TY - JOUR
T1 - Why Your Help Is Unhelpful
T2 - A Multistage Mediation Model Exploring Mechanisms Linking Unhelpful Workplace Social Support to Work Engagement
AU - Hughes, Ian M.
AU - Gray, Cheryl E.
AU - Bazzoli, Andrea
AU - Stavely, Sara M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 American Psychological Association
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Recent occupational health research has begun exploring unhelpful workplace social support (UWSS). UWSS refers to actions taken by a colleague that the recipient believes are intended to be helpful but are perceived as ineffective. For example, a colleague may provide help that is not wanted or do something incorrectly while providing aid. Despite the perceived good intentions of UWSS providers, empirical research suggests that UWSS is a potent workplace demand negatively associated with occupational well-being. The mechanisms that link UWSS and reduced occupational well-being, however, have yet to receive empirical examination. We integrate the job demands–resources model, conservation of resources theory, and basic needs theory to construct a multistage model linking UWSS to reduced work engagement via the frustration of basic psychological needs and the consequent experiencing of negative emotions. We test this model across two studies—a three-wave weekly study (NLevel 1 = 960, NLevel 2 = 320) and a 5-day daily diary study (NLevel 1 = 1,680, NLevel 2 = 336)—and find several significant direct and indirect effects. Across both studies (though at different levels of analysis), partial support was linked to reduced work engagement via the frustration of both the need for competence and relatedness and the experiencing of negative affect, while in Study 2, a daily link between undependable support and work engagement through relatedness frustration and the experiencing of negative affect was found. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and future research directions are offered.
AB - Recent occupational health research has begun exploring unhelpful workplace social support (UWSS). UWSS refers to actions taken by a colleague that the recipient believes are intended to be helpful but are perceived as ineffective. For example, a colleague may provide help that is not wanted or do something incorrectly while providing aid. Despite the perceived good intentions of UWSS providers, empirical research suggests that UWSS is a potent workplace demand negatively associated with occupational well-being. The mechanisms that link UWSS and reduced occupational well-being, however, have yet to receive empirical examination. We integrate the job demands–resources model, conservation of resources theory, and basic needs theory to construct a multistage model linking UWSS to reduced work engagement via the frustration of basic psychological needs and the consequent experiencing of negative emotions. We test this model across two studies—a three-wave weekly study (NLevel 1 = 960, NLevel 2 = 320) and a 5-day daily diary study (NLevel 1 = 1,680, NLevel 2 = 336)—and find several significant direct and indirect effects. Across both studies (though at different levels of analysis), partial support was linked to reduced work engagement via the frustration of both the need for competence and relatedness and the experiencing of negative affect, while in Study 2, a daily link between undependable support and work engagement through relatedness frustration and the experiencing of negative affect was found. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and future research directions are offered.
KW - basic needs frustration
KW - negative affect
KW - unhelpful workplace social support
KW - work engagement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85200531325&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/ocp0000382
DO - 10.1037/ocp0000382
M3 - Article
C2 - 39101887
AN - SCOPUS:85200531325
SN - 1076-8998
VL - 29
SP - 238
EP - 257
JO - Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
JF - Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
IS - 4
ER -