Resource Depletion Perspective on the Link Between Abusive Supervision and Safety Behaviors

• DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-3983-2
• Publication Date: 2018-07-30T12:21:17Z
• Authors: Xiao Yuan; Yaoshan Xu; Yongjuan Li
• Keywords: WORK; Ethics; 360; 05 social sciences; Attentional bias toward safety; EGO DEPLETION; Abusive supervision; ATTENTIONAL BIAS; MEDIATING ROLE; PERFORMANCE; Safety behavior; STRENGTH MODEL; SELF-CONTROL; Self-control resource; EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION; Business & Economics; 0502 economics and business; Social Sciences - Other Topics; Business; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; SLEEP-DEPRIVATION; PASSIVE LEADERSHIP

Leader behavior significantly influences employees’ safety performance. This study aimed to examine the effect of abusive supervision on the safety behaviors of subordinates. By drawing on the strength model of self-control, we predicted that abusive supervision would negatively affect safety behaviors through emotional exhaustion, and trait self-control and attentional bias toward safety would moderate the relationship between abusive supervision, emotional exhaustion, and safety behaviors. Our hypothesized model was supported by results from a sample of 159 workers at a chemical product manufacturing enterprise in China. Emotional exhaustion mediated the link between abusive supervision and safety behaviors. Moreover, trait self-control moderated the relationship between abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion, and attentional bias toward safety moderated the relationship between emotional exhaustion and safety compliance. This study elucidates the effects of abusive supervision on safety behaviors through the resource depletion process. Likewise, the importance of trait self-control and attentional bias toward safety in mitigating the potentially harmful effects of abusive supervision in workplace safety is highlighted. Minimizing abusive supervision, providing self-control training, and implementing safety-specific implicit cognition intervention can effectively improve employees’ safety behaviors.