Perceptions of HPWS and performance: cross-level effects of team psychological contracts

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 429-450
Author(s):  
Frits Schreuder ◽  
René Schalk ◽  
Sasa Batistič

Purpose This present study aims to examine how experiences of high-performance work systems (HPWS) in work teams affect employee’s work attitudes and performance. At the team level, the study explored the role of supervisory support in the relationship experienced HPWS -team performance. In explaining employee attitudes and behaviours at the individual level, such as organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB), the study adopted a psychological contract approach. Design/methodology/approach The moderating role of supervisory support was investigated at the team level while exploring mediation effects of psychological contract beliefs in work teams in cross-level relationships with individual attitudes and behaviours. Findings Results indicate partial mediation of fulfilment of psychological contracts in work teams in the experienced HPWS-OCB relationship. At the team level, supervisory support perceptions moderate the effects of shared experiences of HPWS on product and service innovation in work teams. Originality/value The focus on the employee perspective of HPWS, the factor-analytic approach of measuring HPWS experiences and the role of team psychological contracts in employee attitudes and behaviours represent the main contributions of this study to HR research.

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-343
Author(s):  
Frits Schreuder ◽  
René Schalk ◽  
Sasa Batistič

PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the role of shared psychological contract beliefs between colleagues in a work team, in team in-role performance and extra-role behaviours.Design/methodology/approachEmployees and team managers of 113 work teams answered questions about their working environment and relationships with experiences and perceptions. The data were used in CFA and structural modelling.FindingsThe results indicated that evaluations of co-worker psychological contracts in work teams are significantly associated with team in-role performance and extra-role behaviours through work engagement.Practical implicationsEmployees with perceived contract fulfilment not only contribute more to their team but also change their expectations of what a team should offer. Managers should be informed that these new and enhanced expectations have repercussions for existing HRM practices.Originality/valueLaulié and Tekleab (2016) have suggested that perceptions of psychological contract fulfilment shared by team members may act as a motivational driver for team performance, team attitudes and behaviours. This study is one of the first applications of this proposition in a mediation model and empirically tested for non-hierarchical co-worker relationships.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem ◽  
Inam Ul Haq

PurposeThis study unpacks the relationship between violations of organizational promises, as perceived by employees and their job performance, considering the mediating effects of job-related anxiety and moderating effects of psychological contract type.Design/methodology/approachMulti-source, multi-wave data were collected from employees and their supervisors in Pakistan.FindingsFeelings of organizational betrayal may reduce job performance due to the higher anxiety that employees experience in their daily work. This mediating role of enhanced job-related anxiety in turn is stronger to the extent that employees believe that their psychological contract contains relational obligations but weaker when it contains transactional obligations.Practical implicationsThe study gives organizational decision makers pertinent insights into how they can mitigate the risk that employees who are angry about broken organizational promises stay away from performance-enhancing work activities, namely, by managing the expectations that come along with psychological contracts. In so doing, they can avoid imposing dual harms on employees, from both a sense that they have been betrayed and the risk of lower performance ratings.Originality/valueThis study offers expanded insights into the process that underpins the translation of psychological contract violations into diminished job performance, by pinpointing the simultaneous roles of experienced job-related anxiety and beliefs about employer obligations.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erum Ishaq ◽  
Usman Raja ◽  
Dave Bouckenooghe ◽  
Sajid Bashir

PurposeUsing signaling theory and the literature on psychological contracts, the authors investigate how leaders' personalities shape their followers' perceptions of the type of psychological contract formed. They also suggest that leaders' personalities impact their followers' perceived contract breach. Furthermore, the authors propose that power distance orientation in organizations acts as an important boundary condition that enhances or exacerbates the relationships between personality and contract type and personality and perceived breach.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through multiple sources in Pakistan from 456 employees employed in 102 bank branches. Multilevel moderated path analyses provided reasonably good support for our hypotheses.FindingsThe leaders' personalities impacted the relational contracts of their followers in the cases of extraversion and agreeableness, whereas neuroticism had a significant relationship with the followers' formation of transactional contracts. Similarly, agreeableness, neuroticism and conscientiousness had significant relationships with perceived breach. Finally, the power distance of the followers aggregated at a group level moderated the personality-contract type and personality-perceived breach relationships.Research limitations/implicationsThis research advances understanding of psychological contracts in organizations. More specifically, it shows that the personality of leader would have profound impact on the type of contract their employees form and the likelihood that would perceive the breach of contract.Originality/valueThis research extends existing personality-psychological contract literature by examining the role of leaders' personalities in signaling to employees the type of contract that is formed and the perception of its breach. The role of power distance organizational culture as a signaling environment is also considered.


