Bringing Self-Kindness Into the Workplace: Exploring the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion in the Associations Between Attachment and Organizational Outcomes

Abstract

Research has shown that individual differences in adult attachment predict several organizational outcomes. However, little is known about the mechanism that underlies these associations. The current study examines whether self-compassion can serve as a potential mediator explaining the associations between individual differences in attachment and organizational outcomes. Four outcome measures were evaluated: job performance (HPQ; Kessler et al., 2003 ), organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) ( Goodman and Svyantek, 1999 ), turnover intentions ( Abrams et al., 1998 ), and emotional exhaustion ( Schaufeli et al., 1996 ). In addition, participants ( N = 202, response rate 81%) also completed several questionnaires assessing attachment style (ECR; Brennan et al., 1998 ) and self-compassion (SCS; Neff, 2003 ). Using structural equation modeling (SEM) for testing the research hypotheses, the hypothesized model was supported, with self-compassion mediating the relationship between attachment styles and all four work-related outcomes. The research findings suggest that self-compassion can provide a solid mechanism for understanding organizational outcomes and for understanding individual differences related to attachment functioning in the workplace.

OCB-Work-Family Facilitation: Is It Positive for All Attachment Orientations?

“…We found non-significant associations for both avoidance and anxiety orientations in predicting OCB. These findings are not in line with previous work, which suggested that attachment orientations can predict prosocial behaviors such as OCB (e.g., Little et al, 2011;Richards and Schat, 2011;Reizer, 2019). We assume that the lack of significant associations between OCB and attachment orientations in the current study may stem from several causes, both theoretical and methodological.…”

“…Eighteen items assessed attachment anxiety (e.g., "I worry about being abandoned"), and 18 items assessed avoidance (e.g., "I prefer not to show a partner how I feel deep down"). Although Brennan et al (1998) demonstrated the orthogonality and discriminant validity of the anxiety and avoidance subscales, as reflected in previous studies (e.g., Geller and Bamberger, 2009;Reizer, 2019), the two subscale scores were significantly correlated in the current sample. For the current sample, Cronbach's αs were 0.91 for the anxiety items and 0.79 for the avoidance items.…”

“…Finally, findings revealed a significant positive correlation between anxiety and avoidance. The significant correlation between attachment orientations was previously found among previous studies using ERC scale (Cameron et al, 2012;Tziner et al, 2014;Reizer, 2019). From a theoretical perspective, these correlations may raise some questions regarding the orthogonal dimensions of attachment.…”

“…These orientations are considered fundamental personality tendencies, offering a theoretical foundation and a well-validated body of empirical evidence in the social and personality fields, as reflected in numerous studies (for a review, see Mikulincer and Shaver, 2017). Indeed, the organizational and management literature investigating the effect of attachment orientations at the workplace has significantly grown during the last decade, particularly over the last 5 years (Yip et al, 2018;Reizer, 2019). Whereas previous research has found attachment orientations to predict various behavioral and organizational outcomes, two extensive reviews of the literature (Harms, 2011;Yip et al, 2018) strongly argued for future researchers to incorporate attachment as a potential moderator of organizational processes.…”

“…Their successful history of trust in relationships leads them to develop broader social skills (Lopez, 2009). Their positive interpersonal orientation promotes their ability to cope more successfully with external workplace stressors and to solve problems more effectively (for reviews, see Mikulincer and Shaver, 2017;Reizer, 2019). These advantages provide them the personal resources to enjoy the benefits of OCB which, in turn, contribute to higher levels of WFF than can be expected from individuals with higher levels of anxiety and avoidance.…”