突发公共事件对员工对上关系建构的影响:基于调节定向理论

When Upward Networking Becomes a Prevention Motivational Necessity During the Public Emergencies:A Regulatory Focus Perspective

现有突发公共事件的研究大多关注其负面影响,鲜有研究讨论个体如何积极应对。基于调节定向理论,本文关注在突发公共事件引发的损失情境下,员工如何通过对上关系建构应对损失的自我调节机制。研究1以我国华中地区某制造业企业266名员工为样本,检验突发公共事件对员工对上关系建构的主效应以及情境性预防定向的中介作用。研究2基于206名跨地区跨行业的员工数据,检验特质性预防定向的调节作用。研究发现:(1)突发公共事件和员工的对上关系建构行为正向相关;(2)情境性预防定向在突发公共事件和对上关系建构之间起到中介作用;(3)特质性预防定向正向调节情境性预防定向的中介作用。本文丰富了突发公共事件影响个体心理状态和对上关系建构行为的研究,从宏观事件和微观动机层面有效拓展了对上关系建构行为的前因变量,并将调节定向理论引入突发公共事件研究中,深化了该理论在损失情境下的解释机制。

Purpose:Most of the existing studies focus on the negative effects of public emergencies.Few studies have explored how individuals respond positively to the challenges posed by public emergencies outbreak.When a crisis arises at work,upward networking with leaders is an important way to help employees get professional support and get through the challenges at work.However,the highly infectious and pathogenic nature of public emergencies and the policy of social isolation used to contain the public emergencies create a“dilemma”for employees to networking with leaders.This study focuses on the self-regulation mechanism of upward networking in the context of public emergencies.Base on regulatory focus theory,we first hypothesize public emergencies positively influences employees to engage in upward networking.We then hypothesize that state-focused prevention focus mediates the relationship between public emergencies and employee upward networking.We further hypothesize that individual trait-based prevention focus moderates the above relationship such that when individuals have a high level of trait-based prevention focus,the relationship between public emergencies,state-based prevention focus,and upward networking become stronger than when individuals have a low level of trait-based prevention focus.Methdology:Two studies were conducted to examine the research hypotheses.In Study 1,a sample of 266 employees from a manufacturing enterprise in Hubei Province was collected to examine the mediating effect of state-based prevention focus.In Study 2,a sample of 206 employees across different regions and industries was further collected to examine the moderating effect of traitbased prevention focus.Fingdings:Across a multiple-study and multiple-method design,our results have shown as follows:(1)From before to during the public emergencies,individuals tender to engage in more upward networking;moreover,the increasing trend declines from during to after the public emergencies.(2)State-based prevention focus mediates the influence of public emergencies on employees’upward networking.(3)Trait-based prevention focus moderates the indirect effect,such that for individuals high in trait-based prevention focus,the mediating effect is strengthened.Our findings reveal the self-regulation mechanism to promote upward networking in the context of public emergencies and the importance of considering the regulatory focus process in networking decision.Value:This study initially enriches the research conclusion that public emergencies outbreak may have an impact on individuals’psychological state and proactive networking behaviors.Furthermore,this study expands the research framework of networking antecedents,from both aspects of macro-events and micro-motivations.Last but not least,this research applies the regulatory focus theory into the public emergencies research and reforces the theoretical explanations of prevention focus in the loss context.Implications:The public emergencies have caused some damage to the development of enterprises and the psychological health of employees,making it difficult for enterprises to restart work and production until employees can be stabilized and energyied.According to our findings,employees are taking the initiative to self-regulate in the fight against the public emergenciese.In addition,while encouraging upward networking behavior can help employees access valuable resources and deal with the challenges brought on by public emergencies once they returning to work,managers should employ various approaches depending on the characteristics of their employees.Limitation and suggestions for future research:First,Study 1 and Study 2 assessed employees’willingness to engage in upward networking as a proxy for behavior.Future studies that obtain objective data on interpersonal behaviors,such as call time,call frequency and the number of emails with leaders,should be considered to be more accurately examine the relationship between public emergencies and upward networking.Second,this study found that in order to cope with the potential or substantial losses caused by the public emergencies,employees would adopt the proactive strategy of upward networking with their leaders.It is also worth exploring further effective coping strategies.Third,our experiments was conducted after the outbreak of public emergencies,hence participants in the control group might have also been exposed to and impacted by the public emergencies.While the participants in the control group and in the experimental group indicated a significant differences in their public emergencies perceptions,future studies should be cautious in how they use and intepret our research findings.