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 1315-1332
Author(s):  
Bramhani Rao ◽  
Sambashiva Rao Kunja

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of individualism-collectivism (IC) in determining psychological contract fulfillment (PCF) at individual level, thus attempting to establish that cultural orientation of each individual may differentially predict the fulfillment of his/her psychological contract. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was conducted on the cross-sectional data collected from 465 IT professionals working at different multi-national software companies. Findings Model fit between the dimensions of IC and PCF was found to be good, indicating a significantly positive relationship between within-culture cultural orientation of an individual and his/her perception of PCF. The analyses revealed that collectivist beliefs, values and norms have a significant relationship with the perception of delivery, fairness and trust toward PCF. The relationship between collectivist values and fairness of the deal was found to be insignificant. Research limitations/implications A major theoretical implication of the study is its contribution to evidence that people with collectivist orientation have a relatively positive perception toward the fulfillment of a psychological contract between them and the employer. It also clarifies why employees working in the same work environment tend to develop unique psychological contracts owing to their tendency to orient toward a particular cultural state of mind in the form of beliefs, values and norms guiding their day-to-day work-life. Originality/value The study is a valuable addition to the current literature in two ways. First, it contributes to the area of personality by examining the individual cultural orientation as an individual difference predictor of PCF. This helps in understanding the role of differences in emotions, cognition and behavior among individuals in predicting the fulfillment of hidden expectations of employees. In the domain of psychological contract, it contributes to evidence that explains why employees in same job conditions and employment relationships experience breach or fulfillment owing to their difference in cultural orientation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 801-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis V. Kloutsiniotis ◽  
Dimitrios M. Mihail

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the Greek banking sector and examine the indirect effects of high-performance work systems (HPWS) on service quality. Specifically, this study examines the effects of employees’ perceptions of HPWS on their trust toward their managers, as well as on service quality, through the mediating role of employee outcomes (measured by job satisfaction and affective commitment). In addition, trust is also tested for its role as a potential mediator and moderator in the relationship between HPWS and employee outcomes.Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares structural equation modeling was used on a sample of 350 front-line employees working in the Greek banking sector.FindingsThe findings showed that employee outcomes mediated the relationship between HPWS and service quality. On the other hand, although trust mediated the relationship between HPWS and employee outcomes, no support was found for its moderating effect. Finally, although not included in the initial analysis, trust was found to play a mediating and moderating role in the relationship between HPWS and service quality.Practical implicationsThis study highlights the vital role that a “trusting” work environment has to play on employee attitudes and outcomes. As this study shows, the positive employee behaviors along with their willingness to accept and support organizational goals influence their level of productivity.Originality/valueThis study sheds lights on the mediating and moderating role of trust in the relationship between HPWS, employee outcomes, and service quality. Finally, implications are drawn for organizations, managers, and practitioners.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Fernando ◽  
Shahriar Akter ◽  
Ruwan J. Bandara

PurposeHow employees connect with their work organisation and how it may play a role in their moral courage and ethical behaviour remain under-explored. This study, using Psychological Contract Theory, aims to explore how employee–organisation connectedness influences employees' moral courage and ethical behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) on data collected through a questionnaire survey from 212 Australian healthcare professionals.FindingsEmployee connectedness with their work organisations showed a significant and direct impact on ethical behaviour. Along with moral courage, connectedness explained over half of the variance in ethical behaviour. Furthermore, moral courage partially mediated the effect of employee connectedness on ethical behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe overall theoretical implication of this study is that psychological contracts between employees and their organisations operationalised through employee–organisation connectedness can explain the role of moral courage in ethical behaviour.Practical implicationsWith increasing borderless management of organisations, organisational connectedness can be a critical factor in developing employees' moral courage and ethical behaviour within organisations. Socialisation interventions can be useful to promote employee–organisation connectedness.Originality/valueThe study developed a higher-order connectedness model and validated it with PLS-SEM. The study provides novel empirical evidence on the relationships between employee–organisation connectedness, moral courage and ethical behaviour.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frits Schreuder ◽  
Rene Schalk ◽  
Jeroen de Jong

