Trust in the employer: the role of high-involvement work practices and procedural justice in European organizations

Despite the central role of trust in the organizational sciences, we know little about what makes people trust the organizations they work for. This paper examines the antecedents of employees' trust in their organizations drawing on survey data from over 600 European professional workers and managers. The results revealed direct as well as indirect relationships of both human resource (HR) practices and procedural justice with trust. The relationships of both HR practices and procedural justice with trust were partially mediated by perceptions of organizational trustworthiness (in terms of perceived ability and trustworthy intentions of the organization). Justice and HR practices were also found to interact such that justice forms a stronger predictor of trust in organizations when HR practices are less developed. In addition, employees' dispositional propensity to trust explained significant variance in employee trust in their organization, even when it was controlled in our analysis. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.     

Work outcomes of relational demography in Chinese vertical dyads

Relational demography refers to the demographic differences (such as gender, age, race, and tenure) between supervisor and subordinate. This study examines its impact on employees' work outcomes in the setting of a foreign-invested enterprise in China. We hypothesize that dissimilarities on demographic attributes between supervisor and subordinate affect subordinate's leader–member exchange, trust in organization, in-role performance, and organizational citizenship behavior. The hypotheses were tested on 239 supervisor–subordinate dyads via a questionnaire survey. The results of regression analysis showed that dissimilarities in gender and organizational tenure had negative effects on the outcome variables. In particular, a female supervisor with male subordinate displayed the lowest level of leader–member exchange and trust in the organization. Implications of these findings on human resource management are discussed.     

The impact of supervisor interpersonal justice on supervisor-directed citizenship behaviors in social enterprises: a moderated mediation model

Abstract

While prior research has examined the strategic role of social enterprise managers in the achievement of a double economic and social performance objective, a clear understanding of the supervisors’ role in fostering employees’ attitudes and behaviors is still lacking. To address this gap, our paper aims to examine the impact of supervisor interpersonal justice on supervisor-directed citizenship behaviors by developing a moderated mediation model. Survey data were collected from 196 supervisor-subordinate dyads employed in diverse French social enterprises. Our results show that psychological contract breach mediates the supervisor interpersonal justice – supervisor-directed citizenship behaviors relationship. Further, employees’ prosocial motivations moderate this indirect effect. Our research provides insight into the mechanisms of social exchange relationships in social enterprises. In a practical perspective, it also demonstrates that the development of an effective HRM in social enterprises requires the implementation of specific training and development programs for managers.     

The effects of family-friendly practices and gender discrimination on job attitudes: the moderating role of supervisor support

This study examined the effects of family-friendly practices and gender discrimination on female employees' job attitudes and the moderating role of supervisor support. The results of our analysis, based on a sample of 1556 female employees in Korea, indicate that family-friendly practices and workplace environments reflecting gender discrimination are significantly related to their job satisfaction and workplace benefits stress. In addition, supervisor support moderated the effects of family-friendly practices and workplace environments reflecting gender discrimination on Korean female employees' job satisfaction and work stress. These results suggest that perceived organizational support has considerable influence on the job attitudes of Korean female employees through its interactions with supervisor support. Therefore, firms should consider the ‘fit’ between organizational support and supervisory roles to enhance Korean female employees' job satisfaction and to reduce their work stress.     

Intercultural competence and expatriates

This study examines the simultaneous effects of employees' fit with their organization, job and supervisor on their job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention in Turkish banks by paying special attention to the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS) in these relationships. Survey data collected from 213 employees who work in five different banks operating in Istanbul, Turkey, show that employees' value fit with their organization increases their job satisfaction and organizational commitment significantly while having no direct effect on their turnover intention. The results also suggest a positive association between employees' fit with their job (needs–supplies fit) and their job satisfaction along with the negative, direct impact of job fit on turnover intention. The hypothesized relationships between employees' value fit with their supervisor and selected employee outcomes are not supported. With respect to the moderating role of POS, the overall findings indicate that a high level of organizational support suppresses the effects of employees' value fit with their organization on their job satisfaction and organizational commitment as well as reducing the relationship between their job fit and job satisfaction and turnover intention.     

