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Violating Work-Family Boundaries: Reactions to Interruptions at Work and Home

A servant leader and their stakeholders: When does organizational structure enhance a leader's influence?

We all seek revenge: The role of honesty-humility in reactions to incivility

Managing the innovators: Organizational and professional commitment among scientists and engineers

Give me a better break: Choosing workday break activities to maximize resource recovery

What constitutes a good workday break, and how can breaks impact both productivity and health? Cindy Wu and Emily Hunter from Baylor’s Department of Management studied these topics, and their research broke new ground and shattered a few long-held myths. In this Baylor Connections, Wu and Hunter help listeners consider their own workday breaks and how to effectively utilize them for benefits on and off the job.

Cindy Wu and Emily Hunter Baylor Connections

Cindy Wu and Emily Hunter

Dr. Emily M. Hunter, associate professor of management  at Baylor's Hankamer School of Business, teaches negotiation and conflict management. Her research on employee work-family issues, stress, and deviant behavior has appeared in academic journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management and Journal of Organizational Behavior. She is also the co-author of "Organized Innovation: A Blueprint for Renewing America's Prosperity."

She also has received awards for her papers and presentations including "Most Innovative Session Award" from the Southern Management Association in 2010, and is a member of the Academy of Management, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology and Southern Management Association.

Hunter received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Loyola University New Orleans in 2003, and her master's degree in 2006 and doctoral degree in 2009 in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Houston. Before joining the Baylor faculty, she worked as a senior consultant at Assessment and Development, Inc.

Hunter's research interests include negotiation, conflict management, work-family conflict and balance, workplace deviance, servant leadership and workday breaks.

Management and Leadership

Workday Breaks

Work-Life-Family Balance

Faculty Profile

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A new psychological study revealed the best time to take a break at work

The best time of day to take a break

Waco, texas (may 15, 2017) - a new baylor university hankamer school of business study looks at the consequences and benefits of interruptions during work and family time.

When your spouse calls and interrupts your workday, is that a good thing?

Consider these scenarios.

You’re focused on an important project at work and your phone rings. It’s your spouse.

You’ve just finished dinner with your family and you’re cleaning up the table. Your phone buzzes. An email from your boss.

Are these interruptions of your work and family time harmful or helpful?

Yes and no, according to a new Journal of Management study spearheaded by work-life balance expert Emily Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of management in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. 

“Our results demonstrate that the effect of interruptions in the work and home domains are twofold: On one hand, they may lead to unwelcome consequences, including obstruction of goals, negative affect, decreased satisfaction with investment in work and family and work-family conflict,” researchers wrote. “On the other, greater integration of work and family may afford workers increased positive affect, as these interruptions help them meet certain work or family goals.”

Hunter said technology is blurring the boundaries between work and family, and this can have daily consequences on workers.

“When you give to one domain, you must take from the other. There are only so many hours in the day,” Hunter said. “Interruptions from family ‘take’ from work in the form of work goal obstructions, negative emotions and lower satisfaction with investment in work.”

When work invades family time, employees can use that to their advantage as well, Hunter said. 

“Workers who work from home in off-job hours can also benefit from managing co-worker expectations about availability after hours, setting aside time after children go to bed to accomplish work tasks with minimal obstruction to their family role and setting limits on hours of smartphone use for work purposes,” she said. 

When Your Spouse Calls and Interrupts Your Workday, Is That a Good Thing?

Waco, texas (dec. 20, 2017) - as 2018 approaches, many americans are considering ways to improve themselves via new year’s resolutions. here is a listing of baylor university research that might help advise those seeking positive change in the coming year.

Considering a new year’s resolution for 2018? baylor experts can help

Many Americans seek New Year’s resolutions. Whether personal, like losing weight or clearing clutter, or professional, like being a better manager or breaking away from smartphones, the options vary. Here is a listing of Baylor University research that might help advise those seeking positive change in 2018.

BREAK AWAY FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE (James Roberts and Meredith David)

“Our inability to separate from technology is devastating to our well-being,” said James Roberts, Ph.D., professor of marketing. “Even if it’s not an addiction, it’s a deeply ingrained habit.” 

BE MORE GENEROUS (Andy Hogue)

“Whatever our station, however much money or resources we have, we all have something to share and something to give," said Andy Hogue, Ph.D, director of the Philanthropy and Public Service Program. "I like the idea of thinking in terms of a New Year’s resolution, sort of resolving to be more generous and helping people to think in those ways.”

CLEAR OUT THE CLUTTER (Elise King)

“Don’t try to organize the entire house in one weekend,” said Elise King, assistant professor in the department of family and consumer sciences. “You are much more likely to complete a task, especially one that you’ve probably been avoiding, if you break it into small goals. Don’t try to clean out an entire room over a weekend; instead, focus on the desk one week, the closet the next, and so forth.”

