Dissertation
A role theory perspective of supervisors’ diverging responses to employee voice about mental health
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Summer 2024
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007768
Abstract
The decline in employee mental health has become an increasingly prevalent concern that organizations are only beginning to address. For their part, employees themselves may voice work-related ideas or concerns to improve mental health in the workplace. Yet, despite the established benefits of voice in general to organizational functioning, voice specifically about mental health is intended to benefit employee welfare and is poorly understood in that it may elicit diverging reactions from supervisors. That is, supervisors may feel confused and overwhelmed or empowered and motivated by employee voice about mental health. This dissertation examines supervisors’ reactions to voice about mental health and their role in advocating for employee welfare. Drawing on role theory, I argue that voice about mental health is an act of “role sending” that conveys employees’ expectations about the supervisor’s role in promoting mental health. Role theory further suggests that supervisors may diverge in how they react to employees’ role sending—potentially experiencing role strain or role accumulation. These role reactions, in turn, drive supervisors’ subsequent role behavior—i.e., voice endorsement—that enhances their employees’ mental health. As a boundary condition to these downstream effects, I integrate research on role efficacy to examine how supervisors’ mental health self-efficacy shapes their experience of role strain and role accumulation in response to voice about mental health. I examine the effects of voice about mental health across two healthcare sites located in the Midwestern United States with a sample of 134 matched supervisor-employee dyads. This research contributes to an understanding of voice intended to benefit employee welfare, extends role theory, and highlights the challenges and opportunities for employees and supervisors in promoting mental health.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A role theory perspective of supervisors’ diverging responses to employee voice about mental health
- Creators
- Nathan Black
- Contributors
- Daniel Newton (Advisor)Jennifer Nahrgang (Advisor)Greg Stewart (Committee Member)Amy Colbert (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Business Administration (Management)
- Date degree season
- Summer 2024
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.007768
- Number of pages
- ix, 169 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2024 Nathan Black
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 07/10/2024
- Description illustrations
- tables
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 113-138).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
- Employee mental health is a growing concern in the workplace. With the majority of employees now reporting symptoms of mental health conditions in the United States in the past year, it is crucial for organizations to address this issue effectively. My research explores how employees’ suggestions and concerns about mental health—referred to as “voice”—impact their supervisors and the overall workplace environment. When employees speak up about mental health, it can have varying effects on their supervisors. Some supervisors may feel overwhelmed and stressed, while others may feel motivated and empowered to support their team better. This dissertation investigates these different reactions using “role theory,” which examines the expectations and pressures that come with different roles in an organization. The study focuses on how supervisors respond to employee voice about mental health and the subsequent effects on the workplace. It also looks at the role of supervisors’ confidence in handling mental health issues, known as “self-efficacy,” in shaping their responses. By analyzing data from two healthcare sites in the Midwest with 134 supervisor- employee pairs, this research provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of mental health in the workplace. It highlights the importance of understanding supervisors’ roles and reactions to effectively promote employee welfare and create a supportive work environment. This work aims to guide organizations in developing better strategies to enhance mental health support, ultimately benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.
- Academic Unit
- Tippie College of Business
- Record Identifier
- 9984698352602771
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