Trust me,I'm your boss: Trust and power in supervisor–supervisee communication

This study examined employees' perceptions of trust, power and mentoring in manager–employee relationships in a variety of sectors, including health care, education, hospitality and retail. The main theoretical frameworks used were communication accommodation theory and social identity theory, in examining the manager–employee relationships from an in-group/out-group perspective. Computer-aided content analyses revealed a number of emergent communication and relationship themes that impact upon the level of ‘in-groupness’ and therefore trust in supervisor–supervisee relationships. While it may be illusory to believe that any organization can enjoy complete trust among its workforce, it is clear that certain communication characteristics can result in greater trust in manager–employee relationships, even within the context of organizational constraints. It is argued that the results of the study could be used to inform human resource management academics of key aspects of managerial communication that should be further researched, and also provide insights into the main communication skills that managers should focus upon to improve trust in the workplace.     

Supervisor-subordinate guanxi: A meta-analytic review and future research agenda

The present research focuses on supervisor-subordinate guanxi (SSG) – a non-work or personal tie that reflects the relationship between a subordinate and their supervisor. Although SSG has received considerable attention, results are mixed. Further, how the Eastern conceptualization of SSG differs from the Western conceptualization of leader-member exchange (LMX) remains nebulous. We meta-analyzed 71 samples that contain 238 effect sizes. We found that: (1) SSG has a strong overlap with LMX (ρ̅̂ = 0.56); (2) SSG has small magnitude relations with its correlates (age, gender, education, and tenure); (3) SSG demonstrates smaller relative weights than LMX in predicting outcome variables (task performance, organizational citizenship behavior, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intention, subordinates' perceived distributive justice, subordinates' perceived procedural justice, and trust in supervisor); and (4) SSG contributes statistically significant, yet very small (ranging from 0.00 to 0.04), incremental validity above and beyond LMX in predicting all of the aforementioned outcome variables except for subordinates' perceived distributive justice. We conclude with a discussion of future directions for research on SSG.     

Trusting the fair supervisor: the role of supervisory support in performance appraisals

Applying social exchange theory and organisational support theory to a performance appraisal context, we hypothesised that perceived supervisory support would mediate the relationships between both interpersonal and informational justice, and trust in the supervisor. The data were collected from 526 full‐time working adults, who answered questions about the fairness of their organisation's current performance appraisal process. Using structural equation modelling, both calibration (n = 278) and cross‐validation (n = 248) field samples showed that perceived supervisory support mediated the justice–supervisor trust relationships. Our findings suggest that perceived supervisory support serves as a mechanism through which perceptions of interpersonal and informational justice foster trust in supervisors. Implications for organisational practice and areas for future research are discussed.     

The impacts of supervisor support,role perception,and emotional exhaustion on the turnover intentions of real estate brokers

This study investigated the factors affecting turnover tendency of real estate brokers. The impact of individual-level factors (role conflict, role ambiguity, interpersonal conflict, and emotional exhaustion) and organizational-level factors (supervisor support and group trust) on turnover intentions was assessed. A hierarchical linear mediation modeling approach was used. A questionnaire was administered to real estate brokers working at real estate companies in Kaohsiung City. Ten questionnaires were administered to each of the selected 97 branch offices. Of the 970 questionnaires, 393 were recovered from 71 branches, and after omitting 43 invalid responses, there were 350 valid questionnaires from 59 branches, indicating an effective response rate of 36.1 %. The empirical results showed that interpersonal conflict mediated the impact of supervisor support on emotional exhaustion, with a full mediating effect being observed. Group trust did not mediate the impact of supervisor support on turnover tendency, which was direct, negative, and statistically significant. Job satisfaction partially mediated the impact of emotional exhaustion on turnover intentions. Our results suggest that supervisor support and emotional exhaustion, at the organizational and individual level, respectively, had the greatest impacts on turnover intentions. This demonstrates the importance of supervisor support and emotional exhaustion when researching turnover intentions.     

How does the availability and use of flexible leave influence the employer–employee relationship?

In this article, we develop, and empirically test, a moderated mediation model of the effects of flexible leave on employees' organizational attachment. Drawing on a social exchange framework and signaling theory, we explore how the material and non-material nature of exchange between the employer and employee shapes their relationship. First, we show that the relationship between the availability of flexible leave and organizational attachment is shaped by two competing mediators, perceived organizational support (POS) and perceived flexibility stigma. Second, we delineate between availability and use of the policy, to show how the effect of POS is enhanced and perceived flexibility stigma reduced, with use. Our findings demonstrate that the relationship between the availability of flexible leave and organizational attachment is complex, but is enhanced through use of flexible leave. We contribute toward HRM scholarship about the relationship between employees' experience of HR practices and their corresponding impact on employees' subsequent behavior.     

