| dc.description.abstract | Human Resource Management research in the past few decades has developed an interest on the support
that employees need in their work environment. Supervisors have been recognized as one of the most
prevalent sources of support for their subordinates, yet research on the supervisor support needs of
employees is limited. The scientific and practical ambiguity in the identification of these needs and
examination of their (un)satisfaction broadens when they are viewed under the prevalent hybrid work
environments. This study aims to identify the support needs that employees develop in a hybrid working
environment and to examine whether and in which ways these needs are satisfied or remain unsatisfied
by their supervisors. Further, this paper will explore the reasons that could explain the (un)fulfilment
of employees' support needs whilst working hybridly.
In order to investigate the areas that employees require support in a hybrid setting, this paper first
explores previous literature on hybrid work, supervisor support, employees' needs from their managers
as well as supervisors' support capacities. In the examination of the employees’ support needs and
supervisors’ support supplies the theory of Person-Supervisor Fit (PS) is employed. Through this
theory, the present study investigates if and how hybrid workers' needs fit or misfit their supervisors’
support capacities. In addition, the theories of PS Fit and specifically Value (in)congruence, Leadermember exchange, as well as the theories of (Un)Shared perceptions, and Climate strength enrich the
examination of the reasons that could explain the abovementioned fit/misfit situations. This research
takes place in a telecommunications company in the Netherlands. The method that this paper adopts is
qualitative research using interviews with employees and focus groups with supervisors in order to
explore the above subjects.
The findings of this research show that the predominant needs that employees have from their
supervisors while working hybridly are communication, work-life balance, and trust. The participants
in some instances considered the support provided in the areas of communication and work-life balance
as insufficient, however, in most cases, employees perceived that the supervisor support provided to
them was satisfactory. The most prominent reason for the lower level of person needs-supervisor
supplies fit or even misfit is value incongruence, and poor LMX, whilst fit was explained because of
value congruence and good Leader-member exchange relationships. Finally, this research emphasizes
the multiple dimensions that the (un)satisfaction of employees’ supervisor support needs entails and
areas where future research could provide more insights. | |
