Everything is in hand: when and why electronic performance monitoring leads to supervisor underminingZhang, Qi; Zhou, Kong; Shu, Peipei; Liu, Wenxing; Ouyang, Xi; Sun, Ao
2024 Journal of Managerial Psychology
doi: 10.1108/jmp-11-2023-0686
This research aims to address the knowledge gap regarding the influence of electronic performance monitoring (EPM) on supervisors' behavior. Building upon the sociomaterial perspective and the general model of disinhibition, the study explores the internal mechanisms and boundary conditions between supervisor EPM use and supervisor undermining.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was administered via the Sojump platform, inviting supervisors from diverse industries in China to participate in a three-wave study, each wave being approximately two weeks apart. The study gathered multi-wave data from 225 supervisors to assess the conceptual model.FindingsThe results showed that supervisor EPM use was positively related to sense of power, which in turn positively related to supervisor undermining. Furthermore, supervisors' individual identity orientation moderates the relationship between supervisor EPM use and sense of power, as well as the indirect relationship between supervisor EPM use and supervisor undermining through sense of power.Practical implicationsThis study advocates for responsible EPM use to mitigate supervisor undermining (e.g. making subordinates feel incompetent) and minimize negative leadership behaviors.Originality/valueThe presented results signify a substantial progression in comprehending the interplay between supervisor EPM use and individual identity orientation, and their combined impact on the sense of power and subsequent supervisor undermining.
Performance appraisal interval and employee exploratory innovation behavior: the curvilinear relationship and the boundary conditionsYang, Jun; Wang, Bin; Zhao, Bin; Ma, Jun
2024 Journal of Managerial Psychology
doi: 10.1108/jmp-03-2023-0197
Compressing project timelines represents a prevalent temporal tactic aimed at accelerating the innovation process. However, empirical evidence on the impact of such time constraints on innovation remains inconclusive. This study aims to investigate the relationship between a prevalent organizational time mechanism—Performance Appraisal Interval (PAI)—and employee exploratory innovation behavior. Additionally, we explore the boundary conditions that may influence this relationship: the moderating effects of future work self salience and supervisory developmental feedback.Design/methodology/approachUsing online survey data collected in two waves from 426 employees working in hi-tech companies in China, we tested all the hypotheses.Findings(1) PAI demonstrates an inverted U-shaped influence on employees exploratory innovation behavior; (2) Employees’ future work self salience serves as a moderator that enhances the positive nature of this inverted U-shaped relationship; (3) Supervisory developmental feedback amplifies the moderating role of future work self salience, and the synergistic effect of PAI, future work self salience, and supervisory developmental feedback significantly enhances exploratory innovation behavior.Practical implicationsBy providing insights that are attuned to the temporal aspects of performance appraisal, this study aids organizations in making more informed, strategic decisions that enhance both the effectiveness of performance assessments and the cultivation of an environment that encourages exploratory innovation. Additionally, it is recommended that organizational leaders incorporate future-oriented interventions and developmental feedback into their management practices to further promote employees' engagement in exploratory innovation.Originality/valueDrawing on the interactive theory of performance, this study introduces a novel perspective on how an organizational temporal mechanism influences exploratory innovation and advances our understanding of the non-linear link between time constraints and employees' innovative behaviors.
