Project info
Work package
- Work
Sustainability threat
- External Shocks
Challenge
- Reshaping organizational forms
Study info
Description of Study
Helping coworkers with their work tasks is a common phenomenon at many workplaces. While getting help is typically advantageous for the receiver, the costs and benefits for the helper are less clear. This chapter focuses on the relationship between helping coworkers and performance, both at the team and individual levels. Additionally, we examined whether a supportive work environment and the helper’s gender moderate this link. We tested our hypotheses using unique three-level data (employees, departments, organizations) gathered from six different sectors across nine European countries and hierarchical regressions. We found a positive association between helping coworkers and performance for teams and individuals, as predicted by the Social Exchange Theory. This association was strengthened the more supportive one's coworkers are. Unexpectedly, there were no gender differences in performance benefits derived from helping others. Results suggest that organizations should foster a supportive work environment to enhance team and individual performance.
Study research question
How is helping coworkers linked to the helper’s individual performance and team performance? Is this relationship dependent on the supportiveness of the work environment and the helper’s gender?
Collection provenance
- External data
Collection methods
- Questionaire
Personal data
-
External Source
Source description
File formats
Data types
- Structured
Languages
Coverage start
Coverage end
Spatial coverage
Bulgaria
Finland
Germany
Hungary
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
Collection period start
01/01/2015
Collection period end
31/12/2016
Variables
Unit
Unit description
Sample size
Sampling method
Individuals
Employees in work organizations
8821
—
Organizations
—
251
—
Hypothesis
Theory
H1: The more team members help each other, the higher the performance of the team.
Cooperation; OCB
H2a: The more an employee helps coworkers, the higher the individual performance.
Social Exchange Theory
H2b: The more an employee helps coworkers, the lower the individual performance.
Conservation of resources; allocation of resources; social support
H3a: The more supportive the manager, the stronger (weaker) the positive (negative) association between helping and performance.
Reciprocity; Social Exchange Theory
H3b: The more supportive the coworkers, the stronger (weaker) the positive (negative) association between helping and performance.
Reciprocity; Social Exchange Theory
H4: The positive (negative) link between helping and performance is weaker (stronger) for women than for men.
Gender roles and stereotypes
Variable type
Variable name
Variable description
Dependent variable
Team performance
The variable was measured using the question ‘How would you rate your department’s labor productivity? Answer options included ‘very good’, ‘rather good’, ‘neither good nor bad’, ‘rather poor’, and ‘very poor’. The scale was reversed so that higher values indicated higher performance. Note that no manager indicated ‘very poor’ performance, resulting in the variable ranging from 1 to 4; filled in by the manager.
Independent variable
Team helping
Agreement with the following statement: ‘Employees regularly ask one another for help or advice regarding work issues’ using a 5-point Likert scale; filled in by the manager.
Dependent variable
Employee task performance
Measured using task performance items of the ‘Individual Work Performance Survey’ (Koopmans et al., 2014) on a 5-point Likert scale and averaged across items.
How often have you come across the following situations?
…I was able to plan my work so that I finished on time
…I kept in mind the work results I needed to achieve
…I was able to set priorities
…I was able to do my work efficiently
…I managed my time well
Independent variable
Helping
Measured on a 5-point Likert scale and averaged across the following items. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about you and your colleagues?
…I often help my colleagues solve work-related problems
…I often help new colleagues adjust to the work environment
…I often volunteer to cover work assignments for colleagues when needed
…It is most important to me to communicate and work together well with my colleagues
Independent variable
Supervisor support
Measured on a 5-point Likert scale and averaged across the following items. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about you and your supervisor?
…My supervisor shows understanding if I have problems or wishes concerning my job
…I feel appreciated by my supervisor
…My supervisor uses his/her influence to help me solve work-related problems
…My supervisor is friendly and approachable
Independent variable
Co-worker support
Measured on a 5-point Likert scale and averaged across the following items. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about you and your colleagues?
…Everyone feels like part of the team
…Employees regularly ask one another for help or advice regarding work issues
…Employees regularly give one another feedback
…Employees frequently see one another outside the office
Independent variable
Gender
Whether the respondent is male or female.
Control variable
Education
In years.
Control variable
Number of employees
Number of employees in the department in categories.
Control variable
Share of women
Share of women in the department categories.
Control variable
Interdependence
The extent to which employees depend on each other to fulfill their tasks.
Control variable
Autonomy
The extent to which employees can decide how to organize their work.
Control variable
Sector
Financial services, health care, higher education, manufacturing, telecommunications, and transportation.
Control variable
Country
Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Discipline-specific operationalizations
Conflict of interest
Data packages
Publications
Documents
Filename
Description
Date
Ethics
Ethical assessment
Yes
Ethical committee
Faculty Ethics Review Board - Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University