Managers' social support: Facilitators and hindrances for seeking support at work
Daniel Lundqvist1,2,3, Anna Fogelberg Eriksson1,2, Kerstin Ekberg1,3
1HELIX VINN Excellence Centre, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Work (Reading, Mass.)
|April 10, 2018
Summary
Managers seek work-related social support internally to maintain a competent image, while personal support is sought externally. Support-seeking is influenced by workplace factors and perceived demands.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Workplace Social Dynamics
- Management Studies
Background:
- Social support is crucial for employee health and performance.
- Limited research exists on managers' specific needs for social support at work.
- The study addresses the gap in understanding managers' social support seeking behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore managers' perceptions of work-related social support.
- To identify facilitators and hindrances influencing managers' social support seeking.
- To understand how managers maintain their professional image while seeking support.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semi-structured interviews with 62 managers.
- Study involved participants from two Swedish organizations.
- Qualitative data analysis explored nuanced experiences.
Main Results:
- Managers sought work-related support internally to bolster their competent image.
- Sensitive, personal support was sought externally to avoid image compromise.
- Workplace location, meetings, and courses facilitated or hindered support access.
- High perceived demands for support seeking led to avoidance.
Conclusions:
- Managers differentiate support sources based on function and arena.
- Seeking support is strategic to preserve organizational confidence and managerial image.
- Balancing support needs with perceived demands is key for managers.
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