Purpose This study aims to examine reciprocal exchange in teams using a psychological contract (PC) framework. Adopting Rousseau’s conceptualization of the contract, the authors explore the extent to which the team members reciprocate perceived team obligations and fulfilment by adjusting their own obligations and fulfilment. A new scale for the measurement of obligations and fulfilment was developed. Team commitment was hypothesized as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach The new PC scale was tested in a longitudinal study design. A survey of a representative sample of 230 Dutch first-year college students nested in 73 teams was conducted. Findings The authors found that in student teams, perceived team obligations at Time 1 are positively associated with perceived member obligations at Time 2. Furthermore, they found higher commitment to the team as the team fulfilled the obligations as perceived by its members. Contrary to the exchange theory, in student teams, perceived fulfilment of obligations at Time 1 is not reciprocated by more obligations of its members at Time 2. No significant mediating effects are found of team commitment. Originality/value To date, this study provides the first measurement of contract fulfilment in non-hierarchical team relationships. The instrument can act as a tool to assess future team effectiveness and performance and adjust team composition accordingly.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-506
Author(s):  
Abubakar Tabiu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between “high-performance” human resource practices (HPHRP) and organizational performance, using organizational and supervisors’ supports as mediating variables. Design/methodology/approach Using cross-sectional design, the data were obtained from 311 public university lecturers in Nigeria. The study employed partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in the analysis. Findings The results suggested that the application of HPHRP in the public universities has direct and indirect effects on organizational performance. Also, HPHRP are linked with both organizational support and supervisory support. In turn, the organizational support and supervisory support are strongly linked with organizational performance. Furthermore, both organizational support and supervisory support fully mediate the positive relationships between HPHRP and organizational performance. The mediating role of both organizational support and supervisory support revealed their significance in HPHRP-performance link particularly within the context of public universities. Research limitations/implications The study employed self-report in collecting data for all the major constructs. Practical implications The study demonstrated the importance of HPHR practices (rigorous selection processes; training and development opportunities; information and communication practices; employee involvement in decision making; job security; fair reward system; team working and career management) and how they are directly related to organizational support, supervisory support and performance of organization. Second, for the management to enhance organizational performance (particularly in public universities), the need to emphasize on appropriate and effective HRM practices capable of promoting organizational and supervisory supports is required. This will enable the creation of supportive work environment that will promote better organizational performance. Originality/value The study adds value by providing additional understanding of the significant role of organizational support and supervisors support in HPHRP-organizational performance link.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-324
Author(s):  
Lorena Para-González ◽  
Daniel Jiménez-Jiménez ◽  
Ángel Rafael Martínez-Lorente

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of affective commitment and empowerment as mediators in the relationship among high-performance work systems (HPWS) and organizational performance. Different inconsistencies found in the literature review shows the need to take into account certain mediating variables, such as employees’ behaviors and attitudes, to understand how human resource management (HRM) facilitates the achievement of organizational results. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 200 medium-sized Spanish organizations was examined through partial least squares modeling methodology. Findings As hypothesized, a proactive strategic HRM approach in an organization can be translated in a series of human resources practices systems of high-performance, which stimulate directly employees’ affective commitment and promote empowerment among them, getting to better results in employees’ performance and in organizational performance. Originality/value This research shows that affective commitment and empowerment play a determinant role as mediators in HPWS and performance relationship, providing a deeper understanding of the alignment of strategy and HRM practices for organizational success.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haris Aslam ◽  
Muhammad Umer Azeem ◽  
Sami Ullah Bajwa ◽  
Asher Ramish ◽  
Amer Saeed

PurposeDrawing on the “substitute for leadership” theory, this study investigates the mediating role of employee attitude between supervisory support and employee’s organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment. It also explicates the role of environmental management practices, as substitute for supervisory support in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachTime-lagged data (n = 235) were collected from middle- and upper-level management employees working in manufacturing and service sector organisations in Pakistan. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling and regression analysis.FindingsThe findings reveal that supervisory support enhances employee attitudes towards pro-environmental behaviour, which in turn increases employees’ tendency to involve in organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment. However, the formal environmental management practices of the organisation serve as a substitute for the supervisory support because, if such formal practices are followed, the role of supervisory support becomes less significant.Originality/valueThis study is the maiden attempt to apply the “substitute for leadership” theory to the study of organisation citizenship behaviour for the environment. Moreover, it adds to the largely overlooked dimension of the research area concerning the inter-relationships between employees’, supervisory and organisational level antecedents of organisational citizenship behaviour for the environment.


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