The Role of Trust in Supervisors as a Mediator between Fairness of Appraisal Evaluation and Employee Satisfaction: Evidence from the Public Sector in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of fairness in performance appraisal evaluations on employee satisfaction, with a particular focus on the mediating role of trust in supervisors. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory, the research examines how perceptions of procedural, distributive, and interactional justice within appraisal systems influence employee attitudes in the Saudi Arabian public sector. Using a cross-sectional survey of 480 public sector employees and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the results reveal that fairness in appraisal evaluations significantly enhances trust in supervisors and directly contributes to satisfaction with the appraisal process. Furthermore, trust in supervisors partially mediates the relationship between appraisal fairness and satisfaction, indicating its critical role in translating fair treatment into positive employee outcomes. The findings offer both theoretical contributions and practical implications by highlighting trust as a relational mechanism through which organizational justice affects performance management effectiveness. The study recommends fostering appraisal fairness and supervisor credibility to promote employee morale and engagement in hierarchical institutional settings.