The impact of supervisor control on employee performance and wellbeing in COVID-19 telecommuting: based on the Job...

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting has become a common work arrangement, highlighting the critical role of supervisors in influencing employee performance and wellbeing. However, research on how supervisor behavior affects employees in this context remains limited. This study examines how supervisor control impacts employee task performance and sleep quality during COVID-19 telecommuting, using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical framework. It also explores the moderating roles of supervisor and family support.

Data were collected from 303 Chinese employees during the nationwide lockdown, with two assessments spaced 2 weeks apart.

The results indicate that ego depletion mediates the relationship between supervisor control and both task performance and sleep problems. Supervisor support moderates this relationship by buffering the negative effects of supervisor control on ego depletion, while family support does not have a buffering effect.

This study provides empirical support for the JD-R model in the context of telecommuting during the pandemic, and underscores the importance of supervisor support in mitigating the adverse effects of high control environments.