I can do good even when my supervisor is bad: Abusive supervision and employee socially responsible behaviour

Abstract

Existing research has convincingly demonstrated the deleterious impact of abusive supervision within the boundaries of the organization. However, we ask, can the harmful consequences of abusive supervision extend beyond organizational boundaries, and in particular, impact social good creation? To answer this crucial question, the present study investigates whether, how, and when abusive supervision affects employees' socially responsible behaviour (SRB). We build on ego depletion theory, and its theoretical extension, the integrative self-control theory, to develop and test a multi-level model that advances our understanding of the psychological mechanisms through, and boundary conditions under which abusive supervision affects employee SRB. Findings from a weekly diary study across 12 weeks support: (1) the role of ego depletion as a core psychological process that underlies the negative impact of weekly abusive supervision on employees' SRB and (2) the role of both trait abusive supervision and weekly impulse control demands as critical boundary conditions that determine whether weekly abusive supervision impacts SRB. These findings have important implications for the abusive supervision and social responsibility literatures, advancing our understanding of what organizations can do to alleviate the detrimental consequences of abusive supervision for social good creation.