TRY A NEW APPROACH TO DIETING (Meredith David)

“Our research shows that instead of creating rules to avoid one’s favorite treats, dieters should focus on eating healthy foods that they enjoy,” said Meredith David, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing.

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE AT WORK (Emily Hunter)

“When you give to one domain, you must take from the other. There are only so many hours in the day,” Hunter said. 

ASK: IS IT REALLY BETTER TO WORK FROM HOME? (Sara Perry)

Many people dream of working from home. And with today’s technology – everything from phone calls and email to texting and videoconferences – maintaining "virtual" communications with the team seems to be easier than ever. But is virtual teamwork productive? Are managers really getting the most out of their teams when virtuality is involved?

“Under the conditions of higher virtuality, you need people to hold you accountable, to prevent the virtuality from letting you stray or ‘loaf,’” said Sara Perry, assistant professor of management.

Considering a New Year’s Resolution for 2018? Baylor Experts Can Help

Emily Hunter, Ph.D.,  management, Baylor University, Hankamer School of Business

A weekly podcast introducing the Waco community to the people behind Baylor’s teaching, research and distinct role in higher education.

Baylor Connections

how-to-negotiate-the-best-retail-price-baylor-expert-shares-11-tips

Professor; Department Chair of Management, Hankamer School of Business

Confidence in retail negotiations can lead to confidence in salary talks as well, management expert says  In today’s retail climate, where stores struggle to keep up with online competition and customers can compare prices with the ease of their smartphones, the price tag is just a starting point for negotiations, said a negotiation expert at Baylor University.

“No longer do you need to pay sticker price for everything you buy. The customer is now empowered to have a say in pricing, and even hourly retail workers are often empowered to give price discounts when requested,” said Emily Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of management in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, and an expert in negotiation and conflict management. Hunter said negotiations – whether in a retail setting or in the workplace – require confidence.

“Many people are hesitant to negotiate because they don’t know how or they are worried about the other person’s reaction (Will they think I’m greedy?),” she said. “But practice can increase your confidence in your ability to negotiate. Rejection is less common than you fear, and retail stores especially are often willing to work with you.”

She offered the following tips to increase the chances of greater deals at the check-out counter.

Be nice. First and foremost, always be kind and polite when asking for a discount in retail settings, Hunter said. You are much more likely to be successful if someone wants to help you out, as opposed to demanding a discount or raising your voice to puff up your sense of power. It’s not a power play. Instead, negotiating is a matter of give-and-take.

Find defects. It is easier to negotiate an item if you can find something wrong with it. Most stores have a policy in place that allows cashiers and salespeople to offer a moderate discount (typically 10-15 percent), but when they offer it, be persistent and politely try to push them for more.

“I’ve negotiated a rug because it was on the sales floor and had frayed edges, a metal cabinet with a dent in the back (Who will ever see that? It’s in the back!), and clothing with a slight stain,” Hunter said. “Point out the defect to the person you are negotiating with and ask for half off.”

Look for mark-downs. If an item is marked down or “open-box,” then ask for further discounts, Hunter advised. Remember, the store already acknowledged that the item is worth less than original price and they are likely desperate to be rid of it quickly.

“Borrow” a coupon during check-out. When making a purchase, Hunter said she is often asked the question: “Do you have a coupon?” Instead of saying no, she said it might save some money to consider another reply.

“Whenever I’m asked this question at check-out, I reply, ‘No, do you have one I could use?’ This works more often than you might think and can result in sweet savings. No clipping required,” she said.

Prepare yourself – quickly. When you see an item that could be a good opportunity to negotiate, Hunter said it’s best to prepare quickly with three steps. First, set a strong goal for yourself, usually in the form of a steep discount you will request. Second, set a “redline” price, the highest price you are willing to pay. Third, consider your best alternative – which might be purchasing the same item online for less – if negotiations fail.

Find a BATNA. “In negotiation lingo, we call your best alternative your BATNA – Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement,” Hunter said. “In retail, it’s extremely important to shop around both at other stores and online to see if the same or a similar item is offered elsewhere for less. This can be your bargaining chip to ask for a discount.”
She explained that most big-box stores now have a price-matching policy, but it’s worth trying to go beyond the price match and ask for an additional 10 percent discount, particularly if you agree to purchase at that moment.

“Think about it from the store’s perspective,” she said. “They want to keep you from buying from major online retailers, so they might agree to a discount.”

Ask for a higher discount than you’re seeking. Let’s say you’re seeking $200 off the price of a refrigerator. Hunter said it’s not wise to start your negotiation by asking for $200 off, because you are almost guaranteed to get less than that.

