Unleashing the Hidden Impact of Supervisor Bottom-Line Mentality on Employees’ Perceived Career Success in Organizational Settings

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Supervisor Bottom-Line Mentality (SBLM) on employees' subjective employee career subjective success, focusing on the roles of hindrance appraisal and mindfulness within the social cognitive theory framework. Data was collected through a survey of 210 employees from the it sector in Islamabad and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that SBLM is significantly and negatively related to employee career success (β = –0.33, p < 0.001), and this relationship is mediated by hindrance appraisal (β = –0.18, p < 0.001), meaning that supervisors who focus only on bottom-line outcomes increase employees' perceptions of workplace obstacles, which lowers their sense of career achievement. Furthermore, mindfulness was found to moderate the effect of hindrance appraisal, such that employees with higher mindfulness experienced a weaker negative impact on their career success (β = 0.22, p < 0.001). These results highlight that while SBLM can reduce employees' feelings of employee career subjective success by increasing workplace hindrances, mindfulness can serve as a protective factor. It is recommended that organisations support employees by encouraging mindfulness and shifting the focus away from performance results.