The impact of coaching leadership on work engagement: an empirical study from Chinese contextWang, Ling-yun; Zhang, Chun-feng; Su, Xiao-ying
2024 Journal of Managerial Psychology
doi: 10.1108/jmp-09-2023-0547
The purpose of this paper is to unveil the efficacy of coaching leadership within Chinese organizations and bolster employees’ work engagement.Design/methodology/approachThe sample data were collected through employing the questionnaire method. The participants consisted of 234 employees and 53 supervisors in Chinese enterprises. Hypothesis testing was conducted using multiple regression analysis and the Bootstrap method.FindingsThe coaching leadership exhibited a positive association with employees’ work engagement, psychological safety and self-efficacy. It was observed that employees’ psychological safety and self-efficacy played a dual-mediation role between coaching leadership and work engagement. Additionally, employees with power distance orientation (POD) amplified the positive effects of coaching leadership on psychological safety and self-efficacy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the literature on coaching leadership and work engagement by elucidating their direct influence, as well as the dual-mediating roles of psychological safety and self-efficacy. Besides, our findings underscore the moderating effect of POD in amplifying the impacts of coaching leadership. However, the nonlongitudinal survey design adopted by our study should be noted for its potential limitations in establishing causality.Practical implicationsThe findings demonstrate that coaching leadership, psychological safety and self-efficacy play a crucial role in fostering work engagement. Employees with higher POD are more likely to benefit from coaching leaders.Originality/valueThis study contributes to coaching leadership literature and provides insights into how and when coaching leadership affects work engagement in Chinese organizations.
Perceived leader inclusion and employee work-to-family conflict: a daily diary studyZhang, Kaili; Li, Yixuan; Yin, Kui; Kleshinski, Catherine E.
2024 Journal of Managerial Psychology
doi: 10.1108/jmp-07-2023-0421
Employees’ perceived inclusion has been shown to have beneficial effects on their effective functioning at work (e.g. engagement, creativity, and task performance); however, workplace inclusion is also believed to have a profound impact on employees’ functioning beyond the work domain, such as on their family domain. The primary goal of our study thus is to explore how perceptions of workplace inclusion influence employees’ family lives.Design/methodology/approachWe tested our hypotheses by surveying 125 employees from a cotton textile manufacturing company in China over 10 consecutive workdays.FindingsDaily perceived leader inclusion was negatively related to employees’ daily resource depletion at work, which in turn was positively related to employees’ daily work-to-family conflict. The direct effect of daily perceived leader inclusion on resource depletion and the indirect effect of daily perceived leader inclusion on work-to-family conflict were stronger for employees with more discrimination experience in their lives.Practical implicationsLeaders should be aware of their unique roles they play in shaping individual inclusion perceptions and should enact actions that satisfy employees’ desires for both belongingness and uniqueness. Moreover, leaders should also be attentive to those who are susceptible to discrimination when promoting inclusion initiatives.Originality/valueOur study proposes an important facet of workplace inclusion—perceived leader inclusion—and offers a resource perspective to understand how leader inclusion may impact employees’ functioning beyond the work domain to affect their family lives.
Cognitive capabilities of moral leaders in turbulent environments: a review, theory integration and way forwardBacha, Eliane; Niesten, Eva
2024 Journal of Managerial Psychology
doi: 10.1108/jmp-07-2023-0393
This paper’s purpose is to challenge the traditional assumption in leadership studies that leaders’ traits and capabilities impact effectiveness irrespective of the environment in which they operate. We identify the cognitive capabilities (CCs) of moral leaders that increase their efficacy in turbulent environments. To identify these capabilities, we integrate the strategic management literature on dynamic managerial capabilities (DMCs) into the field of moral leadership. We explore the micro-foundations of DMCs—that is, the CCs of moral leaders that underpin their abilities to sense and seize opportunities and reconfigure organizations—and show that CCs are effective in environmental turbulence.Design/methodology/approachWe review 74 articles on moral leaders—including ethical, authentic, and servant leaders—and analyze their CCs that enable effectiveness in turbulent environments.FindingsMoral leaders sense opportunities by drawing on their CCs for attention and perception. They seize opportunities with intuitive moral judgment and conscious moral reasoning, and by considering diverse perspectives and followers’ needs when problem solving. They reconfigure with vision-inspired storytelling, collaboration, and trust-building among stakeholders.Practical implicationsOrganizations should use coaching, mentoring, and training to develop the CCs of moral leaders, and institutionalize these skills in their organizations.Originality/valueWe illustrate that the environment is an important determinant of the effectiveness of moral leaders’ capabilities. By integrating the DMC literature into the moral leadership field, we identify the distinctive CCs of ethical, authentic, and servant leaders that make them effective in turbulent environments.