It’s all in the Treatment: An Empirical Study of Fairness Perceptions in the Workplace

Abstract

This study examined the distinct mechanisms through which supervisory interactional justice and affective trust elicit positive work outcomes via social exchange theory. Barron and Kenny’s (1986) mediation test and Sobel’s test were utilized to test data from 317 employees from organizations from various industries that included manufacturing, hospitality, and healthcare. The results support the proposed model and illustrate the salient role the supervisor plays as an alternative source of fairness perceptions in the workplace. Furthermore, the results illustrate how trust mediates the relationship between supervisory interactional justice and work outcomes. The implications, limitations and direction for future research are discussed.