Line managers' engagement in support of employees' development : a study within the oil and gas industry

Abstract

Line managers who are involved with employees on a daily basis are in a unique position to support their subordinate employees’ development. However, organisations have found that achieving the required engagement from line managers is not straightforward. This particular study embraced a framework based on the Job Demands-Resources model to help understand what are the factors most influencing line managers’ engagement in support of subordinate employees’ development. Through a mixed methodology approach, combining a questionnaire instrument and focus group discussions with line managers and other stakeholders within an organisation operating in the Oil and Gas industry, this study identified several findings that have implications on different levels. The results of the study indicated that organisation factors were perceived by line managers as being more important than both opportunity factors and motivation factors and that organisation factors moderate the impact of the ability, opportunity and motivation factors. In addition, it was found that organisation factors can moderate individual/contextual variables and also that certain individual/contextual variables may moderate organisation, opportunity and motivation factors.