, and post-occurrence. Our research extends Lazarus and Folkman’s theory of stress, appraisal, and coping, developing a theoretical framework for victims’ appraisal and coping mechanisms of abusive supervision in temporary working contexts. It offers evidence-based recommendations for HR practitioners to formulate policies addressing the detrimental effects of abusive supervision. This is particularly significant in industries like aviation or other ad-hoc sectors employing flexible membership.

Does Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Ambivalence Influence Employees' Constructive Deviance?

The ambivalent experience of superior-subordinate relationships is widespread in organisations and has gradually become an important factor influencing employees to actively engage in extra-role behaviours. However, employees' constructive deviance is extremely important for organisational development as they are important extra-role behaviours for organisational innovation and change. Owing that academic research on the antecedents of employees' constructive extra-role behaviours has lacked attention to individual emotional variables such as the leader-member exchange ambivalence, by drawing on self-control resource theory and social cognitive theory, this study examined the effects of leader-member exchange ambivalence on employees' constructive deviance, as well as the role of ego depletion and role-breadth self-efficacy. Based on a two-point questionnaire survey of 332 employees from different industries in China, the study tested hypotheses with SPSS 27 and AMOS 27 and found that the more leader-member exchange ambivalence, the less likely they were to engage in employees' constructive deviance, leader-member exchange ambivalence affected employees' constructive deviance through ego depletion, and when role-breadth self-efficacy is high, the lower the ego depletion of employees with leader-member exchange ambivalence, the more likely they are to engage in employees' constructive deviance. This study is intended to guide organisations to pay attention to the problem of individual internal conflict arising from superior-subordinate relationships, to remove the barriers to constructive transgression by individuals, and to truly exploit the innovative capacity of individual organisations. The study suggests that managers should pay attention to the negative effects of employees' perceived ambivalent experiences of supervisor-subordinate relationships, maintain consistency, and build positive social exchange relationships with their employees. Organisations should strengthen the training of leaders and employees to eliminate the serious internal attrition that organisations face from social network relationships. And employees should face the limitations of resources and reduce dependence on the leader-member exchange relationship as the dependence for their work attitudes and behaviours.

The Effect of Leader Perfectionism on Employee Deviance: An Interpersonal Relationship Perspective.

Despite growing evidence of significant role of leader perfectionism in the workplace, few theoretical accounts have delved into intricate dynamics of interpersonal relationships impacted by leader perfectionism, nor have they explored the extent to which these interactions might stimulate employee unethical behavior. From an interpersonal relationship perspective, based on interpersonal complementarity theory, this study proposes a link between leader perfectionism and employee deviant behavior while assessing the mediating impact of supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict, and the moderating influence of employee narcissism. This study employed three-wave surveys, with 335 employees (female 55.8%, 26-35 years old 67.4%, bachelor's degree 61.5%, worked 3-10 years 67.4%, worked with their current leader 1-5 years 66.3%) across 11 enterprises in Chinato reduce the risk of common method bias. On this basis, MPLUS 7.4 was used to test the confirmatory factor analysis of data, and SPSS 24.0 was used to test the hypotheses. (1) Leader perfectionism has a positive effect on supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. (2) Leader perfectionism has a significantly positive effect on employee deviant behavior via supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. (3) Employee narcissism positively moderates the relationship between leader perfectionism and supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict, and further positively moderates the indirect effect of leader perfectionism on employee deviant behavior via supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. This study reveals the mechanism of how employee through deviant behavior as a opposition to leader perfectionism from an interpersonal relationship perspective, which provides theoretical and practical implications for reducing the negative impact of leader perfectionism and employee deviant behavior.

EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF WORKPLACE RELATIONSHIPS AND EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION

Aim of the study: This study will investigate and understand the influence of workplace relationships and employee job satisfaction. It explore various dimensions of relationships in the workplace like co-worker relationship, supervisor-subordinate relationships, and overall social dynamics within the workplace and how they influence employees' level of satisfaction. By examining workplace relationships and work satisfaction, it provide insights and recommendations for organizations to foster positive and supportive work environments that enhance employee satisfaction and overall well-being.
 Design/ Methodology: Multiple Linear regression analysis used for hypothesis testing.
 Findings: The finding highlights the significant impact of workplace relationships and work satisfaction. It emphasizes the need for organizations to prioritize fostering positive relationships, promoting teamwork, and creating a supportive work environment to enhance job satisfaction and overall employee well-being.
 Practical Implications: Organizations can benefit from implementing strategies that promote a culture of trust, open communication and teamwork. Investing in team-building activities, providing opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and offering training programs on interpersonal skills can contribute to creating a conducive environment for building high-quality workplace relationship.
 Originality/ Value: According to the review of literature most of the studies are concentrated on work-place flexibility. But no study has been conducted work-place flexibility and job satisfaction.

