How Decent Work Affects Affective Commitment Among Chinese Employees: The Roles of Psychological Safety and Labor Relations Climate

This two-study research evaluates the validity of the decent work scale (DWS) developed by Duffy et al. (2017) in the United States and the effect of decent work on affective commitment among Chinese employees. Study 1 aims to validate the DWS and examine the predictability of decent work for psychological safety and affective commitment. Drawing from a sample of 307 full-time employees (149 females and 158 males), Study 1 reveals that the bifactor model of the DWS has valid application in the Chinese context, and that decent work is positively related to psychological safety and affective commitment. Study 2 seeks to explore the relationship between decent work and affective commitment, the underlying mechanism, and the boundary condition. With a new sample of 568 full-time employees (268 females and 300 males) collected at two time points, Study 2 demonstrates that decent work is directly and indirectly related to employee affective commitment through the mediation of psychological safety; this indirect relationship is moderated by labor relations climate. This research extends decent work research and psychology of working theory in relation to the DWS validation and predictability for employee workplace attitudes, psychological process, and boundary conditions in a non-Western context.

Differences in the Perception of Organizational Culture in Non-Public Universities in Poland by Academic and Administrative Staff – A Study Based on Cameron and Quinn's Model

The purpose of this paper is to present differences in the perception of current and desired organizational culture between two different types of workers – academic and administrative staff – in non-public universities in Poland. A synthetic review of the literature on organizational culture at universities and the workplace attitudes of the two groups of university employees was conducted and presented. Research in the form of a survey based on Cameron and Quinn's model was conducted in three non-public universities in Poland. A sample of opinions of 115 workers was gathered and analyzed. It was found in the study that according to academic workers, the present culture was market culture, whereas for administrative workers, it was hierarchy culture. Both groups chose clan culture as the preferred culture. The findings may be useful for higher education decision makers in their attempts to transform universities into market-oriented, yet friendly workplaces. The study's limitations include a relatively small sample of respondents. A further, more comprehensive research into the subject will be worth conducting.

Canadian researchers advise law firms to ensure employees feel empowered to negotiate work-life balance (WLB)

Purpose The purpose was to find out how lawyers at high-profile legal firms managed WLB. Design/methodology/approach The researchers conducted interviews with 42 lawyers at two law firms in a large West Coast city. Both participating law firms focus on corporate law and employ around 100 lawyers. Interviews took place on site over a three-month period. They lasted between 20 minutes and an hour. Questions covered general experience in the profession, as well as balancing work and non-work lives. Findings The answers revealed the tensions between work and non-work experiences. Lawyers were driven to work long hours and expected to respond quickly to clients’ needs. But they had diverse attitudes to WLB. They could broadly be divided into three categories – “work-centric,” “non-work centric,” and “dual-centric.” Their life values were also strongly correlated with gender. Only dual-centric and life-centric female lawyers had actively negotiated alternative work arrangements Originality/value There has been very little qualitative research into workplace attitudes to WLB

Developing the Co-Worker Acceptance of Disabled Employees (CADE) Scale

There are a number of scales intended to measure workplace attitudes toward people with disabilities. However, there is limited demonstration of validity evidence, especially theoretical validity. This article reports on the development of the Co-Worker Acceptance of Disabled Employees (CADE) Scale, including an examination of theoretical and empirical validity evidences. Theoretical validity is supported by screening each scale item through the difference model of disability. Empirical validity evidence is generated through a content validity study and an initial validity study. Exploratory factor analysis reveals that workplace attitudes toward employees with disabilities are based on perceived differences between those with disabilities and others. The CADE Scale will support workplace training and provide evidence of attitude change subsequent to workplace disability-related interventions.

Employee response to CSR in China: the moderating effect of collectivism

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between employees’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) perception and their organizational identification in a Chinese context. The moderating effect of employees’ collectivist orientation on the relationship between CSR perception and organizational identification is also examined. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 308 employees of 7 firms in Zhejiang Province, located in southeast China. Hierarchical regression analyses were utilized to test the hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that all three dimensions of CSR perception in this study, specifically, economic, philanthropic and strategic CSR perception, are strongly and positively related to the organizational identification of employees. Employees’ collectivist orientation positively influences the relationship between strategic CSR perception and organizational identification. In contrast, collectivist orientation negatively influences the relationship between economic CSR perception and organizational identification. However, no moderating effect of collectivism on the relationship between philanthropic CSR perception and organizational identification was found. Research limitations/implications The findings highlight the positive relationship between employees’ CSR perception and their workplace attitudes, shedding particular light on how employees’ personal values influence their responses to CSR in Chinese organizations. Originality/value This study extends the current understanding on the relationship between CSR and organizational identification. Particularly, the authors include multiple dimensions of CSR (economic, philanthropic and strategic CSR) in the research model, demonstrating that the link between CSR perception and organizational identification is influenced by employees’ collectivist orientation.