IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v196y2025i1d10.1007_s10551-023-05580-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effect of Abusive Supervision on Employee Job Performance: The Moderating Role of Employment Contract Type

Author

Listed:
  • Yonghong Liu

    (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)

  • Chen Zhao

    (Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications)

  • Zhiyong Yang

    (Miami University)

  • Zhonghua Gao

    (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Institute of Industrial Economics)

Abstract

Extant literature has documented mixed findings concerning the relationship between abusive supervision and employee performance. While most studies show a negative relationship, others reveal that abusive supervision can be motivating and performance-enhancing, and still others find no effect. To advance our understanding of this relationship, the present study examines employees’ objective and quantifiable key performance indicators (KPIs) as an outcome, while investigating employment contract type as a critical boundary condition. This study also explores an alternative outcome of abusive supervision by examining whether its effects extend to employees’ behavior towards customers, specifically in the form of customer-directed sabotage. A two-wave multi-source field study was conducted with 1,331 customer service representatives from 139 call-center teams. Findings suggest an alarming phenomenon: for probationary employees, an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between abusive supervision and employees’ KPIs, such that low to moderate levels of abusive supervision increase, but moderate to high levels of abusive supervision decrease, their job performance. For permanent employees, KPIs are less affected by abusive supervision. However, abusive supervision is positively related to employees’ customer-directed sabotage behavior, and this effect is stronger for permanent (vs. probationary) employees. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for leadership and business ethics are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Yonghong Liu & Chen Zhao & Zhiyong Yang & Zhonghua Gao, 2025. "The Effect of Abusive Supervision on Employee Job Performance: The Moderating Role of Employment Contract Type," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 196(1), pages 209-221, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:196:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-023-05580-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-023-05580-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-023-05580-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-023-05580-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clive Boddy, 2011. "Corporate Psychopaths, Bullying and Unfair Supervision in the Workplace," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 100(3), pages 367-379, May.
    2. Guohong Helen Han & P. D. Harms & Yuntao Bai, 2017. "Nightmare Bosses: The Impact of Abusive Supervision on Employees’ Sleep, Emotions, and Creativity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(1), pages 21-31, September.
    3. Andrew Harrison & James Summers & Brian Mennecke, 2018. "The Effects of the Dark Triad on Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 53-77, November.
    4. Donald H. Kluemper & Kevin W. Mossholder & Dan Ispas & Mark N. Bing & Dragos Iliescu & Alexandra Ilie, 2019. "When Core Self-Evaluations Influence Employees’ Deviant Reactions to Abusive Supervision: The Moderating Role of Cognitive Ability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 435-453, October.
    5. Jeremy D. Mackey & Lei Huang & Wei He, 2020. "You Abuse and I Criticize: An Ego Depletion and Leader–Member Exchange Examination of Abusive Supervision and Destructive Voice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 579-591, July.
    6. Christian N. Thoroughgood & Katina B. Sawyer & Art Padilla & Laura Lunsford, 2018. "Destructive Leadership: A Critique of Leader-Centric Perspectives and Toward a More Holistic Definition," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 627-649, September.
    7. Haesang Park & Jenny M. Hoobler & Junfeng Wu & Robert C. Liden & Jia Hu & Morgan S. Wilson, 2019. "Abusive Supervision and Employee Deviance: A Multifoci Justice Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 1113-1131, September.
    8. Tuten, Tracy L. & Neidermeyer, Presha E., 2004. "Performance, satisfaction and turnover in call centers: The effects of stress and optimism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(1), pages 26-34, January.
    9. Jialiang Zhang & Jun Liu, 2018. "Is abusive supervision an absolute devil? Literature review and research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 719-744, September.
    10. Silke Eisenbeiß & Felix Brodbeck, 2014. "Ethical and Unethical Leadership: A Cross-Cultural and Cross-Sectoral Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 343-359, June.
    11. Clive R. Boddy, 2011. "Corporate Psychopaths, Bullying, Conflict and Unfair Supervision in the Workplace," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Corporate Psychopaths, chapter 3, pages 44-62, Palgrave Macmillan.
    12. Feng Wei & Steven Si, 2013. "Tit for tat? Abusive supervision and counterproductive work behaviors: The moderating effects of locus of control and perceived mobility," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 281-296, March.
    13. Joon Hyung Park & Min Z. Carter & Richard S. DeFrank & Qianwen Deng, 2018. "Abusive Supervision, Psychological Distress, and Silence: The Effects of Gender Dissimilarity Between Supervisors and Subordinates," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 775-792, December.
    14. Miguel Alzola, 2018. "Decent Work: The Moral Status of Labor in Human Resource Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(4), pages 835-853, February.
