Caring supervisors build committed workforces, CSU Pueblo study finds

PUEBLO, Colo., Oct. 23, 2026. Employees who believe their supervisors care about them feel freer to be themselves at work. Their commitment to their employers grows as a result, according to a recent study from Colorado State University Pueblo.

The study appears in the Journal of Management & Organization. Dr. Patrick Radigan, of the Department of Management, led the research. Dr. Brad Gilbreath, of the Malik and Seeme Hasan School of Business, co-authored the paper with Dr. Xing Wang of the University of Illinois Chicago and Dr. Wesley Scroggins of Missouri State University.

From 2017 to 2019, the team surveyed employees at six Colorado organizations. The group included three manufacturers, a vocational rehabilitation provider, a cannabis retailer and a county government. Of 411 potential participants, 376 agreed to take part and 345 completed the full survey. The response rate reached 91.4 percent.

Researchers asked employees to rate 18 statements about their supervisors on a scale of 1 to 9. Statements included “really listens to me” and “values my abilities and opinions.” The ratings measured how much employees felt their supervisors showed concern for them.

The findings describe a sequence. Leader concern encourages employees to express who they are. Self-expression strengthens the fit between employees and their jobs. A stronger fit, in turn, raises emotional commitment to the employer and lowers turnover intentions, or the likelihood workers plan to leave.

Gilbreath, who has studied supervisor influence for two decades, said the effect reaches far beyond daily tasks.

“Supervisors have an enormous influence on their employees’ lives, often far beyond what they realize. My research over the past two decades has shown how much supervisors can affect employees’ psychological well-being. This study adds another piece to that picture: When employees believe their supervisors genuinely care about them, they feel freer to be themselves at work, and that is associated with stronger commitment to their employer.”

Radigan said the team valued its partners across the region.

“It was a real pleasure working with Dr. Gilbreath and so many wonderful organizations across Southern Colorado. Our findings reinforce something simple but important: when leaders genuinely care about their employees, they build stronger commitment and give people more reasons to stay.”

Steps for employers

The researchers recommend three steps. First, employers should add leader concern to supervisor training. Such programs teach managers to listen actively, show empathy and respond to employee needs. Second, organizations should assign tasks in ways matching employees’ values and identities. Third, employers should support job crafting, which lets workers reshape their jobs to fit their strengths and goals.

Gilbreath said caring leadership helps workers thrive and strengthens the whole organization.

Why it matters for Southern Colorado

Three of the six participating organizations were manufacturers, and one was a county government. Employers in those sectors across Pueblo and the region now have research-based evidence to test in their own workplaces.

Hispanic or Latino employees made up 33 percent of the sample. The research team tested the model with controls for age, gender and race, and the main relationships held.

The full article is open access through Cambridge University Press at https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2025.10035.

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