Supervisory Characteristics and Beliefs About Troubled Employees

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of years in currcnt managerial position and span of control on 212 supervisors' beliefs about troubled workers and EAPs. Relying on Bayer and Gcrstein's (1988b) Bystander-Equity Model of Supervisory Helping Behavior, we predicted that experienced, as compared to inexperienced supcrvisors, would view the identification of impaired employees as less costly. Additionally, supervisors managing small work units were expected to hold more well-defined beliefs about behaviors reflcctive of problem workers than persons responsible for large work units. ANOVA results partially supported these hypotheses, indicating that supervisory characteristics differentially affect the supervisor- troubled employee helping process. Based on these findings, it was suggested that EAP personnel target various supervisory groups to facilitate the effective identification and referral of impaired workers to EAPs.