Flourishing via Workplace Relationships: Moving Beyond Instrumental Support

Abstract

In a series of qualitative and quantitative studies, we developed a model of the functions of positive work relationships, with an explicit focus on the role that these relationships play in employee flourishing. Stories that employees told about positive relationships at work revealed that relationships serve a broad range of functions, including the traditionallystudied functions of task assistance, career advancement, and emotional support, as well as less studied functions of personal growth, friendship, and the opportunity to give to others. Building on this taxonomy, we validated a scale -the Relationship Functions Inventory -and developed theory suggesting differential linkages between the relationship functions and outcomes indicative of employee flourishing. Results revealed unique associations between functions and outcomes, such that task assistance was most strongly associated with job satisfaction, giving to others was most strongly associated with meaningful work, friendship was most strongly associated with positive emotions at work, and personal growth was most strongly associated with life satisfaction. Our results suggest that work relationships play a key role in promoting employee flourishing, and that examining the differential effects of a taxonomy of relationship functions brings precision to our understand of how relationships impact individual flourishing. ABSTRACTIn a series of qualitative and quantitative studies, we developed a model of the functions of positive work relationships, with an explicit focus on the role that these relationships play in employee flourishing. Stories that employees told about positive relationships at work revealed that relationships serve a broad range of functions, including the traditionally-studied functions of task assistance, career advancement, and emotional support, as well as less studied functions of personal growth, friendship, and the opportunity to give to others. Building on this taxonomy, we validated a scale -the Relationship Functions Inventory -and developed theory suggesting differential linkages between the relationship functions and outcomes indicative of employee flourishing. Results revealed unique associations between functions and outcomes, such that task assistance was most strongly associated with job satisfaction, giving to others was most strongly associated with meaningful work, friendship was most strongly associated with positive emotions at work, and personal growth was most strongly associated with life satisfaction. Our results suggest that work relationships play a key role in promoting employee flourishing, and that examining the differential effects of a taxonomy of relationship functions brings precision to our understand of how relationships impact individual flourishing.

Mind the gap: The role of gender in entrepreneurial career choice and social influence by founders

“…This inevitably shapes women's preferences for particular career paths such as entrepreneurship. By acknowledging that both social interactions (Nanda & Sørensen, 2010) and organizations (Sørensen & Fassiotto, 2011) shape individual preferences for entrepreneurship, and integrating theories of gender inequality in career choices (Kossek et al, 2017) with evidence on the value of workplace relationships for career advancement (Colbert et al, 2016;McGinn & Milkman, 2013), we posit that startup founders can influence joiners' preferences for entrepreneurship. Drawing on social identification theory, we predict this influence to be more pronounced in same-gender matches and stronger for women based on (broadly defined) role modeling mechanisms.…”

“…Workplace relationships can offer mentoring, shape preferences and allow employees to flourish (Colbert et al, 2016), and also legitimize opportunities identified through experience, observation, and communication (Nanda & Sørensen, 2010;Pryor et al, 2016). Employees' satisfaction, performance, retention, and mobility are found to be molded by others at work, most often hierarchical superiors with more authority, seniority, and experience (Abraham, 2017;Artz et al, 2017;Artz & Taengnoi, 2016;Lazear et al, 2015;McGinn & Milkman, 2013), sometimes perceived as role models (Gibson, 2004).…”

Love and Organization Studies: Moving beyond the Perspective of Avoidance

“…Despite those open questions, it is undeniable that individuals flourish in the workplace when they engage in trustworthy and positive relationships with co-workers (Colbert, Bono, & Purvanova, 2016). We could even say that individual uniqueness emerges from interactions with others (Gulati, Kilduff, Li, Shipilov, & Tsai, 2010).…”

The Impact of the Quality of Interpersonal Relationships between Employees on Counterproductive Work Behavior: A Study of Employees in Poland

“…Ragins and Verbos [21] also indicated a positive relationship between low relationship quality (understood as the exploitation of one party by another) and dysfunctional behaviors.It is significant that researchers are more keen to examine the beneficial aspects of the quality of work relationships and the significance of this quality for organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), also in the field of sustainability (see, e.g., [9,22]). It is therefore no surprise that Colbert et al [23] indicate the need to describe the effects of negative relationships at work. In turn, Bowler and Brass [24] recommend expanding our knowledge on how these relationships influence counterproductive behavior.There is even sparser research on how CWB's relationship with QIRW is moderated by such key demographic features as employee sex, age, education, length of service and type of work.…”

“…It is significant that researchers are more keen to examine the beneficial aspects of the quality of work relationships and the significance of this quality for organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), also in the field of sustainability (see, e.g., [9,22]). It is therefore no surprise that Colbert et al [23] indicate the need to describe the effects of negative relationships at work. In turn, Bowler and Brass [24] recommend expanding our knowledge on how these relationships influence counterproductive behavior.…”