Interaction between supervisor and employee - reflections on changing working life
Keywords:
competence, interaction, interactive management, LMX theory, superior work, type of employmentAbstract
The ongoing change in working life and work requires more interaction skills; jobs
are fragmented and transferred to networks, digitalization, and diversity induced by
multiculturalism and a new generation of employees, and the former know-how face significant
pressures of change. Supervisors particularly play an important role in organizations, and in
their interaction capability especially is a key factor in changes concerning everyday working
life, maintaing employee productivity and motivation, and developing positive wellbeing
and atmosphere at work.
The article examines the experiences of interaction with the supervisor in different groups
of employees and the implications for job sufficiency, competencies of the individual and the
unit, and also for the unit performance and flexibility. This study is based on the LMX theory
of the relationship between superiors and subordinates. The data was collected from 4500
respondents in 93 SMEs in various industries around Finland and analyzed quantitatively.
The research is affiliated with the HERMES project implemented in 2015 and 2016 by the
University of Vaasa and the Lappeenranta University of Technology.
The most important observation of the study is related to the type of employment and the
quality of interaction experienced by the employee. The estimation of fixed-term employees
on the interaction with their supervisor was higher than that of permanent or temporary
workers. This finding is surprising and shows the significance and unique experience of the
relationship. Interaction relations also differed in respect of gender and leadership position.
In addition, the position of employee influenced interaction relations.
