Family supportive supervision, trust, and perceived job security

Purpose Perceived job security is positively associated with employee and organizational outcomes, yet antecedents to perceived job security remain understudied. Drawing on signaling theory, this study examines how family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSBs) influence employee perceptions of job security and the role interpersonal trust plays. Design/methodology/approach To test the hypothesized model, the authors utilized a two-wave study design of working adults in the U.S. (n = 165), analyzing the data using PROCESS Macro model 4. Findings All four dimensions of FSSB (emotional support, instrumental support, role modeling, and creative work-family management) and overall FSSB are positively associated with employee-perceived job security directly and indirectly through affect-based trust. Cognition-based trust fully mediates the relationships between emotional support, instrumental support and perceived job security, partially mediating the relationships among role modeling, creative work-family management, overall FSSB and perceived job security. Originality/value The perceived job security literature is extended to explore antecedents and illustrate how FSSBs, along with trust, positively influence employee-perceived job security.