Attenuating the negative effects of abusive supervision: The role of proactive voice behavior and resource management ability

While a large portion of the abusive supervision literature has examined the negative consequences of such perceived mistreatment, little research has examined individual-level characteristics capable of helping victims survive under such conditions. The purpose of this two-sample study, therefore, is to examine the factors that attenuate the negative affective and behavioral reactions stemming from perceived abusive supervision. Supported by recent extensions of the Job Demand–Control model (JD–C; Karasek, 1979; Meier, Semmer, Elfering, & Jacobshagen, 2008), we suggest that individuals who exhibit proactive voice behaviors and perceive that they are better able to manage their resources will experience less dissatisfaction, emotional exhaustion, turnover intentions, and reductions in work effort when faced with perceived supervisory abuse than those not demonstrating proactive voice and incapable of managing their resources. Cross-sample findings demonstrated support for our hypotheses. Implications for theory and practice, strengths and limitations, and avenues for additional research are discussed.