scholarly journals Relational Expectations and Transactional Obligations: Incompatible Psychological Contracts and Triadic Employment Relationships

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 215824402093267
Author(s):  
Jocelyn Handy ◽  
Dianne Gardner ◽  
Doreen Davy
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Temporary Workers ◽  
Power Bases ◽  
Employment Relationships ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Triangular Employment Relationship ◽  
Temporary Staffing

This research investigated the triangular employment relationship between organizations, temporary staffing agencies, and clerical temporary workers using the conceptual framework of the psychological contract. The rapid growth in triadic employment relationships is well documented; however, there is limited research into the interlocking psychological contracts between the three parties. This research advances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying triangular psychological contracts by drawing attention to the ways in which people’s beliefs concerning their own obligations toward others may be incommensurate with their expectations of other parties. Findings are based on semistructured interviews with 10 client organization representatives, 10 staffing agency consultants, and 20 female clerical temporaries working in Auckland, New Zealand. The interviews revealed that the three sets of participants held mutually incompatible expectations, which were shaped by their differing positions and power bases within the temporary labor market. Each group expected, or wanted, the other parties to behave toward them as if a relational psychological contract existed but perceived their obligations toward others in more transactional terms. In consequence, the expectations, goals, and actions of the three sets of participants often conflicted, creating a range of adverse outcomes, which were unintended by, and problematic for, each group within the triangular employment relationship.

scholarly journals Same words, different worlds: Exploring differences in researcher and participant understandings of promise and obligation in the psychological contract

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-109
Author(s):  
Guoxin Ma ◽  
John Blenkinsopp ◽  
Steve Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Contract Research ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Chinese Workers ◽  
Key Features

AbstractThis paper addresses longstanding questions about how promise and obligation, two of the key conceptual building blocks for psychological contract research, are conceptualized and operationalized: How do employees understand these concepts? Would their understandings be congruent with the researchers’ and how would this knowledge inform future psychological contract research? Drawing on interviews with 61 Chinese workers from diverse backgrounds, our results suggest the concepts have distinct meanings for participants in terms of three criteria (defining characteristics, key features and manifestations in employment). We argue that promise and obligation are likely to serve different functions in employment relationship and have different meanings for researchers versus participants, and accordingly we highlight the challenges of using them to conceptualize and operationalize psychological contracts in China and beyond.

Mutuality or mutual dependence in the psychological contract: a power perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haris Ali
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Call Center ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mutual Dependence ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Power Asymmetries ◽  
Template Analysis

Purpose There have been increasing calls to explore the psychological contract from the lens of power. By addressing this gap, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the assumption of mutuality in relation to power dynamics in the employment relationship. Design/methodology/approach A total of 43 in-depth interviews are conducted with 6 managerial and 37 non-managerial respondents in three major call center organizations in Pakistan. Template analysis is used to analyze the data. Findings By undermining the assumption of implicit mutuality, the analysis reveals indeterminacy, an issue that has been frequently underplayed in the psychological contract research. The results further suggest that – in reality – employability, flexibility and employee training do not promote mutuality to the extent that is theoretically assumed because of the employers’ manipulation of these issues in their own favor. Research limitations/implications The focus on call centers limits the generality of findings with further qualitative research needed in other industries to explore how power asymmetries impact upon mutuality in different working environments. Practical implications The research implications suggest the significance of timely and explicit communication in order to curtail indeterminacy in the employment relationship. This will not only reduce the development of breach perceptions among employees but will also reinforce their psychological contracts with the organization. Originality/value This research contributes by highlighting the significance of mutual dependence rather than mutuality in the psychological contract. The mutual dependence approach efficiently acknowledges the implications of power asymmetries which remain largely under-researched in the psychological contract theory.

