Managers’ Family-Supportive Supervisory Behaviors: A Multilevel Perspective

Abstract

Using a combination of trait and situational variables we develop a model to explore the antecedents of managers’ family-supportive behaviors. Our model hypotheses were tested using data gathered from a sample of 312 subordinates matched to 92 managers. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) of the nested data yielded results that show both an individual manager’s trait (i.e., empathy) and situational variables (i.e., subordinate’s family-to-work conflict and leader–subordinate exchange quality) significantly predicted managers’ supportive behaviors. Additional HLM analyses showed that the manager’s gender (trait) and group work-to-family conflict (situation) moderated the relationship between manager’s empathy and family-supportive behaviors. Our results suggest that managers’ family-supportive behaviors are related to individual characteristics of the manager and to subordinate workgroup contexts, but not to organizational culture.

Keywords:

• family-supportive behaviors
• leader–member exchange
• work–family conflict
• family-to-work conflict
• gender

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sue A. Epstein

Sue A. Epstein is an assistant professor at SUNY Empire State College. She received her PhD from University at Albany, SUNY. She was a member of the 2013–14 Early Career Work and Family Scholars Program sponsored by The Work and Family Researchers Network. Her research interests include family-supportive supervision, work-life conflict and women’s leadership. She can be reached at [email protected].

Janet H. Marler

Janet H. Marler is an associate professor at the School of Business at the University at Albany, SUNY. She received her PhD from Cornell University where she was a doctoral fellow at Cornell’s Employment and Family Careers Institute. She conducts research on alternative employment arrangements, compensation, and strategic eHRM. She can be reached at [email protected].

Thomas D. Taber

Thomas D. Taber is Professor of Management at the University at Albany, SUNY. His research interests include organizational citizenship behavior, change management, work motivation and leadership. His research has been published in journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and Personnel Psychology. He can be reached at [email protected].