In competitive markets, salespeople are expected to do far more than meet quotas. Many companies now look for employees who take initiative—those who find new clients, suggest improvements, and anticipate customer needs without waiting for instructions. But motivation does not emerge in isolation. A study published in Behavioral Sciences explores how front-line supervisors’ own experiences within an organization influence whether their sales teams show initiative.
The research, led by Yiran Gai and colleagues at the Macau University of Science and Technology and Zhejiang University, investigates a chain of connections that begins with how supported supervisors feel by their organizations. The findings suggest that when supervisors believe their company values them, they tend to foster a more inclusive atmosphere on their teams. That atmosphere encourages employees to feel a stronger sense of responsibility, which in turn relates to higher initiative in their careers. The study also finds that employees’ personal confidence and self-view affect how strongly this process unfolds.
Looking for the Missing Link
Much of modern management research focuses on how leadership styles shape employee performance. But according to the research team, front-line supervisors—managers who work closely with salespeople on a daily basis—have received less attention than executives or middle managers. These supervisors occupy a unique position. They are both representatives of the company and employees who must manage customer demands, internal targets, and staff expectations simultaneously.
The question the researchers asked was straightforward: when supervisors feel supported by their organization, does that positivity filter down to the sales teams they manage? And if so, how does that support translate into employees taking initiative in their jobs?
To guide their investigation, the team drew on two well-known frameworks in psychology. The first, Self-Determination Theory, suggests that people are driven to act when their basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and connection are met. The second, Social Exchange Theory, proposes that workplace behavior often stems from a cycle of give-and-take: when people receive help or recognition, they tend to reciprocate.
Combining these ideas, the researchers proposed a sequence. When a supervisor feels the company recognizes their contribution and cares about their well-being, they are more likely to treat their team inclusively—meaning everyone feels valued and heard. That inclusive atmosphere can make employees feel a personal responsibility to reciprocate through dedication and proactive effort.
They also wanted to account for personality. The researchers expected that a salesperson’s core self-evaluation, or their general sense of self-worth and confidence, could shape how strongly they respond to a supportive environment. Someone who sees themselves as capable may turn that sense of belonging into action more readily than someone who doubts their own ability.
From Concept to Data
To examine these ideas, Gai and colleagues conducted a large-scale survey across several Chinese cities. They worked with 50 front-line sales teams, each led by a supervisor, involving 299 sales employees in total. The research unfolded in three stages over several months in 2024.
In the first stage, supervisors were asked how much support they felt from their organizations, including whether their company valued their goals and cared about their well-being. Employees in those same teams rated the inclusiveness of their group environment—for instance, whether they felt respected and able to voice different opinions.
The second stage focused on the employees themselves. They rated how responsible they felt toward helping their organization succeed, along with a measure of their general self-confidence and life outlook, known as core self-evaluation.
In the final stage, supervisors rated each salesperson’s level of career initiative. This included behaviors such as learning new skills, seeking feedback, or identifying new opportunities for the company.
Each stage was separated by about a month to reduce the influence of short-term moods or workplace events. The researchers then aligned the responses of supervisors and their corresponding employees and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling, a statistical technique that allows testing multiple linked relationships at once.
What the Numbers Showed
The researchers found that teams whose supervisors felt higher organizational support reported a stronger sense of inclusion. In those teams, employees were more likely to feel a personal duty to help the organization and scored higher on career initiative.
In contrast, when supervisors felt unsupported, employees were less likely to describe their environment as inclusive or to show signs of self-driven initiative.
The sense of inclusion appeared to play a connecting role in this process. Supervisors’ positive views of the organization correlated with inclusive climates, which then related to employees’ feelings of obligation and their drive to take career-related initiative.
The researchers also examined the role of personal confidence. For salespeople with higher core self-evaluations, the link between an inclusive group atmosphere and personal responsibility was stronger. These same employees were more likely to show initiative when their teams felt inclusive. Put simply, a supportive environment seemed to matter most for those who already believed in their own abilities.
What the Findings Suggest
The results point to a sequence of influences that begins with how a company treats its front-line managers. When supervisors believe that their employer appreciates their effort and provides assistance, they tend to build an open, cooperative space for their employees. That environment, in turn, nurtures a sense of loyalty and responsibility among staff, which encourages them to take on challenges or propose new ideas.
By framing the process this way, the study shifts attention from individual characteristics of leaders—such as charisma or authority—to the structural conditions that enable them to act constructively. Organizational support becomes not only a resource for supervisors but also a signal that shapes workplace tone and culture.
At the same time, the research clarifies that personality plays a part too. Employees who are already confident and self-assured are more responsive to supportive climates. For those who lack self-confidence, even a positive team atmosphere may not fully trigger proactive behavior.
The Scope and Boundaries
Like any study based on survey data, this one offers a snapshot rather than a definitive cause-and-effect explanation. The results describe associations among variables, but they cannot confirm that one change directly produces another. The sample also focuses solely on sales teams in Chinese companies, meaning the findings may not transfer completely to other sectors or cultural contexts.
Another limitation is that the study centered on front-line sales roles, which often involve flexible hours and independent work. Conditions in manufacturing, healthcare, or education might yield different patterns. The researchers suggest that comparing public- and private-sector organizations, or teams with varying degrees of autonomy, could provide additional insight.
New Questions for the Field
The study raises several directions for future inquiry. One is the role of inclusion itself. While this research treats inclusiveness as a shared perception within a team, later studies could examine how differences between managers’ and employees’ views of inclusion affect outcomes. Another open question involves how long this process lasts: does a supervisor’s perception of organizational support continue to shape team behavior over years, or does it fade when conditions change?
Additional research might also explore what happens when inclusion efforts fail. Are there points at which encouraging openness creates tension rather than cohesion? And how do supervisors’ own personalities—such as their resilience or emotional intelligence—influence their ability to translate organizational support into a supportive climate for others?
Finally, companies may ask how to strengthen that initial link: ensuring that their supervisors genuinely feel supported. Providing opportunities for training, recognition, and autonomy might help supervisors in turn foster those same feelings among their teams.
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