Nurses’ work patterns: perceived organizational support and psychological contracts

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 518-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Mallette
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Perceived Organizational Support ◽  
Career Commitment ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Work Patterns ◽  
Employment Relationships ◽  
Part Time

With unfolding human resource challenges in health care, little is known of the impact of changing work patterns and employment relationships on the organization and the nursing profession. Social Exchange Theory (perceived organizational support (POS) and psychological contracts) was used to gain understanding of the influence of nurse's employment patterns on employment relationships and individual, organizational and professional outcomes. The sample consisted of 650 randomly selected nurses employed in full-time, part-time, and casual positions across healthcare settings in Ontario, Canada. A cross-sectional survey design explored demographics, volition, POS, psychological contract, job satisfaction, career commitment, and job and career withdrawal. Work patterns and employment relationships are complex and cannot be examined in isolation of other variables such as volition and work congruence. Full-time nurses were found to have more of a relational psychological contract than part-time or casual nurses. The hypothesis was supported that the psychological contract has a direct effect on nurses’ job satisfaction, job withdrawal, career commitment, and career withdrawal. Nurses want to work different work patterns depending on their age and work-life demands. The importance of fostering strong employment relationships and relational psychological contracts to address such issues as an ageing workforce, nursing shortages, and economic demands is highlighted.

scholarly journals What Happens to Others Matters! An Intraindividual Processual Approach to Coworkers’ Psychological Contract Violations

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-185
Author(s):  
Sandra Costa ◽  
Jacqueline Coyle-Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Psychological Contract Violation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sensemaking Process ◽  
Psychological Contract Violations ◽  
Practical Implications

Drawing on recent research highlighting the dynamic and social properties of psychological contracts, we propose a framework that examines socially embedded triggers and their impact on psychological contract change. Our model accounts for the social context in which individuals’ sensemaking process about their employment relationship occurs. The model specifies how individuals make sense of coworkers’ psychological contract violation and integrate that information into the creation of a plausible convergent or divergent account. These accounts have the potential to reinforce or initiate a review of the terms of the individual’s psychological contract schema, or they may leave the schema intact. Research and practical implications of this conceptual framework are discussed.

scholarly journals Balanced versus Unbalanced Psychological Contracts in Temporary and Permanent Employment: Associations with Employee Attitudes

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen de Jong ◽  
René Schalk ◽  
Nele de Cuyper
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employee Attitudes ◽  
Temporary Workers ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Permanent Employment ◽  
Intentions To Quit ◽  
Dutch Sample ◽  
Permanent Workers

This study concerns balance in exchange relationships as described in the psychological contract literature about employees’ and employers’ promises and fulfilment of these promises. Balance is investigated, firstly, in relation to temporary versus permanent employment and, secondly, in relation to employees’ attitudes (fairness, job satisfaction, and intention to quit). Analyses were based on a Dutch sample of 290 temporary and 489 permanent workers. Regarding balance in mutual promises, we found that temporary workers were more likely to have psychological contracts with few mutual promises than permanent workers, while permanent workers were more likely to have psychological contracts with many mutual promises compared to temporary workers. Regarding balance in the fulfilment of promises, we found the opposite pattern, namely, that fulfilment was higher in temporary workers compared to permanent workers. Furthermore, only mutual high fulfilment of promises was associated with higher job satisfaction and fairness and with lower intentions to quit.

Transactional and Relational Aspects of the Psychological Contracts of Temporary Workers

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 831-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory John Lee ◽  
Nicole Faller
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Contingent Workers ◽  
Temporary Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Organisational Support ◽  
Cross Sectional Design ◽  
Over Time

Contingent labour is an increasingly important part of the international and South African business environment. Several questions arise regarding the relationships between such workers and the client organisations that utilise their labour. Do contingent workers maintain transactional relationships only? Can loyalty and commitment be increased in such workers? Using the concept of the psychological contract, this article ascertains whether relationships with the client organisation vary for South African temporary workers of varying tenures. Employing a cross-sectional design, results for 174 temporary workers suggest that relationships with client organisations begin with largely transactional elements. Over time, the contract becomes significantly more relational, especially after the worker has been with the client organisation for six months or more. This relationship is affected by contract violation and organisational support.

Psychological Contracts and the Employment Relationship

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Isaksson
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Food Delivery ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Gig Economy ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Attitudes And Behavior

