Edinburgh Napier University

  Supervisor’s HR decisions have a significant impact on the employees they manage but have been found to be subject to bias. The upward influence tactics use by subordinates can play a role in this. We investigated the effects of seven upward influence tactics on
supervisor job performance ratings and the extent of subordinate flexible working arrangements (FWAs). Supervisors are often responsible for determining whether employees are granted FWAs. We posit an alternative theoretical mechanism by which
upward influence tactics bring about their effects, mediated through two distinct types of respect, mutual appraisal and mutual recognition respect. We collected data from 389 matched supervisor-subordinate dyads, and found that both mutual appraisal respect and
mutual recognition respect mediated relationships between several upward influence tactics and both job performance ratings and flexible working arrangements. Our findings show that upward influence tactics affect the quality of the relationship between
employees and their supervisors. Specifically, these two forms of mutual respect. Further, that both mutual appraisal and mutual recognition respect may explain why supervisors show favoritism to some subordinates over others, in reaching HR decisions in these areas.