Supporting resolution: the impact of supervisors on workplace conflict management

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of supervisors in managing workplace conflict, with a focus on introducing and empirically testing a new construct called Supervisor Conflict Management Support (SCMS). The results confirm a preliminary theory of how SCMS influences conflict resolution and organizational outcomes, including contextual factors such as conflict severity and expression norms. Design/methodology/approach This study uses survey data collected from a sample of 5,123 employees within the Federal Aviation Administration who reported experiencing workplace conflict. SCMS was measured alongside organizational constructs, including organizational commitment, conflict resolution and intent to stay. Data was analyzed using hierarchical regression and moderation analyses to test hypotheses and explore contextual effects. Convergent validity was tested using exploratory principal component analyses and was confirmed via average variance extracted tests for all constructs, whereas discriminant validity was supported through the Fornell–Larcker criterion and heterotrait–monotrait ratios. Findings The results demonstrate that SCMS significantly improves conflict resolution outcomes and enhances organizational commitment while increasing employees’ intent to stay. Moderation analyses revealed that SCMS is most effective when conflict is less severe and expression norms are open. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on supervisor conflict management in a safety-critical organization. Future research could explore different applications of SCMS and examine supervisors’ dual role as both conflict mitigators and contributors. Practical implications This study has practical implications for training managers on effective conflict management intervention and resolution strategies. Originality/value This study introduces SCMS as a novel construct and highlights supervisors’ critical role in fostering conflict resolution. By examining SCMS in a high-stakes organizational context, the findings contribute to advancing conflict management theory and offer practical insights for supervisory training that improves workplace conflict resolution.