This study will examine this relationship empirically on a selected case to find out, whether supervisor feedback can be seen as a suitable means to improve business performance. Accordingly, the research question for this paper is the following: How can organizational performance be influenced by the relation between supervisor feedback and employee behaviors and attitudes?
In times of fast changing work environments and demanding tasks for employees it is highly important to take actions and adjust the organization’s strategy to still secure a competitive advantage and high-performance outcome especially when competing in a market with strong competitors. Further, employees’ mindsets have changed over the last years and social criteria in their work environment are now more important than financial rewards. This is why the relationship between supervisor and employee is of increased importance and more and more employees yearn for personal development and responsibility to satisfy their individual needs. Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs prestige and the feeling of accomplishment is the last step before an individual demands self-fulfilling needs and can achieve one’s full potential. Hence, organizations should pay attention to satisfy this need in order to allow employees reaching the top level and add the highest value to the organization.
Based on that, researchers within Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) have been encouraged “to explore whether and how Human Resource practices […] affect employee attitudes and behaviors in ways that may further business strategy” (Storey, 2007, p. 173). SHRM provides guidance on how key issues of HRM can be managed strategically in the sense that they support the realization of the company’s goals. This relationship between bundles of Human Resource (HR) practices, also called High-Performance Work Systems (HPWS), and behaviors is influenced by various employee attitudes.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theoretical background
2.1 Definitions
2.2 Strategic HRM and Strategic Performance Management
2.3 How does SHRM impact performance
2.3.1 Content-based Approach
2.3.2 Process-based Approach
2.4 Supervisor feedback as HR practice
3 Practical application
4 Discussion
5 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of supervisor feedback as a strategic human resource practice on employee behaviors and attitudes, and to determine how these relationships influence overall organizational performance. The research seeks to validate whether constructive feedback processes can foster higher engagement and performance within a corporate environment.
- Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and performance linkages
- The role of supervisor feedback in employee development
- Mediating effects of engagement, satisfaction, commitment, and empowerment
- Application of the Social Exchange Theory in workplace settings
- Quantitative analysis of employee survey data in an international corporate context
Excerpt from the Book
2.4 Supervisor feedback as HR practice
One of the above-mentioned HR practices to influence employees’ behavior and attitudes is supervisor feedback. As mentioned by Armstrong, performance feedback is one component of HPWS and it is one element of the performance management cycle (Armstrong, 2017). Further, one underlying theory for performance management is the control theory, which is described as focusing on feedback as a means of shaping employee behavior.
Supervisor feedback contributes to the HRM system by making management intentions and expectations more understandable and can develop employees in a direction that they behave in ways which are instrumental to the implementation of a particular business strategy. Supervisor feedback as an HR practice functions as means of communicating from employer to employee (Bowen & Ostroff, 2004). If leaders have clear expectations, are fair and endorse good performance, they have a positive effect on employees and their engagement by engendering a sense of attachment to the job. By providing continuous feedback, making employees aware of their strengths and valuing their contribution, supervisors build trust in their employees and their success, what leads to a more positive behavior (Armstrong, 2017). This relationship was also elaborated in the Hawthorne Studies, which found that the quality of leadership, the relationship to the supervisor and therefore the intrinsic motivation influenced employees’ job satisfaction. Receiving feedback also reinforces effective behavior and directly impacts the motivation of employees, which was shown by Latham and Locke (1979), Thorndike (1911) and Skinner (1953) (Armstrong, 2017).
Within the Social Exchange Theory, employees perceive feedback from their supervisor as investment in them. They feel obligated to respond with a better behavior and attitudes towards the organization, meaning OCB and an increased level of engagement. They will deliver extra effort to give something back as an exchange (Alfes, et al., 2013).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides the context of changing work environments and defines the research question regarding the influence of supervisor feedback on organizational performance.
2 Theoretical background: Establishes the foundation of SHRM, discusses content and process-based approaches to performance, and defines key constructs like feedback, engagement, and commitment.
2.1 Definitions: Clarifies the academic terminology used in the study, including supervisor feedback, job satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behavior.
2.2 Strategic HRM and Strategic Performance Management: Explains the strategic role of HRM in aligning individual performance with organizational goals and strategies.
2.3 How does SHRM impact performance: Explores theoretical frameworks explaining the mechanisms behind the link between HR systems and firm effectiveness.
2.3.1 Content-based Approach: Discusses the Social Exchange Theory and how fair treatment and feedback lead to improved employee performance.
2.3.2 Process-based Approach: Examines the psychological processes and attribution theory regarding how employees perceive HR practices.
2.4 Supervisor feedback as HR practice: Details how feedback functions as a tool for shaping employee behavior and fostering job engagement.
3 Practical application: Describes the methodology and the empirical analysis conducted using data from Arla Foods amba.
4 Discussion: Interprets the research findings, suggests improvements for feedback cultures, and acknowledges study limitations.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the study's results and suggests future research directions regarding the link between feedback and organizational outcomes.
Keywords
Strategic Human Resource Management, SHRM, Supervisor Feedback, Organizational Performance, Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction, Commitment, Empowerment, High-Performance Work Systems, HPWS, Social Exchange Theory, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, OCB, Workplace Communication, Performance Management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on investigating the relationship between supervisor feedback as a strategic HR practice and employee behaviors and attitudes, aiming to show how these impact overall organizational performance.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The key themes include Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM), performance management, employee engagement, and the practical application of feedback mechanisms within a corporate setting.
What is the primary research question?
The study asks: How can organizational performance be influenced by the relation between supervisor feedback and employee behaviors and attitudes?
Which scientific methodology does the author use?
The author uses a quantitative approach, performing a correlation analysis on survey data from 757 employees to test the relationship between feedback and various attitude constructs.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body covers theoretical frameworks (Social Exchange Theory, process-based approaches), defines HR constructs, analyzes the specific case of Arla Foods amba, and discusses implementation challenges for feedback cultures.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include SHRM, Supervisor Feedback, Organizational Performance, Engagement, Commitment, Empowerment, and HPWS.
How does the Social Exchange Theory apply to the findings?
The theory explains that when employees perceive feedback as an investment from their supervisors, they feel obligated to reciprocate through higher engagement and improved job behaviors.
What were the results of the correlation analysis performed at Arla Foods?
The analysis showed a significant, positive correlation between supervisor feedback and all tested variables, including engagement, satisfaction, commitment, and empowerment, with results being statistically significant at the p < 0.01 level.
What limitations does the author mention regarding the study?
Limitations include the fact that feedback is not the only HR practice influencing performance and that the study provides no direct evidence for causal relationships between the variables.
What recommendations does the author make for companies?
The author recommends developing a structured, frequent, and multisource feedback culture, incorporating regular check-ins and focusing on professional development rather than just performance scores.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Rieke Weller (Autor:in), 2018, Supervisor feedback as a strategic HR practice to improve organizational performance, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/459093
