Supervisor developmental feedback and employee performance: The roles of feedback-seeking and political skill

Abstract

The present study investigated the positive influence of supervisor developmental feedback on employee performance through feedback-seeking, as well as the moderating role of political skill. Employees (n = 327, females = 59.6%) of a high-tech company completed measures of supervisor developmental feedback and political skill. The supervisors (n = 68, females = 51.3%) were invited to evaluate their employees’ feedback-seeking and performance. Following hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrap analysis, results showed that supervisor developmental feedback was positively correlated to employees’ feedback-seeking and performance. The relationship between supervisor developmental feedback and employee performance was partly mediated by feedback-seeking. Moreover, the positive influence of supervisor developmental feedback on employees’ feedback-seeking and performance were moderated by political skill. Future managers and supervisors should leverage developmental feedback to facilitate employees’ feedback-seeking and performance.