Unraveling Abusive Supervision Climate in Aircrew Workplaces: The Roles of Temporary Organizational Features, Trust, and Gender Dynamics.

This study aims to advance the theoretical understanding of the contextual antecedents underlying abusive supervision. It provides a fresh perspective on how subordinates' perceptions of an abusive supervision climate are shaped in temporary work environments. By developing a robust model, this research examines the relationships between temporary organizational characteristics (i.e., temporariness and membership flexibility), trust in ad-hoc supervisors, and perceived abusive supervision climates. We tested the hypothesized model using data from 340 aircrew engaged in temporary and constantly shifting supervisor-subordinate relationships. The results revealed that: (a) temporariness has a direct negative relationship with trust in ad-hoc supervisors, whereas membership flexibility positively affects this trust; (b) the link between temporariness/membership flexibility and a perceived abusive supervision climate is mediated by trust in ad-hoc supervisors. Furthermore, this study highlights gender interactions in a transactional context, indicating that: (c) females perceive a stronger negative association between trust and abusive supervision climates compared to males; and (d) the relationship between temporariness/membership flexibility and trust in ad-hoc supervisors is significant for women and men, respectively. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of considering the unique organizational characteristics of temporary work settings when examining abusive supervision. It also emphasizes the role of gender in shaping subordinates' perceptions of a workplace victimization climate, particularly in situations where leader-member exchanges are ephemeral and contractual.

Supervisor Downward Jealousy and Its Social Function in Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships

Supervisor Downward Jealousy and Its Social Function in Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships

Relacje interpersonalne jako kluczowe czynniki kulturowe organizacji na przykładzie małych firm w Polsce – raport z badań

The aim of the article was to show that interpersonal relations in an organization are the main factor in shaping organizational culture. At the same time, organizational culture is a key factor motivating human resources to work and self-improvement in terms of competences. The research was carried out in Polish small companies from the fruit and vegetable industry selected on purpose. The research tool was a survey questionnaire by Cameron and Quinn, partially modified. Has been determined the profile of the existing and desired organizational culture. Organizations are consistent, Latin motivators are used. They have the character of a balanced culture and individualists. Evidence of employment and stabilization of wages, is the most important motivating factor in the surveyed organizations. The research confirmed that the hierarchical style of people management should gradually change towards the clan's culture, which is equated with co-mentoring in the supervisor-subordinate relationship. Keywords: organizational culture, human resource management, interpersonal relations, SMEs

Mixed blessing of supervisor-subordinate relationship: The instrumental-based mechanism from an inequity perspective of over-reward

Mixed blessing of supervisor-subordinate relationship: The instrumental-based mechanism from an inequity perspective of over-reward

The Impact of Basic Needs Satisfaction on Work Engagement and Turnover Intentions

Purpose: The purpose of the research was to determine how basic needs satisfaction (BNS) impacted work engagement (WE) and turnover intentions (TI) of employees at the mine.
 Methodology: The author used positivist research philosophy and survey research design and collected data from 100 employees through a well-structured questionnaire comprising scales for BNS, WE, and TI. The questionnaires were delivered to 100 employees based on stratified random sampling after receiving listing of 300 eligible research participants. Data was analysed using SPSS. Cronbach’s alpha for the scales was 0.793, 0.872, and 0.702 respectively for BNS, WE, and TI. Qualitative research was conducted to get views regarding turnover intentions and what should be done to retain employees.
 Results: The three variables in the study were strongly correlated and significant at p < .01. The correlation between BNS and WE was .544, between WE and TI it was -.519, and between BNS and TI, it was -.459. With WE controlled, impact of BNS on TI was insignificant at p < .01. Regression coefficient for BNS decreased from -.710 to -.388, indicating reduction in influence of BNS on TI when WE was controlled. According to Baron and Kenny (1986), reduction in regression coefficient for BNS and the insignificant regression result confirmed that WE was a mediator between BNS and TI. However, partial, and not full mediation was achieved since the direct path of BNS to TI was non-zero. Using BNS and WE as independent variables and TI as dependent variable, Pearson correlation coefficient (R) was .560, giving coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.314, indicating that BNS and WE contributed 31.4% towards variance in TI.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study has provided empirical evidence that TI can be studied through BNS and WE and that WE works as a generative mechanism (mediating variable) through which BNS operates to impact TI. Management at the mine must promote BNS and WE through improvement in compensation, supervisor-subordinate relationship, training and development opportunities, and recognition of competent employees to reduce TI.

