Handbook of Management Scales/Instrumental support

Instrumental support (alpha = 0.74) edit

Description edit

Drawing on social support theory and using data from two samples of lower wage workers, the authors develop and validate a measure of family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB). FSSB is conceptualized as a multidimensional superordinate construct with four subordinate dimensions: emotional support, instrumental support, role modeling behaviors, and creative work-family management. Results from multilevel confirmatory factor analyses and multilevel regression analyses provide evidence of construct, criterion-related, and incremental validity.

Definition edit

Family supportive supervisor behaviors are defined as behaviors exhibited by supervisors that are supportive of families.

Instrumental support is reactive and pertains to supervisor support as he or she responds to an individual employee’s work and family needs in the form of day-to-day management transactions.

Items edit

  • I can depend on my supervisor to help me with scheduling conflicts if I need it.
  • I can rely on my supervisor to make sure my work responsibilities are handled when I have unanticipated nonwork demands.
  • My supervisor works effectively with workers to creatively solve conflicts between work and nonwork.

Source edit