The sum is larger than its parts: The daily interplay of leader and colleague support in facilitating employee well-being through balanced needs satisfaction and positive affect

Abstract

Previous research drawing on the Self-Determination Theory has demonstrated that the satisfaction of each basic psychological need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness exhibits unique positive effects on employee well-being independent of the satisfaction of the other needs (i.e., additive hypothesis). In comparison, more recent theorizing has suggested taking a more holistic view of needs satisfaction by proposing that the equal satisfaction of each need relative to the other needs contributes to wellbeing beyond the overall satisfaction of the three needs (i.e., balance hypothesis). The present study aims to expand our understanding of the balance hypothesis. We propose that leader and colleagues’ support jointly contribute to balanced needs satisfaction, which promotes positive affect that in turn enriches home-domain wellbeing (i.e., subjective vitality). We integrate Self-Determination Theory and the Work-Home Resources model to suggest that beyond the satisfaction of each independent need, balanced needs satisfaction serves as a mechanism linking workplace support to the transfer of volatile energetic resources (positive affect) across domains. A diary study across 10 workdays with N=85 employees offers support for our research model as we find that joint leader and colleague support are indirectly related to home-domain subjective vitality via the balanced satisfaction of the basic psychological needs and positive affect. Supplementary analysis using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) further corroborates the distinct contribution of balanced needs satisfaction to well-being. We subsequently discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.