Distinguishing source of autonomy support in relation to workers' motivation and self-efficacy.
The purpose was to investigate the relationship between autonomy support by managers and co-workers and employees' work motivation and self-efficacy in two studies. In Study 1, a sample of 343 Swedish workers completed surveys, and in Study 2, we followed up with a subsample of 98 workers one year later. As in previous studies, managers support of autonomy was significantly positively related to workers' outcomes. However, the results of Study 1 also showed that co-worker autonomy support was related to these outcomes over and above the effects of manager support. Study 2 showed that changes in autonomy support from co-workers during one year significantly predicted motivation and self-efficacy one year later, while change in support from managers was unrelated to outcomes later. These findings provide evidence for the importance of both vertical and horizontal sources of support.
Linköping University, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, IBL, Linköping SE-581 83, Sweden. tomas.jungert@liu.se
Tomas
T
Jungert
Richard Frank
RF
Koestner
Nathalie
N
Houlfort
Kaspar
K
Schattke
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D015279:Organizational Culture; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*