Family-Specific Social Support at Work: The Role of Open and Trustworthy Communication

Abstract

Family-friendly organizational policies are important for employees to manage work and family responsibilities. Besides formal policies, research has emphasized the importance of informal social support by organizational actors. The positive effects of organizational and supervisor support are already known, but findings are limited regarding family-specific support by coworkers. Taking a communicative perspective, this study tests the assumption that social support is contingent on trustworthy and open communication. To test this, 724 German employees participated in an online survey. Results confirm the relationship between family-specific support and the outcomes job satisfaction, policy use, and work-family conflict, through open and trustworthy communication. Additionally, the study illuminates the distinct roles of organizational actors’ (i.e., coworker, supervisor, organization) support on employee outcomes in the German context.

The Influences of Supportive Leadership and Family Social Support on Female Managers’ Organizational Effectiveness: The Mediating Effect of Positive Spillover between Work and Family

“…It is, therefore, important to implement family-friendly organizational policies for employees to manage work and family responsibilities. Perceived trustworthiness and open communication within the organization result in higher job satisfaction and is positively related to policy use [ 145 ].…”

HIV Positif & Komunikasi: Cabaran Mengekalkan Pola Komunikasi Berkesan dalam Kalangan Penghidap Wanita

“…Selain masalah kesihatan, stigma dan diskriminasi, isu besar dihadapi oleh PHW selepas bergelar penghidap ialah perubahan dalam aspek komunikasi. Komunikasi menjadi elemen terpenting dan sangat diperlukan termasuk oleh PHW kerana melalui komunikasi mereka dapat membina kembali kehidupan dengan lebih baik (Schulz-Knappe & Hoeven, 2020). Malah komunikasi yang baik antara penghidap/pesakit dengan pihak yang diberikan kepercayaan seperti kakitangan kesihatan dan keluarga mempunyai kesan positif terutamanya dalam konteks penyesuaian diri serta psikologi dengan penyakit dihadapi (Gibbs, Melvin, Foster & Evangeli, 2018;Dickey, Mattheews & Millender, 2020).…”

“…Selepas dia jelaskan, saya pun terus berhenti bekerja dan masuk pertubuhan NGO... (Informan 11) Pengalaman dilalui oleh informan di tempat kerja ini sebenarnya berlaku kepada manamana penghidap HIV positif. Hal ini dikatakan demikian kerana, jarang ada majikan yang sanggup untuk menggajikan pekerja mereka, jika seorang penghidap HIV positif, walaupun dikatakan organisasi, majikan dan rakan sekerja yang baik dapat memberi sokongan, terutamanya dari segi emosi (French, Dumani, Allen & Shockley, 2018;Schulz-Knappe & Hoeven, 2020). Situasi dialami oleh informan kajian ini berbeza dengan 'rakan' senasib mereka daripada negara-negara luar seperti Amerika Syarikat yang lebih diterima di tempat kerja.…”

Notes From the Editors: Spotlight on Inclusion and Diversity

“…Managers and organizations can foster inclusion by helping workers develop their unique voices, rewarding those who speak-up with acceptance and understanding (Cardon et al, 2019; Kluger & Itzchakov, 2022), and by modeling/facilitating a culture in which mutual respect is the norm (LaGree et al, 2021). Vibrant diversity will lower barriers to various groups’ material advancements; inclusion will help these people be authentic at work and share themselves including their life connections outside of the organization (Minei et al, 2020; Schulz-Knappe & Ter Hoeven, 2020). Case-in-point, research has shown that typical diversity training initiatives—those which do not incorporate communication training—have low effectiveness.…”

“…In turn, the reduction of sexual harassment signals advocacy for inclusion and diversity in organizations to its stakeholders. Similarly, Schulz-Knappe and Ter Hoeven (2020) tackle diversity and inclusion’s link with family status—a topic especially important for people who are challenged with balancing work and the rearing of children. The authors’ study asked German employees to identify how communicative support through workplace social networks can create a more inclusive environment for people with children.…”