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Training and maintaining autonomy-supportive supervisory style in low-skilled occupations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2019

Amy Yong Open the ORCID record for Amy Yong [Opens in a new window] ,
Maree Roche  and
Anna Sutton
Amy Yong*
Affiliation:
Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Maree Roche
Affiliation:
Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Anna Sutton
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
*
*Corresponding author. Email: amypcyong@yahoo.com
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Abstract

According to self-determination theory, employees' well-being is related to the autonomy-supportive style of a supervisor. However, the effect of supervision style on well-being remains understudied in low-skilled occupations. This study employed a mixed-method, multi-level approach to examine the impact of autonomy-supportive training (AST) on supervisors and employees and to identify factors contributing to the maintenance of supervisors' autonomy support (SAS). The quantitative phase evaluated the effect of AST on supervisory style and employees' well-being, with a sample of 44 supervisors and 240 employees in New Zealand. The qualitative phase used focus groups and interview with 15 supervisors to explore factors that could influence the maintenance of SAS. Overall, supervisors can be trained to adopt an autonomy-supportive style, but these skills can also be diluted by organisational factors such as pressures and managerial behaviour. This study contributes to autonomy-supportive style research in order to account for factors affecting the maintenance of SAS in low-skilled occupations.

Keywords

training and developmentleadership developmentmixed methodsorganisational climatewell-being and psychosocial risk factors
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , March 2023 , pp. 326 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2019

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