Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour Seminar Series. Supporting or avoiding: The effects of managers (not) providing support to targets of customer mistreatment
Published: 7 February 2024
28 February. Dr Kara Ng, University of Manchester
Dr Kara Ng, University of Manchester
"Supporting or avoiding: The effects of managers (not) providing support to targets of customer mistreatment"
Wednesday, 28 February. 3 p.m.
Room 141 ASBS PGT Building
Abstract
How does helping mistreated subordinates make leaders feel? Does it matter?
Customer mistreatment, which refers to unacceptable behaviours that employees receive during service interactions, is an unfortunate reality among frontline workers. Managers are often expected to intervene these situations, but we know that this isn’t always the case. While supervisor support can often buffer some of the negative effects of mistreatment, we know relatively less about how enacting support affects managers themselves. Drawing from conservation of resources theory, we explore how different responses to customer mistreatment influences managers’ well-being, attitudes, and identity. Specifically, we examine how resource-draining or resource-conserving support behaviours influence managers’ well-being, perceived impact of support, and leader identity endorsement. We also integrate self-determination theory to understand how managers’ motivations to intervene moderate these relationships.
Bio
Dr Kara Ng is a Presidential Fellow in Organisational Psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester. Her research seeks to understand workplace. Her research interests include workplace bullying (including the role of bystanders) and other forms of unethical behaviour, such as abusive supervision, customer mistreatment, and counterproductive work behaviours. Her research has been published in academic journals such as Human Relations, Work & Stress, and Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, as well as in mainstream publications, such as BBC Worklife, Raconteur, and The Conversation. Outside of work, Kara is a huge foodie, likes reading, and enjoys crafting.
For further information, please contact business-school-research@glasgow.ac.uk
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First published: 7 February 2024