Supervisor Phubbing in Part-Time Jobs: Examining Its Relationship with Supervisor–Employee Rapport

Using the Leader–Member Exchange theory, the goal of this study is to test the relationship between supervisor phubbing and supervisor–employee rapport in the context of part-time jobs. Data for this quantitative investigation come from 211 participants who completed an online survey regarding frequency of supervisor phubbing and their rapport with supervisors for their last three part-time jobs, if applicable. The results from regression analyses revealed that supervisor phubbing negatively predicted supervisor–employee rapport for participants’ first and second part-time jobs, even when controlling for length of time working, frequency of communicating with supervisor, and amount of technology use by supervisor and employee. These findings imply that even limited interactions, when disrupted by mobile phone use, can hinder part-time employees’ relationships with their supervisors and employee engagement.