    15. Charlice Hurst & Lauren Simon & Yongsuhk Jung & Dante Pirouz, 2019. "Are “Bad” Employees Happier Under Bad Bosses? Differing Effects of Abusive Supervision on Low and High Primary Psychopathy Employees," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 1149-1164, September.
    16. Xiao Yuan & Yaoshan Xu & Yongjuan Li, 2020. "Resource Depletion Perspective on the Link Between Abusive Supervision and Safety Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 213-228, February.
    17. Qin Xu & Guangxi Zhang & Andrew Chan, 2019. "Abusive Supervision and Subordinate Proactive Behavior: Joint Moderating Roles of Organizational Identification and Positive Affectivity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 829-843, July.
    18. Michael Palanski & James Avey & Napatsorn Jiraporn, 2014. "The Effects of Ethical Leadership and Abusive Supervision on Job Search Behaviors in the Turnover Process," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(1), pages 135-146, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ahsan Ali & Hussain Tariq & Yanling Wang, 2025. "Finding the silver lining: why and when abusive supervision improves the objective service performance of abused employees," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 559-593, June.
    2. Arindam Bhattacharjee & Anita Sarkar, 2024. "Abusive supervision: a systematic literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 1-34, February.
    3. Ling L. Harris & Scott B. Jackson & Joel Owens & Nicholas Seybert, 2022. "Recruiting Dark Personalities for Earnings Management," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 193-218, June.
    4. Dirk De Clercq & Tasneem Fatima & Sadia Jahanzeb, 2021. "Ingratiating with Despotic Leaders to Gain Status: The Role of Power Distance Orientation and Self-enhancement Motive," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(1), pages 157-174, June.
    5. Sebastian Oelrich & Anne Chwolka, 2024. "When deviants talk: the role of Dark Triad traits and moral reasoning in whistleblowing," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 333-369, September.
    6. Ying-Ni Cheng & Changya Hu & Sheng Wang & Jui-Chieh Huang, 2024. "Political context matters: a joint effect of coercive power and perceived organizational politics on abusive supervision and silence," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 81-106, March.
    7. Mackey, Jeremy D. & Parker Ellen, B. & McAllister, Charn P. & Alexander, Katherine C., 2021. "The dark side of leadership: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis of destructive leadership research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 705-718.
    8. L. Maxim Laurijssen & Barbara Wisse & Stacey Sanders & Ed Sleebos, 2024. "How to Neutralize Primary Psychopathic Leaders’ Damaging Impact: Rules, Sanctions, and Transparency," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(2), pages 365-383, January.
    9. Shaohui Lei, 2024. "Shedding Light on the Adverse Spillover Effects of Work-Family Conflict on Unethical Sales Behaviors at Work: A Daily Diary Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(2), pages 399-411, March.
    10. Takuma Kimura & Mizuki Nishikawa, 2018. "Ethical Leadership and Its Cultural and Institutional Context: An Empirical Study in Japan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 707-724, September.
    11. Dana Kabat-Farr & Benjamin M. Walsh & Alyssa K. McGonagle, 2019. "Uncivil Supervisors and Perceived Work Ability: The Joint Moderating Roles of Job Involvement and Grit," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 971-985, June.
    12. Yuntao Bai & Lili Lu & Li Lin-Schilstra, 2022. "Auxiliaries to Abusive Supervisors: The Spillover Effects of Peer Mistreatment on Employee Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 219-237, June.
    13. Xinqi Du & Md Sohel Chowdhury & Dae-seok Kang, 2022. "Reducing the Negative Effects of Abusive Supervision: A Step towards Organizational Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Hannes Zacher & Liane Pearce & David Rooney & Bernard McKenna, 2014. "Leaders’ Personal Wisdom and Leader–Member Exchange Quality: The Role of Individualized Consideration," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(2), pages 171-187, May.
    15. Andreas Strobl & Jessica Niedermair & Kurt Matzler & Tobias Mussner, 2019. "Triggering Subordinate Innovation Behavior: The Influence Of Leaders’ Dark Personality Traits And Level 5 Leadership Behavior," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 23(05), pages 1-37, June.
    16. Wen Zhang & Wei Liu & Yingyee Wu & Chenlu Ma & Xiyao Xiao & Xichao Zhang, 2022. "How Fear of External Threats Plays Roles: An Examination of Supervisors’ Trait Anger, Abusive Supervision, Subordinate Burnout and CCB," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-15, December.
    17. Sylvie Borau & Jean-François Bonnefon, 2019. "The Imaginary Intrasexual Competition: Advertisements Featuring Provocative Female Models Trigger Women to Engage in Indirect Aggression," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(1), pages 45-63, June.
    18. Guohong Helen Han & P. D. Harms & Yuntao Bai, 2017. "Nightmare Bosses: The Impact of Abusive Supervision on Employees’ Sleep, Emotions, and Creativity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(1), pages 21-31, September.
    19. Clarine M. Jacobs, 2019. "Ineffective-Leader-Induced Occupational Stress," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(2), pages 21582440198, June.
    20. Chenlin Liu & Siwei Sun & Francisca N. Mapiye Dube, 2021. "The Buffering Effects of Subordinates’ Forgiveness and Communication Openness on Abusive Supervision and Voice Behavior," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, August.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:196:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-023-05580-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.