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Supervisors’ Active-Empathetic Listening as an Important Antecedent of Work Engagement

Author

Listed:
  • Inga Jona Jonsdottir

    (School of Business, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland)

  • Kari Kristinsson

    (School of Business, University of Iceland, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland)

Abstract

Social support from supervisors is a job resource that has been found to be an important antecedent to work engagement. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding one of the key features of social support—i.e., supervisors’ active-empathetic listening—and its relation to employees’ work engagement. To bridge this gap, this study explores how supervisors’ active-empathetic listening is associated with employees’ work engagement. Using a national representative sample ( N = 548), the results show that supervisors’ active-empathetic listening has a significant positive relationship with employee work engagement. Additionally, we show that active-empathetic listening does not affect all three dimensions of work engagement equally, with dedication being the most affected by supervisors’ active-empathetic listening. We argue that supportive leadership which uses conscious and active listening-centred communication is highly significant for employees’ work engagement. Therefore, we suggest that organisations experiment in training their supervisors in active-empathetic listening as part of a broader strategy to increase employees’ engagement at work.

Suggested Citation

  • Inga Jona Jonsdottir & Kari Kristinsson, 2020. "Supervisors’ Active-Empathetic Listening as an Important Antecedent of Work Engagement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:7976-:d:437305
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Armstrong, J. Scott & Overton, Terry S., 1977. "Estimating Nonresponse Bias in Mail Surveys," MPRA Paper 81694, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Karina Lloyd & Diana Boer & Joshua Keller & Sven Voelpel, 2015. "Is My Boss Really Listening to Me? The Impact of Perceived Supervisor Listening on Emotional Exhaustion, Turnover Intention, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(3), pages 509-524, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lara Bellotti & Sara Zaniboni & Cristian Balducci & Luca Menghini & David M. Cadiz & Stefano Toderi, 2022. "Age Diversity Climate Affecting Individual-Level Work-Related Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-11, March.

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