Trickle-down effects of corporate social responsibility on employee outcomes: the mediating role of family-supportive supervisor behaviors

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are increasingly viewed as tools that benefit society and as essential drivers of employee behaviors. However, little is known about why firm CSR practices relate to employee behaviors in their non-work lives (i.e., work-to-family positive spillover) and those directed towards their coworkers (i.e., organizational citizenship behaviors or OCB). We conducted a multi-wave, multi-source study in 48 organizations to shed light on this cross-level trickle-down effect. Aligned with social learning theory, the results revealed that firm-level internal and external CSR practices were positively related to employee OCB toward coworkers and work-to-family positive spillover via family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB). This study contributes to the work-family literature given by construing firm activities as the “source” in a trickle-down sequence and by moving firm-level correlates of FSSB beyond work-family supportive policies and practices.