“In negotiations, both sides expect some give-and-take, and the retailer is unlikely to accept your first offer,” she said. “Start by asking for $500 off the fridge and see what they say. Even better, back up your offer by pointing out a defect, a cheaper price online for the same product or evidence of a sale at the same store that just ended.”

Pretend you own the business. Think from the seller’s perspective, Hunter advised. Consider what the seller wants from you, the customer.

Besides the obvious answer of higher sales and profit, simply offering to write a review online could be very helpful, especially for small businesses.

“I once got a great deal on a tool cabinet because I offered to write a positive review on the customer experience survey (you know, the one you get on your receipt that few people fill out?). The manager said that would be wonderful because his store performance is assessed partly based on those customer surveys and he really needed a good review that quarter,” Hunter said.

Always negotiate furniture. Hunter said the markup on furniture is often extremely high, as much as 80 percent, and that makes furniture a target for negotiation.

“I always negotiate when buying everything from mattresses to sofas to end tables,” she said. “Ask for big discounts at first, as you never know how desperate they are to rotate their stock. And try asking for steeper discounts if you buy multiple pieces, or buying a sofa set and getting the coffee table thrown in for free.”

Choose your opponent wisely. When you choose to negotiate, make sure you’re dealing with the people who can make the decisions, Hunter said. Sometimes the clerks on the floor might not be the best option, so jump straight to the cashier or the manager to work with someone who has the authority to make a pricing decision.

Remember the ultimate goal.  Negotiation is not just about saving a few dollars, Hunter said. Instead, it’s about building negotiating skills.

“Negotiating in retail settings can be a helpful practice to build your confidence to negotiate more important items such as salary and work projects,” she said. “While negotiating salary and other relationship-based issues at work differs quite a bit from the strategies described here, the first step is having the confidence to ask.”

ABOUT EMILY HUNTER, PH.D. Emily Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of management in Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business, teaches negotiation and conflict management. Her research on employee work-family issues, workday breaks and deviant behavior has appeared in academic journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management and Journal of Organizational Behavior. She is also the co-author of "Organized Innovation: A Blueprint for Renewing America's Prosperity."

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT BAYLOR’S HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/businessand follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.



How to Negotiate the Best Retail Price: Baylor Expert Shares 11 Tips

out-of-office-new-baylor-management-study-examines-relationship-between-stress-and-remote-work

The Ben Williams Professor in Management; Professor of Management

Researchers say people with high emotional stability and autonomy are best suited for remote-work opportunities  Many U.S. employees believe working from home – or at least away from the office – can bring freedom and stress-free job satisfaction. A new Baylor University study says, “Not so fast.”

The study, published recently in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, examines the impact of remote work on employee well-being and offers several strategies to help managers provide remote-work opportunities that are valuable to the employee and the company.


“Any organization, regardless of the extent to which people work remotely, needs to consider well-being of their employees as they implement more flexible working practices,” the researchers wrote.


A total of 403 working adults were surveyed for the two studies that made up the research, said lead author Sara Perry, Ph.D., assistant professor of management in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. The research team measured each employee’s autonomy (the level of a worker’s independence), strain (defined in this study as exhaustion, disengagement and dissatisfaction) and emotional stability.

Emotional stability, Perry explained, “captures how even keeled someone is or, on the opposite end, how malleable their emotions are. An example would be if something stressful happens at work, a person who is high on emotional stability would take it in stride, remain positive and figure out how to address it. A person low on emotional stability might get frustrated and discouraged, expending energy with those emotions instead of on the issue at hand.”

The research found that:

• Autonomy is critical to protecting remote employees’ well-being and helping them avoid strain. • Employees reporting high levels of autonomy and emotional stability appear to be the most able to thrive in remote-work positions. • Employees reporting high levels of job autonomy with lower levels of emotional stability appear to be more susceptible to strain. Perry said the study contradicts past research that says autonomy is a universal need that everyone possesses. Per this research, those who are lower in emotional stability may not need or want as much autonomy in their work.
“This lower need for autonomy may explain why less emotionally stable employees don’t do as well when working remotely, even when they have autonomy,” researchers wrote.

In addition to their findings, the researchers offered several recommendations for managers who design or oversee remote-work arrangements.
The research team advised managers to consider their employees’ behavior when deciding who will work remotely.

“I would suggest managers look at employee behaviors, rather than for personality traits, per se,” Perry said. “For example, if someone does not handle stress well in the office, they are not likely to handle it well at home either. If someone gets overwhelmed easily, or reacts in big ways to requests or issues in the office, they are likely less well positioned to work remotely and handle that responsibility and stress.”