Employment generally entails a deal or a contract describing the exchange of work tasks, remuneration, and other obligations and entitlements. In addition to the formal agreement between the parties, the employment relationship also implicitly consists of perceptions and beliefs about what the deal really involves. This part of the relationship has been labeled the psychological contract (PC) and has been the focus of research for more than 50 years. Underlying principles for the employment relationship have been theories about social exchange and reciprocity. In line with these theories, the two parties aim to reciprocate what has been offered by the other party and achieve a balanced exchange. Clearly, the psychological contract is a useful theory for understanding the employment relationship, and how agreement or disagreement, very often based on unwritten and even unspoken perceptions, affect attitudes and behavior at work. Research confirming this notion has been abundant throughout the last decades. One conclusion, however, is that this research has been narrow, focusing heavily on employees’ perceptions of breach or violation of promises from employers. Results have shown negative effects on both attitudes and behavior toward the organization. Over the last decades, there has been an increasing interest in the interaction and processes involved in developing and maintaining psychological contracts and repairing them after perceptions of breach. There has been a debate about the definition of psychological contracts, and recent research shows a growing interest in the dynamics and interactions between employees and employers and the effect on that relationship. Still, there are many unanswered questions for research concerning the exchange, balance, and processes involved in maintaining and changing the employee-employer relationship. The changing labor market, as well as new forms of employment relationships developing as part of the gig economy (where workers get paid for the "gigs" they do, such as e.g., food delivery), also needs further investigation within this theoretical framework. Focus on the exchange and interaction between employees and employers has the potential to add new insight to previous organizational research, perhaps also expanding ideas about the very nature of that relationship. A definite advantage of the theory and concept of psychological contracts is their close connection to and applicability for management.

scholarly journals The impact of psychological contracts on employee engagement at a university of technology

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinessa Naidoo ◽  
Ishana Abarantyne ◽  
Robert Rugimbana
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Employment Relationship ◽  
Organisational Effectiveness ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: Changing organisational dynamics have caused a need for organisations to understand the employment relationship processes and outcomes in order to improve organisational effectiveness, increase productivity and retain talented employees.Research purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine which elements of the academic employee’s psychological contract are impacting employee engagement at a university of technology.Motivation for the study: The study was motivated by the findings of a 2013 climate survey at an institute of higher education, indicating that many employees were dissatisfied and believed that their expectations were not met by the organisation.Research approach/design and method: A quantitative technique via online questionnaires was employed for data collection. The sample size was 400 out of 900 academic staff members.Main findings: The study confirmed that most employees appear to have developed a positive psychological contract. It indicated, however, that many employees may be experiencing discord in the employment relationship. Both transactional and relational elements of the psychological contract appeared to be essential to academic employees.Practical/managerial implications: The study identified factors of importance to academic employees that should be considered in the compilation of retention policies.Contribution/value-add: The results of the study could contribute towards addressing some of the challenges by creating a better understanding of the needs of academic employees and the impact of psychological contract fulfilment and breach. This could benefit the higher education sector as a whole.

Psychological Contract Fulfillment and Employee Responses to Pay System Change

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 172-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine J. Syrek ◽  
Conny H. Antoni
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Pay For Performance ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Change Processes ◽  
Affective Organizational Commitment ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Psychological Contract Fulfillment ◽  
Pay System ◽  
Employee Responses

Abstract. The implementation of a new pay system is a balancing act that produces uncertainty and draws employees’ attention to the fulfillment of exchange agreements. Transformational leadership may be essential during these change processes. Based on psychological contract theory, we expected that transformational leadership impacts job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment through the fulfillment of relational psychological contracts, while the fulfillment of transactional psychological contracts may be crucial for employees’ pay and bonus satisfaction. We assessed 143 employees nested within 34 teams before and after (24 months) a pay for performance (pfp) system was introduced. Our results supported the mediation hypotheses considering job and pay satisfaction, but not considering commitment. Unexpectedly, the effect on bonus satisfaction was mediated via relational psychological contracts.

Understanding the changing nature of psychological contracts in 21st century organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos-Maria Alcover ◽  
Ramón Rico ◽  
William H. Turnley ◽  
Mark C. Bolino
Keyword(s):  
Social Exchange ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Organizational Life ◽  
Exchange Relationships ◽  
Justice Perceptions

In recent years, scholars have increasingly recognized that the theoretical underpinnings of employee-organization relationships (EOR) are in need of further extension in light of recent organizational changes. In prior research, the study of EOR has been based on social exchange theory, and the psychological contract (PC) has played a central role in understanding this crucial aspect of organizational life. The main objective of this paper is to provide an integration of the existing literature by adopting a multiple-foci exchange relationships approach. Specifically, we looked at identification; the quality of relationships and exchanges with the leader, coworkers, and other organizational agents; justice perceptions involving several organizational sources; and perceived organizational, leader, and coworker support to expand our understanding of the PC. Overall, we advocate a multiple-foci exchange relationships approach that will ultimately enable us to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of PCs in 21st century organizations.

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