Balancing Loyalties: A Behavioral Study on how the Quality of Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships Affects Whistleblowing Intentions

Balancing Loyalties: A Behavioral Study on how the Quality of Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships Affects Whistleblowing Intentions

Compulsory Citizenship Behavior and Deviant Behavior: A Mediated Moderation Model

This study examined how and when compulsory citizenship behaviors (CCB) lead to employees’ workplace deviant behavior (WDB) through psychological entitlement. In addition, this study integrates moral licensing and equity demand perspectives to further understand the psychological entitlement raising process. More specifically, this study verifies the moderating role of leader-member exchange (LMX) on the relationship between CCB and WDB and see if the strong supervisor-subordinate relationship facilitates CCB-workers to increase their entitlement and enhance their willingness to engage in WDB. Based on a sample of 299 elementary school teachers, the results provided supports for the hypotheses. This study found that CCB was directly positive related to WDB. Psychological entitlement was been verified the mediator role of the relationship between CCB and WDB. Moreover, the results also indicated that LMX moderated the mediating effect of psychological entitlement on the relationship between CCB and WDB such that the effect is stronger when LMX is high than when it is low. The effect of CCB on WDB found in this research supports the anticipation that CCB may bring about WDB. Furthermore, by confirming the mediating role of psychological entitlement in the linkage between CCB and WDB, such a finding substantially widens the scope of subordinate behavioral outcomes caused by CCB to include an important but neglected aspect of psychological mechanism, and thus is helpful for us to gain a more complete picture of the negative consequences of CCB. By applying moral licensing theory and focusing on a negative psychological configuration, this research also highlights the self-value inflation and vindictive mentality for explaining the transition process of CCB to WDB. By empirically testing LMX as one moderated mediating mechanism that underlies the influence of CCB on WDB, this research establishes an important theoretical perspective for explaining why high LMX employees are more likely to exhibit WDB, thereby contributing to understanding the “black box” of the transforming processes from CCB to WDB.

Leading change and innovation in Ghana’s banking sector: the mediating role of work autonomy

PurposeIn recent times, employers are routinely advertising for position candidates with the capability to work with little or no supervision at all. This is probably because, as businesses strive to globalize operations, supervision has become both complex and expensive. While the general interest in employees with considerable levels of work autonomy may be a strategic one, particularly for banks, it is important to determine the impact of work autonomy on other critical success factors such as employee commitment to change management, innovativeness and quality supervisor-subordinate relationship. This study aims to examine the relationship between these variables by exploring the mediation effect of work autonomy on the relationship between employee innovativeness, quality of supervisor-subordination collaboration and employee commitment to change management in the banking sector of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study used quantitative empirical strategies involving the distribution of questionnaires to a randomly selected sample of 400 employees of selected banks in Ghana. Data, so collected, were analysed using the PLS-SEM Software.FindingsResults of the study revealed significant relationships between the quality of supervisor-subordinate collaboration, innovativeness and commitment to change. The findings further established work autonomy as an explanatory variable between the three employee behaviours – innovativeness, quality of supervisor-subordinate connection and commitment to change.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study lies in the interplay of quality employee relations, innovative employee behaviour and commitment to change processes as refereed by work autonomy to promote effective change management activities in Ghanaian banks. The outcome of the study led to the development of a theoretical model for organizational change management.

Understanding the Link Between Work-Related and Non-Work-Related Supervisor-Subordinate Relationships and Affective Commitment: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Psychological Safety.

PurposeBased on social information processing (SIP) model and conservation of resources (COR) theory, this paper is to examine the mediating and moderating roles of psychological safety (PS) in the relationship between work-related leader-member exchange (LMX)/non-work-related supervisor-subordinate guanxi (SSG) and employee affective commitment (AC).Participants and MethodsCross-sectional data came from 213 enterprise employees in China. The participants completed the LMX scale, SSG scale, PS scale, and AC scale. SPSS PROCESS macro and RWA-Web were used to test the research hypothesis.ResultsBoth LMX and SSG were positively related to employee AC. LMX was more strongly associated with AC than SSG. PS partially mediated the influence of LMX/SSG on AC. PS negatively moderated the influence of LMX on AC, whereas it did not moderate the influence of SSG on AC.ConclusionDifferent types of supervisor-subordinate relationships (SSR) were both beneficial to employee AC, and work-related LMX was more closely related to employee AC. Different types of SSR could both affect employee AC through PS. In addition, high PS also reduced the relationship between LMX and employee AC. Therefore, in the context of Chinese culture, enhancing employees’ AC within an enterprise can not only pay attention to the work-related LMX and non-work-related SSG but also the appropriate cultivation of employees’ PS.

