Predictors and Consequences of Promotion Stress
Abstract
This study examined the key role that employment dependence played in intensifying both the level of promotion stress experienced as well as its effects in a sample of 257 government employees. Workers who tended to have higher levels of promotion stress were (a) less likely to have experienced career support from their supervisors; (b) less likely to perceive attractive opportunities; (c) more likely to have promotion aspirations; (d) more likely to perceive the existence of competition for positions; and (e) more likely to be dependent on their organization for employment (employment dependence). Moreover, such workers were less committed to their organization and were more likely to be looking for another job. Employment dependence intensified the effects of promotion aspirations and a lack of supervisory support on promotion stress, as well as the negative effect of promotion stress on affective commitment. Affective commitment ameliorated the association between promotion stress and the intention to leave the organization.