News — Having an abusive boss not only causes problems at work but can lead to strained relationships at home, according to a Baylor University study published online in journal, Personnel Psychology. The study found that stress and tension caused by an abusive boss have an impact on the employee鈥檚 partner, which affects the marital relationship and subsequently the employee鈥檚 entire family.
The article is available using this link: The study also found that more children at home meant greater family satisfaction for the employee, and the longer the partner鈥檚 relationship, the less impact the abusive boss had on the family.
鈥淭hese findings have important implications for organizations and their managers. The evidence highlights the need for organizations to send an unequivocal message to those in supervisory positions that these hostile and harmful behaviors will not be tolerated,鈥� said Dawn Carlson, Ph.D., study author, professor of management and H. R. Gibson Chair of Organizational Development at the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University, Waco.
A supervisor鈥檚 abuse may include tantrums, rudeness, public criticism and inconsiderate action.
鈥淚t may be that as supervisor abuse heightens tension in the relationship, the employee is less motivated or able to engage in positive interactions with the partner and other family members,鈥� said Merideth Ferguson, PH.D., study co-author and assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship at Baylor.
Organizations should encourage subordinates to seek support through their organization鈥檚 employee assistance program or other resources (e.g., counseling, stress management) so that the employee can identify tactics or mechanisms for buffering the effect of abuse on the family, according to the study.
The study included 280 full-time employees and their partners. Fifty-seven percent of the employees were male with an average of five years in their current job; 75 percent had children living with them. The average age for the employee and the partner was 36 years. The average length of their relationship was 10 years. Of the respondents, 46 percent supervised other employees in the workplace, 47 percent worked in a public organization, 40 percent worked in a private organization, nine percent worked for a non-profit organization and five percent were self-employed. Of the partner group, 43 percent were male with 78 percent of these individuals employed.
Workers filled out an online survey. When their portion of the survey was complete, their partner completed a separate survey that was linked back to the workers鈥�. The partner entered a coordinating identification number to complete his/her portion of the survey. The combined responses from the initial contact and the partner constituted one complete response in the study database.
Questions in the employee survey included; 鈥淗ow often does your supervisor use the following behaviors with you?鈥� with example items being 鈥淭ells me my thoughts or feelings are stupid,鈥� 鈥淓xpresses anger at me when he/she is mad for another reason,鈥� 鈥淧uts me down in front of others,鈥� and 鈥淭ells me I鈥檓 incompetent.鈥�
Questions in the partner survey included; 鈥淒uring the past month, how often did you . . .鈥� feel irritated or resentful about things your (husband/wife/partner) did or didn鈥檛 do鈥� and 鈥渇eel tense from fighting, arguing or disagreeing with your (husband/wife/partner).鈥�
鈥淓mployers must take steps to prevent or stop the abuse and also to provide opportunities for subordinates to effectively manage the fallout of abuse and keep it from affecting their families. Abusive supervision is a workplace reality and this research expands our understanding of how this stressor plays out in the employee鈥檚 life beyond the workplace,鈥� Carlson said.
The research was conducted with support from the Texas A & M Mays Business School Mini-Grant Program.Other co-authors of the study are Pamela L. Perrewe of Florida State University and Dwayne Whitten of Texas A & M University.
About Baylor UniversityBaylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, classified as such with 鈥渉igh research activity鈥� by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest, continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Texas, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions
About the Hankamer School of BusinessBaylor University鈥檚 Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.
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