By Mireia Las Heras (IESE Business School)
For most of us, having an encouraging boss makes going to work all the more rewarding. But the impact of supportive management may be even greater than we think, providing trickle-down benefits across the organization and even into areas of our lives such as emotional well-being and sleep.
Essentially, our research found that it’s up to a company’s top leaders to create a supportive atmosphere: if they treat middle managers with respect and support, then the managers will treat their subordinates the same way. And so forth down the hierarchal ladder.
But it doesn’t stop there.
High-level support can also positively influence employees’ emotional well-being and sleep quality. That’s right – feeling nurtured at work could translate into a better night’s sleep.
Here’s how it works. Imagine a manager who receives consistent support from their higher-up. Maybe they’re granted the autonomy they need to get their tasks done, are provided with one-on-one mentorship, or have flexible hours. As a result, this middle manager – in some ways the core of companies — will likely feel confident about their job and motivated to keep going. And, our study found, they’re also likely to reciprocate similar supportive behavior to their own subordinates.
Perceived support is key in enhancing subordinates’ psychological empowerment, an umbrella term referring to individuals’ motivation, sense of control and autonomy at work. Because supportive managers are seen as caring and trustworthy, their subordinates’ sense of meaning, competence and impact is strengthened.
This means that, in a hierarchal environment, a trickle-down support system works. If a company has supportive and resourceful leaders, then the workplace will be full of managers and employees who feel supported and appreciated. In other words, the boss’ attitude will cascade down to even those on the lowest rung of the ladder.
Our findings were published in the European Management Review, and our cross-national group of researchers included Yasin Rofcanin of the University of Bath; Siqi Wang of Aston Business School; Brunel Business School’s Didem Taser; Maria Jose Bosch of ESE Business School; Beykent University’s Afacan Findikli; and Andres Salas of the University of Valencia.
An empowered employee is emotionally stronger and sleeps better
The effects of feeling supported can be seen in various aspects of an employee’s life, including sleep patterns.
It’s not a minor issue. More than half of adults in the U.S. say they have trouble sleeping. That costs the U.S. economy an estimated $400 billion a year, since sleep deprivation hinders employees’ ability to focus, accomplish tasks or work in a team. It even causes individuals to call in sick.
This work-life connection is one of the elements that sets our research apart from past studies on high-level support. We found that, because middle manager support can lead to employees’ psychological empowerment, this improves their well-being in two key aspects: emotional resource possession and sleep quality.
- Emotional resource possession refers to the emotional energies that individuals can tap into to reach specific goals. It also helps them be emotionally stable enough to provide support to others, be it at work or at home, and to properly deal with difficult situations.
- Sleep quality evaluates the sufficiency and effectiveness of sleep, including the ability to fall asleep at night and stay asleep, which are the root symptoms of insomnia. An employee’s sleep quality is also a good indication of their work environment: past studies have shown that demanding work conditions or lack of support can lead to sleep problems.
When employees feel empowered at work, they’re likely to invest more time in emotional and physical resources to cope with draining and unexpected situations. Likewise, they get better sleep, which helps them manage frustrations, stress and insecurities during their waking hours.
And a good night’s sleep is crucial in and of itself: it leads to a healthy lifestyle and, therefore, a productive workday.
Mireia Las Heras is a Professor in the Managing People in Organizations Department of IESE Business School.