Management quality's impact on task performance: the mediating role of counterproductive work behaviors and moderating role of work stress

Purpose The objective of the study is threefold: first, to examine the impact of management quality on employees' task non-performance; second, to explore the mediating role of counterproductive behaviors in this main relationship; and finally, to assess the moderating role of work-related stress in the effect of management quality on these deviant behaviors. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of 604 employees from a retail company in Morocco. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted to identify the relationships between management quality, counterproductive work behaviors, work-related stress, and task non-performance. Findings The results indicated that management quality was negatively correlated with counterproductive behavior and task non-performance. Employees' counterproductive behaviors mediate the relationship between management quality and task non-performance and also serve as predictors of the latter. The negative relationship between management quality and counterproductive behavior is stronger when employees experience work-related stress, highlighting the moderating role of stress in this dynamic. Research limitations/implications First, the generalization of the results was limited, as the characteristics of participants in the retail sector are not identical to those in other industries. Second, applying a quantitative approach to a theory traditionally used in qualitative research risks losing certain contextual nuances, and does not capture the richness of underlying human and organizational interactions. Third, although the six levers of management quality were measured independently, they were integrated as second-order variables in a comprehensive model. Finally, the study incorporated only two dimensions of individual work performance. It would be interesting to measure contextual performance and adaptive performance. Practical implications Companies need to optimize management quality to enhance individual work performance by training managers to foster a healthy work environment. Furthermore, the moderating role of stress highlights the importance for companies to implement mechanisms for measuring and monitoring employee stress through regular surveys, individual interviews, and other assessment tools. Regarding the mediating role of counterproductive behaviors, companies should adopt a proactive approach by identifying early warning signs of such behaviors and taking timely action. This includes implementing mentoring programs, providing psychological support, establishing anonymous feedback mechanisms, and creating regular discussion spaces where employees can freely express their concerns. Originality/value Our study offers an innovative perspective on the effects of management on employee behavior. Its originality lies in its integrative approach, which combines management quality, workplace stress, and counterproductive behaviors to explain task performance within a single model. It stands out from previous research, which addresses these concepts separately or in a binary manner, through its adoption of a systemic perspective that illustrates the mediating role of counterproductive behaviors and the moderating effect of workplace stress.