The impact of socially responsible human resource management on employees' organizational citizenship behaviour: the mediating role of organizational identification

Based on insights from social exchange and social identity theories, this paper examines the influence of three dimensions of socially responsible human resource management (SR-HRM), namely legal compliance HRM, employee-oriented HRM and general CSR facilitation HRM, on employees' organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Structural equation modelling of dyadic data collected from Chinese employees and their direct supervisors in three phases revealed that whilst organizational identification fully mediated the relationship between employee-oriented HRM and employee OCB, general CSR facilitation HRM had a direct effect on employee OCB. In contrast, legal compliance HRM neither influenced employee OCB directly, nor indirectly through organizational identification. The findings highlight the important but complex role played by SR-HRM in eliciting positive employee work outcomes, and contribute to our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying this relationship.     

Work motivation and organizational citizenship behaviors

This study tested the relationship between employees' sources of work motivation and their display of organizational citizenship behaviors. Two hundred thirty‐nine employees from 38 locations of four companies in the agricultural industry completed the Motivation Sources Inventory and were rated by their leaders in organizational citizenship behaviors. Results showed significant positive relationships between individuals' self‐concept internal motivations and organizational citizenship behaviors. Results also showed significant negative relationships between instrumental and self‐concept external motivations and organizational citizenship behaviors. A hierarchical regression with each of the significant covariates accounted for 12% of the total variance in organizational citizenship behavior. These results indicate that employees' sources of motivation offer some explanation of their organizational citizenship behaviors. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.     

Empowering leadership: leading people to be present through affective organizational commitment?*

Abstract

This study tested a mediation model in which empowering leadership was negatively related to three withdrawal behaviors: lateness, absenteeism, and turnover intention, with affective organizational commitment as a mediator. With 294 full‐time US employees, results from structural equation modeling indicated that empowering leader behaviors at one time were positively related to estimates of affective organizational commitment at a second time, which in turn was negatively related to absenteeism and turnover intention at a final time. Additionally, no significant direct effect was found between empowering leadership and withdrawal behaviors, further supporting the mediation model. However, neither empowering leadership nor affective commitment influenced followers' lateness. Empowering leadership, which provides employees with autonomy and developmental support, may have a favorable effect on employees' decisions to attend and stay in the organization, as well as their affective reaction to the organization in the form of psychological commitment. This study extended prior research models by examining a full range of withdrawal behaviors in relation to empowering leadership and showed that commitment may explain why empowering leader behaviors can affect employees' retention decisions.     

Motivating Employees towards Sustainable Behaviour

Workers engaging in voluntary and unrewarded environmental actions that go above and beyond their job requirements in an organizational setting can crucially contribute to a reduced environmental impact of organizations. This research investigates some of the factors that may contribute to the emergence of such organizational citizenship behaviour directed towards the environment (OCBE). The hypotheses predicted employees' concern for the environment, employees' perceived organizational support for environmental efforts and organizational commitment as antecedents of OCBE. Employees from two organizations (n = 547) completed an online survey. Controlling for organizational tenure, a significant relationship between (a) employees' concern for their environment and OCBE, (b) perceived organizational support for environment efforts and OCBE and (c) organizational commitment and OCBE were found. Furthermore, organizational commitment mediated the relationship between perceived organizational support for environmental efforts and OCBE, but not environmental concern. This study's insights into the factors that can drive employees' engagement in small, voluntary environmental actions at work can guide organizations wishing to encourage such behaviours. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Competency Models at Work: The Value of Perceived Relevance and Fair Rewards for Employee Outcomes

The purpose of this study was to generate empirical knowledge on how employees perceive and respond to competency models at work. A cross‐sectional survey of 278 employees in four Norwegian organizations showed that competency models perceived as strategically and personally relevant and fairly rewarded were positively related to supervisor‐rated work effort and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and self‐rated “employability” outcomes. Exchange relationships mediated the link between competency model perceptions and work effort and OCB. Social exchange relationships marginally mediated the link between competency model perceptions and employees' openness to job‐related changes and engagement in activities aimed at improving one's employability. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effect of supervisor–subordinate guanxi on supervisory decisions in China: an empirical investigation

