Are Supervisors Fair Mediators? The Effects of Personality Traits and Age Difference on Expected Mediation Fairness

Abstract

In this study subordinates’ perceptions of their supervisors as potential mediators of disputes were investigated. In a scenario study using a sample of 122 supervisor-subordinate dyads in Taiwan, it was found that expected fairness of supervisors as mediators is affected by supervisor extraversion and also by supervisor agreeableness, but only when the supervisor is much older than the employee. Expected fairness of supervisors was not affected by supervisor mediation self-efficacy. These findings suggest that mediator fairness is driven more by personality considerations than by skill considerations.