Clarifying the Construct of Supervisor Support for Recovery and Its Impact on Employee Recovery Experiences

Abstract

Insufficient recovery from work stress is a pernicious issue for many workers. This study aims to understand the important role that supervisors play in employees’ recovery experiences. Specifically, we (1) proposed an expanded conceptualization of supervisor support for recovery (SSR), and (2) developed and validated a measure consistent with this expanded conceptualization. We refined the conceptualization of SSR with four dimensions: refraining from communicating about work during nonwork time, refraining from requiring work during nonwork time, modeling recovery, and encouraging recovery. These dimensions align with the recovery literature, which highlights the necessity of refraining from recovery-hindering behaviors to reduce energy exertion and engaging in recovery-promoting behaviors to provide recovery opportunities. The recovery-promoting dimensions also align with key themes of role modeling and encouragement emphasized in social cognitive theory. Based on the conceptualization, we further developed and validated an SSR scale using three different designs (cross-sectional, supervisor-subordinate dyadic, time-separated) in six studies. Results showed that SSR was distinct from related supervisor constructs (e.g., leader-member exchange and family supportive supervisor behaviors), was positively associated with recovery experiences, and provided further insight into recovery experiences, over and above the other supervisor constructs. This study provides a foundation for future research to better understand how supervisors can support employee recovery from work stress.