The Link Between Supervisor-Subordinate Computer-Mediated Immediate Behaviors and Organizational Identification in U.S., English, and Australian Organizations

More than 5.89 million people have died from COVID-19. Due to COVID-19, there is a need for organizations to reconsider their structures and systems in response to increased remote working and decreased face-to-face (FTF) interactions. This study analyzes organizational relationships, specifically the supervisor-subordinate relationship. This study examines the link between supervisor-subordinate immediacy and organizational identification in mediated communication. Participants from three nations ( n = 1776) were explored to test the assumption that supervisor-subordinate immediacy explains organizational identification. The United States, Australia, and England were chosen as focal nations due to the differing government responses to the COVID-19 outbreak. Results revealed supervisors’ perceived computer-mediated immediate behaviors and subordinates’ perceived immediacy with their supervisors were positive predictors of organizational identity. U.S. supervisors were perceived to use higher levels of computer-mediated immediacy behaviors and have more perceived immediacy than Australian and English supervisors. Australian supervisors had higher levels of perceived immediacy than English supervisors.

Leader-member exchange in the age of remote work

ABSTRACT COVID-19 has transformed the way we do business in numerous ways. Given that work takes up a big part of our daily lives, it is not surprising that the biggest impact of the virus-related pandemic has been seen in the workplace. One critical outcome has been the way work is performed and the location from which work is done. As organizations switch from traditional models of work to remote work, workplace relationships are also undergoing transformation. Drawing on the tenets of the leader-member exchange theory, we explore the antecedents and consequences of the transformation of supervisor-subordinate relationships, due to remote work. In addition, we discuss the need for dedicated human resource development programmes designed to help employees cope with and excel in the new work environment. We discuss practical implications and also offer suggestions for future research.

The Role of Communication Satisfaction in the Relationship between Leader-Member Exchange and Teachers’ Affective Commitment

In this research, the effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) on teachers’ affective commitment is examined using communication satisfaction as an intervening variable. Using a quantitative research method, data was collected with a cross-sectional survey. A regression analysis indicates that LMX has a significant effect on affective commitment of teachers in the five vocational colleges examined in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Further analysis showed that communication satisfaction (relational and informational communication satisfaction) partially mediated the influence of LMX (represented in this study as programme managers) on teachers’ affective commitment. The findings are consistent with previous studies about the influence of workplace relationships on teachers’ behaviors, especially supervisor-subordinate relationships. The implications of these findings are explained.

What characteristics should the supervisor-subordinate relationship have? The supervisor-subordinate relational schema

What characteristics should the supervisor-subordinate relationship have? The supervisor-subordinate relational schema

Effects of Leader Narcissism on Career Success of Employees: An Interpersonal Relationship Perspective.

Previous studies have shown that leader narcissism has a significant impact on the effectiveness of a leader and employee behaviors; however, research on career outcomes of employees is still inadequate. This study explores the effects of leader narcissism on the career success of employees from an interpersonal relationship perspective and examines the mediating role of supervisor-subordinate conflict and the moderating role of dominant personality traits of employees. Data from 291 employees in Chinese companies have revealed that leader narcissism, directly and indirectly, affects the career success of employees through supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. However, dominant personality traits of employees strengthen the impact of leader narcissism on supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings of this study are further discussed.

Supervisors' knowledge hiding and knowledge-based trust: from the lens of social impact theory

PurposePast studies have largely focused on leaders' influence on employees' attitudes and behaviors, largely ignoring the followership and its consequences. This study investigates the social impact that followers induce on leaders through their intentions and actions. Following social impact theory (SIT), this study contributes to the growing research on supervisory knowledge hiding (KH) and related positive consequences beyond the traditional leader-centered approach. This paper investigates the serial mediation link between supervisory KH and supervisory knowledge-based trust (KBT) via perceived prosocial impact and supervisor directed citizenship behavior.Design/methodology/approachTime-lagged dyadic data of 348 employees working in a bank under 54 supervisors were collected from Saudi Arabia.FindingsThe findings suggest that supervisory KH entails a potential prosocial impact on employees to engage in supervisor-directed citizenship behavior that builds the KBT in supervisors about subordinates. The empirical support provides an understanding of the social impact of subordinates' influence on supervisors above and beyond traditional leadership literature by depicting the active role of followers in influencing leaders' behavior in building trust in knowledge management. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are also discussed.Originality/valueBy studying the followership effect on leadership, this study extends the social impact process beyond a social phenomenon to the workplace in a supervisor–subordinate relationship. Moreover, examining the positive framing of a leader's KH to transform such behaviors through active followership role provides a new insight into positive consequences of supervisory behavior through social impact.