Category Archives: *Journal of Vocational Behavior
Types of commitment and their effects (IO Psychology)
What are the consequences of three types of organizational commitment? Affective commitment is an emotional attachment to, identification with, and involvement in the organization; continuance commitment is the cost of leaving an organization; and normative commitment is the perceived obligation to an organization. To illustrate, you can imagine that one friend spends 80 hours at work because she loves her job (i.e., affective commitment), another stays at her job because she doesn’t have any other options (i.e., continuance commitment), and the last sticks around because she feels like she owes it to her firm (i.e., normative commitment).
In this study, all three types of commitment were negatively related to withdrawal cognition (e.g., intention to search for another job) and turnover. In other words, as levels of commitment increased, it was observed that the intention to search for another job and quit decreased. Further, both affective and normative commitment was related to organization-relevant and employee-relevant factors – such as job performance and stress, respectively – while continuance commitment was unrelated or negatively related. Affective commitment had the strongest and most beneficial relationship to absenteeism, job performance, organizational citizenship behavior (e.g., taking on roles beyond job description), and stress and work-family conflict. Specifically, those most affectively committed also were seen to have low absentee rates, high levels of job performance, elevated levels of organizational citizenship behavior, and low levels of stress and work-family conflict. These results were found through a meta-analysis of a sample of over 50,000 employees, thereby making the conclusions strong.
The New Deal at Work: Breaking Traditional Organizational Development Boundaries (IO Psychology)
Topic: Development, Organizational Commitment
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior
Article: Protean and Boundaryless Career Attitudes and Organizational Commitment: The Effects of Perceived Supervisor Support
Authors: K. Ovgu Cakmak-Otluoglu
Reviewed By: Lauren A. Wood, M.S.
The last few decades have brought many changes to the world of work. For vocational scholars, one shift in particular has gained much recent research attention – the introduction, adoption, and popularity of the boundaryless career. In years past, organizations and their employees bought into the traditional career model which stressed early organizational entry, retention, upward mobility primarily based on seniority, tall organizational hierarchies, and great behavioral control, in order to foster perceptions of organizational support, satisfaction and therefore decrease turnover. In contrast, the boundaryless career mentality (also generally referred to as protean career mentality) is characterized by altered career trajectories and boundaryless organizational relations which emphasize life-long learning and skill development while offering high performing employees the promise of ‘employability’ across organizations rather than continued employment within one company. Although this new mentality has lead to greater flexibility, costs in terms of low organizational commitment, and therefore, shortened organizational tenure may result.
The current study sought to test just that: Does the trend in boundaryless career attitudes negatively impact organizational commitment? Boundaryless career attitudes were assessed by items tapping an employee’s degree of self-directed career management, desire for a value-driven career orientation, preference for organizational mobility, and the extent to which he/she possesses a “boundaryless” mindset. Three types of organizational commitment were assessed: affective commitment (i.e., feelings of organizational loyalty), continuance commitment (i.e., feelings that the costs of leaving the organization out-weight the perceived benefits), and normative commitment (i.e., feelings that it is right to not leave the company). Supervisor support for career development was also examined because if a supervisor takes an active role in identifying and developing their employee’s career goals, this action could possibility lead to feelings of increased organizational commitment on the part of their employees even when these employees hold high boundaryless career attitudes.
The study results show two main findings: First, generally speaking, all three types of organizational commitment are negatively impacted by employees holding boundaryless career attitudes. This means that employees who identify with a broader career development trajectory extending outside the functional walls of their organization and who make career decisions based on their own, personalized goals rather than internalizing the goals of the organization, in general, experience lower levels of commitment to their organization. Interestingly, however, the organizational mobility preference facet of boundaryless career attitudes was not found to be significantly related to organizational commitment suggesting that although boundaryless employees indicated a preference to change organizations, this does not seem to impact their commitment to their current organization. Secondly, although no support was found for supervisor career development support to assuage the negative effects of boundaryless career attitudes, higher supervisor support was linked to higher levels of employee organizational commitment (specifically, affective commitment and normative commitment).
With the trend in boundayless career attitudes quickly replacing the traditional career mentality, what can organizations do insure a commitment workforce? For one, employers should understand that just because an employee is trying to take their career development into their own hands, and thus, adopting a more boundaryless career attitude, does not mean that this employee will turnover. Supervisors should work to support the aspects of the boundaryless career mentality that in turn can benefit both the organization and the employee such as, providing performance-related feedback, supplying information about internal promotions, and supporting the employee’s educational and training endeavors.
human resource management, organizational industrial psychology, organizational management
source for picture: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Business_People_g201-MultiRacial_Business_Team_p66154.html
Not So Fast! Rethinking the Use of the Five-Factor Model of Personality When Studying Vocational Interests
Topic: Personality
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (OCT 2012)
Article: The HEXACO and Five-Factor Models of Personality in Relation to RIASEC Vocational Interests
Authors: Derek A. McKay & David M. Tokar
Reviewed By: Thaddeus Rada
In human resource management, there is a longstanding interest in the relationship between personality traits and vocational interests. To date, most research has focused on the relationship between the five-factor model (FFM) of personality and Holland’s RIASEC job interests taxonomy. However, it is possible that this reliance on the FFM is unwarranted, and that a different personality model may show more substantial relationships with the RIASEC dimensions. This possibility was the motivation for a recent study conducted by Derek McKay and David Tokar, who evaluated relationships between the six-factor HEXACO model of personality and RIASEC interests.
