How supervisory family support affects employee knowledge sharing and organizational citizenship behaviours: An interpersonal sensemaking perspective

Abstract

Drawing on interpersonal sensemaking theory, we propose a model to examine the effect of supervisory family support (SFS) on employees' knowledge sharing with coworkers and organizational citizenship behaviours (OCB). Using a time-lagged design with data from 55 employee teams and their direct supervisors, we found that SFS was indirectly and positively related to employee OCB (but not knowledge sharing) through psychological need satisfaction and felt trust by the supervisor. We also found that SFS excess (a focal employee has higher levels of SFS relative to teammates) was associated with a higher level of psychological need satisfaction perceived by the focal employee than SFS deficiency (a focal employee has lower levels of SFS relative to teammates). These effects were indirectly and positively related to employee OCB via psychological need satisfaction and felt trust by the supervisor.