Do We Burn Ourselves Trying to Save Face? Face Concerns as a Predictor of Subordinate Willingness to Self-Censor and Burnout

Abstract

The face concerns a person holds dictates how they will approach conflict in the workplace. The present study sought to understand how these conflict orientations ultimately affected subordinate burnout. The data were consistent with a model in which self-face and mutual-face concerns affected employee burnout through the mediation of their job satisfaction and their willingness to self-censor communication with their supervisor. Most notably, self-face concerns were negatively associated with job satisfaction while mutual-face concerns were positively related to job satisfaction.