Based on this study, individuals with high emotional stability and high levels of autonomy are better suited for remote work, but such candidates might not always be available.

“If less emotionally stable individuals must work remotely, managers should take care to provide more resources, other than autonomy, including support to help foster strong relationships with coworkers and avoid strain,” they wrote.
Managers might also consider providing proper training and equipment for remote work, including proper separation of work and family spaces, clear procedural and performance expectations and regular contact (virtual or face-to-face) with coworkers and managers.

ABOUT THE STUDY “Stress in Remote Work: Two Studies Testing The Demand-Control-Person Model,” published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, is authored by Sara Perry, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University, Emily Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of management, Hankamer School of Business, Baylor Univeersity, and Cristina Rubino, professor of management, David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, California State University Northridge.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Baylor_Business.  

Out of Office: New Baylor Management Study Examines Relationship Between Stress and Remote Work

ethical-leadership-can-have-negative-consequences-baylor-university-researchers-say

Kimberly and Aaron P. Graft Professor in Christian Leadership in Business; Associate Professor of Management; Director, Christian Leadership and Ethics

Coupled with stress, ethical leadership can lead to employee deviance and turnover  Ethical leadership is a good thing, right?

Certainly, management experts say. But ethical leadership can have negative consequences, too, according to new research from management faculty in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business.

A 2018 Baylor study published in the Journal of Business Ethics reveals that ethical leadership compounded by job-hindrance stress and supervisor-induced stress can lead to employee deviance and turnover. The research reflects the thoughts of 609 employees who were surveyed across two studies.

“If someone is an ethical leader but induces stress, our research shows that his or her employees will feel less support,” said lead author Matthew Quade, Ph.D., assistant professor of management. “Thus, employees who do not feel supported are more likely to consider leaving their jobs or engage in workplace deviance – things like coming in late to work, daydreaming, not following instructions or failing to be as productive as they could be.”

Quade said that ethical leadership is a good thing and often beneficial in terms of employee resources. An example would be a trusted supervisor who listens to her employees and has her employees’ best interests in mind.

The trouble comes, he said, when supervisor-induced stress or job-hindrance stress enters the picture.

“When those stressors are added, there is a depletion of resources,” Quade explained. “Many of the gains or benefits from ethical leadership are negated.”
What does stress-inducing ethical leadership look like?

Quade said it could be as simple as supervisors setting expectations too high or, in the interest of “following all the rules,” not allowing for any deviation from a process, even if a shortcut, still within the bounds of behaving ethically, would deliver a desired result.

The researchers wrote: “Ethical leadership can be an exacting process of sustaining high ethical standards, ensuring careful practice and enforcement of all rules and meeting leaders’ lofty expectations, all of which can consume time and energy and be perceived by employees as overly demanding or an obstacle to job performance.”

As part of the study, those surveyed were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the following statements:

My supervisor makes it so that I have to go through a lot of red tape to get my job done. Working with my supervisor makes it hard to understand what is expected of me. I receive conflicting requests from my supervisor. My supervisor creates many hassles to go through to get projects/assignments done. Working with him/her thwarts my personal growth and well-being. In general, I feel that my supervisor hinders my personal accomplishment. I feel that my supervisor constrains my achievement of personal goals and development.  Quade said his team in no way wants to discourage ethical leadership. Research consistently shows such leadership is very beneficial, he said. But this new research shows that there are boundaries to those benefits.

“This places quite an onus on appropriately managing the stress that comes from the leader and the job, in efforts to most fully realize the potential of ethical leadership,” the researchers wrote.

The study listed some tips and takeaways for organizations and leaders. They include:

Strike a balance between promoting ethical behavior and providing resources to help employees meet those standards. Encourage employees in word and deed by reducing ambiguity in ethical dilemmas that might otherwise drain resources. Model fair and ethical behavior. Communicate efficient methods to meet standards and reduce unnecessary steps or procedures. Equip and train leaders to balance the demands of leading ethically while not overburdening their employees.  ABOUT THE STUDY “Boundary Conditions of Ethical Leadership: Exploring Supervisor-Induced and Job Hindrance Stress as Potential Inhibitors” is published in the Journal of Business Ethics. Study authors are Baylor University Hankamer School of Business faculty members Matthew Quade, Ph.D., assistant professor of management; Sara Perry, Ph.D., assistant professor of management; and Emily Hunter, Ph.D., associate professor of management.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business provides a rigorous academic experience, consisting of classroom and hands-on learning, guided by Christian commitment and a global perspective. Recognized nationally for several programs, including Entrepreneurship and Accounting, the school offers 24 undergraduate and 13 graduate areas of study. Visit www.baylor.edu/businessand follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.



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