How supervisory support for career development relates to subordinate work engagement and career outcomes: The moderating role of task proficiency

• Published date: 01 July 2018
• Author: Fu Yang,Jing Qian,Ting Wang,Zhen Wang,Xiaoyu Huang,Huiping Yu,Jun Liu
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12194
• Date: 01 July 2018

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

How supervisory support for career development

relates to subordinate work engagement and career

outcomes: The moderating role of task proficiency

Fu Yang

1

|Jun Liu

2

|Xiaoyu Huang

3

|Jing Qian

4

|Ting Wang

1

|

Zhen Wang

5

|Huiping Yu

6

1

School of Business Administration,

Southwestern University of Finance and

Economics

2

School of Business, Renmin University of

China

3

College of Business and Public

Administration, California State University, San

Bernardino

4

Business School, Beijing Normal University

5

School of Labor and Human Resources,

Renmin University of China

6

School of Public Management, Shanxi

University of Finance and Economics

Correspondence

Fu Yang, School of Business Administration,

Southwestern University of Finance and

Economics, No. 555, Liutai Road, Wenjiang

District, Chengdu 611130, China.

Email: yangfu6810@126.com

Funding information

National Natural Science Foundation of China,

Grant/Award Number: 71502141; Project of

Humanities and Social Sciences of Ministry of

Education in China, Grant/Award Number:

16YJA630069

Abstract

Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this research investigates

how and when supervisory support for career development relates to

subordinate career outcomes. Using data collected from 228 supervi-

sor–subordinate dyads across 3 phases, we proposed and examined a

mediated moderation model in which the interaction between supervi-

sory support for career development and task proficiency was medi-

ated by work engagement in predicting career outcomes in terms of

career satisfaction and promotability. Results showed that supervisory

support for career development was positively related to career satis-

faction and promotability. Results also supported the mediated moder-

ation model. We outlined the theoretical contributions for future

research and discussed the practical implications.

KEYWORDS

career satisfaction, promotability, supervisory support for career

development, taskproficiency, work engagement

1|INTRODUCTION

As agents of the organisation, supervisors are often gatekeepers to tangible resources within an organisation (Graen &

Scandura, 1987). Therefore, subordinates usually depend on their supervisors for their career development and future

advancement opportunities (Loi, Chan, & Lam, 2014). Support that comes from supervi sors within an organisation is partic-

ularly relevant in enhancing subordinates' career outcomes such as praise, recognit ion, and merit pay (Shanock & Eisenberger,

2006). Indeed, Ito and Brotheridge (2005) found that supervisory support for career support is positively related to career

adaptability and negatively related to turnover intentions. Supervisorysupport for career development (henceforth referr ed

to as “supervisory support”) is defined as the degree of career‐related support received from their supervisors that allows

subordinates to control their own work by influencing their performance goals, giving performance feedback, helping them

Received: 27 June 2016 Revised: 2 February 2018 Accepted: 14 February 2018

DOI: 10.1111/1748-8583.12194

496 © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Hum Resour Manag J. 2018;28:496–509.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/hrmj