How cultural differences in a manager-subordinate relationship affect employee well-being

Abstract

Purpose: Psychological and social well-being are important aspects of the everyday life of employees and can affect their engagement, motivation, job satisfaction, and more. Several factors influence employees’ well-being, including their direct managers. Today’s work environment is characterized by globalization, multinational enterprises, and constant change. More than 600 American-owned companies operate in Norway; thus, several American managers work and have subordinates in this country (Ottesen, 2018, p. 6). Consequently, it is vital to understand whether or not cultural differences between Norway and the United States impact employee well-being. The present study explores and presents how cultural differences in a manager-subordinate relationship affect employee well-being.

Approach: Phenomenological study, collecting data with qualitative and exploratory methods. Data on employee well-being were retrieved through semi-structured interviews with six employees in an American-owned oilfield service company operating in Norway. The informants were selected based on being managed by both American and Norwegian managers in the same company.

Findings: Job satisfaction, happiness and joy at work, eudaimonic, work-load, and stress are all aspects of psychological well-being experienced at a higher level under American management. Motivation and control of the workday were experienced as higher during Norwegian management. The social well-being aspect was barely affected by managerial change. The manager-subordinate relationships were experienced as more positive under Norwegian management though the informants experienced a higher impact on decisions under American management.

Value: The findings show that even though the psychological well-being of employees is generally experienced as higher under American management, the manager-subordinate relationship is more negative. The opposite is shown under Norwegian management, whereas social well-being is seemingly unaffected by the managerial change. This thesis indicates no strong link between cultural differences in manager-subordinate relationships and overall employee well-being.

Keywords: Employee well-being, culture, management, American, Norwegian, manager-subordinate relationship.