Abusive Supervision: The Hidden Toll on Employees and Organisations

Does your boss ridicule you; put you down in front of others; remind you of your past mistakes and failures; take credit for a job that you’ve done; throw you under the bus to save himself/herself; break their promise or lies to you? If you are familiar with any of the above behaviours from your boss, you are very likely to be subject to abusive supervision.

Abusive supervision encompasses a range of detrimental actions, such as yelling, public ridicule, rudeness, breaking promises, invading privacy, lying, employing the silent treatment, constant disapproval, and using abusive language. Other behaviours include threatening job loss, withholding critical information, and making antagonistic eye contact.

Abusive supervision, a subset of toxic leadership, is influenced by various personal and organisational factors. Supervisors with high levels of Machiavellianism and low emotional intelligence are more likely to engage in abusive behaviours. Leaders with poor psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, or workplace alcohol consumption also exhibit higher tendencies for abusive supervision. Depleted self-control resources can lead to aggressive reactions. Negative supervisor experiences and stress are positively associated with abusive supervision. Organisational factors such as high work demands, role ambiguity, and competitive cultures contribute to abusive supervision, with centralised and hierarchical structures being more prone to such behaviour.

Subordinates with higher levels of negative affectivity and lower self-determination often become frequent targets of aggressive supervisory behaviours. These individuals typically possess a negative self-view and are more prone to anxiety, hostility, self-dissatisfaction, and vulnerability, ultimately affecting their work performance and social interactions. Supervisors may see such subordinates as irritating and insubordinate. Those with dominant characteristics may face abusive supervision as a form of reprisal, while individuals with lower dominance levels are also more likely to experience such behaviour. Other subordinate traits associated with higher instances of abusive supervision include political skill, cynical attribution, power distance, and supervisor-directed attribution. Conversely, stability and traditionality in subordinates are linked to lower instances of abusive supervision. In terms of personality traits, narcissism and neuroticism in subordinates are positively associated with abusive supervision, while conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion are negatively associated.

Consequences for Subordinates

Research has demonstrated that subordinates subjected to abusive supervision often experience lower job satisfaction, psychological and mental health issues, physical health problems, increased work-family conflict, heightened turnover intentions, elevated job strain, greater job burnout, elevated blood pressure, diminished organisational commitment, decreased self-efficacy, increased workplace deviance, heightened aggressive behaviours, and reduced overall performance.

According to the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, prolonged exposure to abusive supervision results in a cumulative loss of psychological resources, making subordinates less resilient and more susceptible to stressors over time. Subordinates are less likely to confront abusive supervisors about instances of injustice and may feel like social outcasts within the workplace, feeling devalued. Under such conditions, counterproductive work behaviours increase while organisational citizenship behaviours decrease.

Consequences for Organisations

Abusive supervision is a prevalent and costly organisational issue, leading to significant annual expenses, including increased healthcare costs, employee disengagement, and lost productivity, estimated at around USD $23.8 billion. This type of supervision is linked to various forms of deviance, such as supervisor-directed, organisational, and interpersonal deviance. Deviant behaviours can range from production and property deviance, like excessive breaks, equipment theft, and sabotage, to interpersonal deviance and aggression, such as favouritism, gossip, and verbal abuse. When these behaviours become normalised within an organisation, they can be perceived as acceptable. The projected annual costs to organisations are substantial, with workplace violence estimated at USD $4.2 billion, employee theft at USD $200 billion, and various fraudulent behaviours at USD $400 billion.

Abusive supervision has profound consequences, making it imperative to create safe and supportive workplaces. Protecting vulnerable employees and fostering a positive environment isn't just ethical—it's essential for organisational success. By addressing abusive supervision head-on, organisations can ensure employee well-being while significantly boosting overall performance and productivity.

Invitation to Participate in a Doctoral Study on Abusive Supervision

I am conducting a doctoral study at the University of Canberra with a focus on Singaporean corporate employees, aiming to help them better cope with abusive supervision and improve work outcomes.

?This study explores how PsyCap—comprising hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism—can mitigate the adverse effects of abusive supervision, such as emotional exhaustion and turnover intention.

Your participation in this survey is invaluable for understanding how PsyCap can buffer against the negative impacts of abusive supervision. By examining these correlations, we hope to contribute to workplace resilience and foster a healthier work environment.

All information provided will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Please participate by completing the survey here: https://tiny.cc/1u1ivz . Should you have any queries or need further information, feel free to contact me. Additionally, I would appreciate it if you could share this with your colleagues and network, especially among those who are experiencing, or who have experienced abusive supervision.

Thank you for considering this important research opportunity.

?Sincerely,

Grace Loh

Doctoral Candidate | University of Canberra

Psychotherapist & Coach | Grace PsyCap | Counseling Perspective