Differential Superior-Subordinate Relations, Perceptions of Fairness, and Coworker Communication

Abstract

This study examines the complex relationships between differential superior-subordinate relations, fairness perceptions, and coworker communication. Data gathered from employees in a variety of organizations indicate that differential treatment from a supervisor to his or her subordinates influences coworker communication by (a) leading coworkers to talk about the differential treatment itself, and (b) influencing the nature of the communication relationships among the coworkers. Data also provide insight into issues of perceived organizational fairness, indicating that fairness perceptions are often socially constructed by work group members through discourse.