The HEXACO model has many similarities with the more familiar FFM; the most notable difference between them is the addition of a sixth factor in the HEXACO model, an honesty-humility factor. McKay and Tokar predicted that the HEXACO model would not only show important relationships between personality traits and vocational interests, but that the HEXACO model would improve prediction of vocational interests over and above what the FFM has been shown to do. Overall, using a sample of several hundred undergraduate students, the authors found support for their hypotheses.
Research will undoubtedly continue to evaluate the relationship between personality and vocational interests, and practitioners are uniquely suited making contributions in this area. Specifically, given that the present study used a student sample, it would be interesting to evaluate the generalizability of these relationships by assessing them among working adults in an organizational setting.
human resource management, organizational industrial psychology, organizational management
Predicting Burnout: Playing Well With Others Can Go a Long Way!
Topic: Burnout, Engagement
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (SUMMER 2011)
Article: Social strategies during university studies predict early career work burnout and engagement: 18-year longitudinal study
Authors: Salmela-Aro, K., Tolvanen, A., Nurmi, J. E.
Reviewed by: Larry Martinez
Sure, there are days when we just don’t want to go to work. In these times, the very thought of going in to the office can make one cringe…we feel like we need a long, isolated vacation. In short, we’re burned out. This is a big problem for companies, who rely on employees to be actively engaged and energetic at work. However, it may be that some people are more or less intrinsically susceptible to burnout and disengagement at work. That is, some people just have burnout-prone personality characteristics and thus may be unwise investments for employers. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could figure out who these people are likely to be? Salmela-Aro and her colleagues (2011) address this issue directly.
These authors followed 292 university students through their academic and subsequent careers (sometimes for as long as 18 years) to find personality characteristics that might predict burnout and disengagement. Specifically, they found that social strategies used during college were indicators of later reported levels of burnout and engagement. Social strategies include the extent to which someone is positively (optimism) or negatively (pessimism) inclined to value and approach social relationships. So, if you have an optimistic social orientation, you are likely to 1) build relationships with coworkers who can act as resources, 2) ask for help when problems arise, and 3) have support from others when the going gets tough. The opposite would be true for someone with a pessimistic (avoidant) social orientation.
Career success? The differences are Black and White
Topic: Diversity
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (online pre-publication)
Article: Evaluating career success of African American males: It’s what you know and who you are that matters.
Authors: Johnson, C. D. & Eby, L. T.
Reviewed by: Larry Martinez
Little research has specifically examined what makes African American males successful. This research has been done with respect to Caucasian workers, but are the things that are related to success for Caucasians also related to success for African Americans? Are there other things that might be related to success for African Americans in particular that has not been examined with respect to Caucasians? These questions formed the basis of research by Johnson and Eby (in press).
Specifically, these authors examined four broad dimensions of characteristics that might be related to success for African Americans: human capital (e.g., education, work history, training), social capital (e.g., informal networks, professional associations, club memberships), individual differences (e.g., motivation, conscientiousness, ambition), and demographic attributes (e.g., marital status, age, skin tone). In a sample of 247 African American males, these authors found that some characteristics that were related to success in Caucasians were also related for African Americans. Specifically, human capital and demographic attributes were the most related, while social capital and individual differences were much less related.
Supervisor support can tip work/family balance into equilibrium
Topic: Work-Life Balance
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (online pre-publication)
Article: A comparison of types of social support for lower-skill workers: Evidence for the importance of family supportive supervisors.
Authors: Muse, L. A., Pichler, S.
Reviewed by: Larry Martinez
Most of what we know from organizational research is based off of samples of either convenience samples (mostly college students) or white-collar employees (e.g., nurses, accountants, managers). Most research does not specifically target blue-collar or lower level employees, despite the fact that the majority of jobs are at lower levels. This is especially true in work/family balance literature. In addition, few studies examine simultaneously how work interferes with family AND how family interferes with work. However, Muse and Pichler (in press) focused on these issues directly.
Lower skilled workers may be especially prone to not being able to utilize public and/or organizational policies that could help relieve stress between work and family obligations because they often face lower job stability and less bargaining power than highly skilled workers. However, the results of this study suggest that these types of support are also critical for lower skilled workers.
Human Resources Management: For Some, The Grass is Always Greener
Topic: Turnover, Human Resources
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (online pre-publication)
Article: Is the past prologue for some more than others? The hobo syndrome and job complexity.
Authors: Becton, J. B., Carr, J. C., Judge, T. A.
