PhD defence M.E.L. (Marijntje) Zeijen

Summary:

With this dissertation, we have provided insights in the day-to-day dyadic dynamics of social support at work. Accordingly, social support not only benefits the recipient of support but can also benefit the providers of support. Employees who provide more support on a day-to-day basis satisfy their daily psychological needs and feel that they matter more. Also, supportive employees are more engaged in their work and experience higher levels of emotional well-being outside work. The benefits of support provision are particularly present when providers offer support during episodes in which recipients experience high emotional demands and if receivers usually are appreciative of support. In addition, our research showed that employees can increase their own probability of receiving support through providing support. The probability that employees receive requested or reciprocate received support, however, also changes during the day – depending on from whom the support is requested (e.g., from a workaholic co-worker or colleague who values the relationship) or from whom the support is received (i.e., colleagues who also provide support). Based on this dissertation, one could thus say that the more autonomously motivated support employees provide, the better they will feel and the more support they will receive.