As China is becoming an important market and there are a lot of foreign ventures operating there, different lines of research have been providing useful information for foreign ventures to manage effectively in China. In this paper, we discuss one of the critical factors leading to successful management of Chinese subordinates, i.e. building and maintaining good guanxi (i.e., interpersonal connection) with them. We conducted an empirical investigation to illustrate (1) the supervisor-subordinate guanxi concept is different and unique when compared to other similar concepts in the Western literature such as leader-member exchange (LMX) and commitment to supervisor; (2) the supervisor-subordinate guanxi will affect the Chinese supervisor's administrative decisions; (3) guanxi can be measured by concrete behaviour/activities. Data on 189 supervisor-subordinate dyads were collected in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Results indicated that supervisor-subordinate guanxi is a distinct concept from LMX and commitment to supervisor. It also has additional explanatory power over supervisory decisions on promotion and bonus allocation after controlling for performance. Implications for foreign ventures and expatriates are discussed.     

A comparative study of the effects of ‘best practice’ HRM on worker outcomes in Malaysia and England local government

This paper presents the findings of a cross-cultural comparison of the effects of ‘best practice’ HRM using employees from a matched sample of local government service departments in England and Malaysia (England n = 569, Malaysian n = 453). The paper tests the universal ‘best practice’ thesis, and also assesses the perceived level of up-take of HR practices in the two samples. The research also considers the effects of the psychological climate and employees' perceptions of trust on five work-related outcomes, namely job satisfaction, motivation, organizational citizenship behaviour, stress and quit intentions. The findings reveal that the Malaysian workers perceived the up-take of HR practices to be higher in comparison to their counterparts in England. A less consistent pattern emerged with regards to perceptions of climate. OLS regression revealed that consistent with the universal thesis, a bundle of HR practices significantly predicted employee outcomes in the hypothesized directions in both samples. Therefore, these findings provide strong support for the universal thesis.     

Respect,bullying, and public sector work outcomes in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

This article examines empirical links between a subordinate’s felt recognition respect from his/her supervisor, the subordinate’s appraisal respect for that supervisor, and bullying, work engagement, and organizational citizenship behaviour in Vietnam’s public sector. Data from 274 employees in six branches of a public sector agency were used to test the hypothesized model. Within Vietnam’s public sector, the followers who receive recognition respect from the leaders have greater appraisal respect for their leaders, experience less bullying, and reveal higher work engagement and organizational citizenship behaviour. This article theoretically and empirically contributes to the respect literature developed in the Western context.     

The effect of relational age on older Canadian employees' perceptions of human resource practices and sense of worth to their organization

This study examined the effect of older employees' perceived relative age of their organization's workforce, work group members, and immediate supervisor on human resource practices tailored to older employees and older employees' sense of worth. The 291 participants were aged between 50 and 65 years. Perceived organization relative age was associated with the human resource practices, perceived work-group relative age was related to training and respect, and perceived supervisor relative age was associated with respect and fair treatment. All three relational age variables were related to perceived contribution to the organization. It is important for employers to be aware of the age dissimilarities within their organizations and to take steps to bolster older employees' feeling of being valued organizational members.     

Gender differences in the effect of downward influence strategies on perceived stress and general-health: The mediating role of organizational justice

This study examined the effects of supervisor’s downward influence strategies (DIS) on subordinates’ perceived stress and general-health. The influencing effects of DIS were also analyzed in the light of the mediating effects of organizational justice dimensions, namely, distributive justice (DJ), procedural justice (PJ) and interactional justice (IJ). Responses were collected from three organizations through survey method (Males, N = 91; females, N = 74). Gender differences were observed in the perceptions of DIS which affected perceived stress and general-health conditions of both male and female employees. Further, the results revealed that supervisor’s task-oriented DIS (e.g., negative sanctions) increase perceived stress and negative health conditions in both genders. Supervisor’s people-oriented DIS (e.g., ingratiation) lowered perceived stress and triggered botheration-free existence in the employees. The mediation analysis of justice dimensions indicated that, in the case of males, IJ and PJ positively mediate people-oriented DIS effects on stress and general health. However, in females, supervisor’s ingratiation and positive sanctions helped in ameliorating stress through their positive PJ perceptions. Strong indirect effects of supervisor’s task-oriented strategy (e.g., rationality) were observed on male’s stress and general-health through IJ. On the other hand, supervisor’s rationality and assertiveness reduced female employees’ perceived stress through their PJ and DJ perceptions, respectively.