Reviewed by: Larry Martinez
The fact is that employees are more mobile today than in decades past. The former ideal of finding one company and staying there for one’s entire career has been replace by the reality of increased job movement for today’s workers. But are some workers more likely to get the itch to leave than others? And more importantly, is there anything that organizations can do to make these wayward workers want to stay? The results of a study by Becton and colleagues (in press) directly inform these questions.
Based on a sample of 393 employees, these authors found that in general, those employees who had a history of changing jobs frequently (as assessed using biodata) were more likely to turnover in subsequent jobs. However, this relationship was affected (moderated) by the complexity of the job (as measured by O*Net ratings). This means that, theoretically, some people are more likely to want to leave their organizations (as evidenced by previous job mobility) and this pattern was even stronger for those in increasingly complex jobs.
This could be because complex jobs take a longer amount of time to get used to and are fraught with more early onset frustrations as one learns the ropes, making it more likely for these more fickle employees to look for something else.
These results discount the idea that job hopping is more likely for younger generations, but is instead a dispositional characteristic. They do, however, lend credit to the idea that using past employment information might be informative with regards to future hiring decisions. That is, you may be wary of hiring someone who has a history of job hopping. And according to these results, this may be especially the case in complex jobs. In addition, organizations may need to adopt specific strategies for retaining employees who have a history of changing jobs that differs from those who do not have this job mobility pattern.
human resource management,organizational industrial psychology, organizational management
Gender Bending Depends on Friends’ Intentions
Topic: Diversity
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (In press)
Article: Trans-parency in the workplace: How the experiences of transsexual employees can be improved
Authors: Law, C. L., Martinez, L. R., Ruggs, E. N., Hebl, M. R., & Akers, E.
Reviewed by: Larry Martinez
The demographic characteristics of the US workforce have been becoming more and more diverse in the past several decades. In a world where differences are protected and often celebrated, many employees find themselves in close, daily proximity with people they wouldn’t normally hang around with. This can lead to tense or awkward social interactions in an environment where everyone is supposed to be focused on their work. Law and colleagues (in press) examined these sorts of interactions – and how to make them less awkward – in an especially rare sample of diverse employees: transsexuals.
These authors looked at whether transsexual employees tend to disclose their gender identities at work, what predicts whether they do, and whether this disclosure is related to organizational outcomes. They found that transsexuals who worked in organizations that were supportive of transsexual employees, who considered being a transsexual as a central part of their identities, were more accepting of their transsexual status, and who were more “out” to people outside of work were more likely to disclose in the workplace. In addition, disclosure was related to more positive workplace outcomes including higher job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Can we select employees with a guarantee they will stay?
Topic: Selection, Staffing, Turnover
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (APR 2011)
Article: Career decision status as a predictor of resignation behavior five years later
Authors: Joanne K. Earl, Amirali Minbashiana, Aun Sukijjakhamina and Jim E.H. Bright
Reviewed By: Allison B. Siminovsky
Every organization has faced the problem of losing a great employee too soon. But what if there was a way to see if an employee is likely to resign within several years of beginning his or her career? A new study attempts to link resignation after five years with career decision status at the onset. Career decision status refers to an individual’s certainty regarding his or her career path. Additionally, career decision status takes into account whether a person has fully considered other options for his or her career path prior to settling on a career.
Using a career decision profile, the researchers examined the statuses of a group of new graduates beginning their careers at a consultancy. These graduates answered questions regarding how much they knew about their occupations, their comfort with their decisions, and their decidedness with their potential careers at that point. Five years later, the researchers observed that those who were more decided on their careers at the onset were less likely to resign over the five-year period. Additionally, those who ranked career choice importance as very salient to their lives were more likely to leave the organization during their first five years of work.
Perceived similarities make it easier for newbies to adjust. But how?…
Topic: Diversity, Work Environment, Culture, Creativity
Publication: Journal of Vocational Behavior (APR 2011)
Article:Perceived similarity, proactive adjustment, and organizational socialization
Authors: J. D. Kammeyer-Mueller, B. A. Livingston, & H. Liau
Reviewed by: Charleen Maher
Organizational newcomers carry the stress of adjusting to their new jobs, working with new people, and learning the ins and outs of a new organization. Previous research has shown that when organizational newcomers engage in proactive adjustment behaviors (e.g. feedback seeking, relationship building), they are more likely to be committed to their new organizations and are more likely to be accepted by their coworkers.
This study sought to find out if perceived similarity to one’s new work group leads to more proactive adjustment behaviors and, in turn, has an effect on important work outcomes (e.g. creative performance, organizational citizenship behaviors). The authors examined the following aspects of perceived similarity: surface-level (similarity in age, education, race, gender) and deep-level (similar work style). So, what is the relationship between perceived similarity and proactive adjustment behaviors?
Perceived similarity in age, race, gender, and education predicted perceived similarity in work-style. Similarity in age actually decreased the chances that organizational newcomers would engage in proactive feedback seeking. Similarity in education increased the likelihood that newcomers would socialize with coworkers.
