Employee Relations: An International Journal

Cameron Allan; Greg J. Bamber; Nils Timo

2006 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450610683627

Purpose – McJobs in the fast‐food sector are a major area of youth employment. This paper explores young people's perceptions of work in this industry. Design/methodology/approach – The paper discusses the results of a survey of students' experiences of McJobs in Australia. Findings – Fast‐food workers were generally dissatisfied with the industrial relations and work organisation aspects of their jobs. Nonetheless, they were generally much more satisfied with the human resource management and social relations aspects of their jobs. Research limitations/implications – Our research has implications for understanding the human capital development practices adopted by employers in the fast‐food industry and in other sectors, especially those that employ young people. Much of the context for work and employment relations in Australia is comparable with those in most English‐speaking countries. Therefore, our findings have implications for work in similar sectors in other countries, in particular, other English‐speaking countries. Practical implications – This paper has implications for people who devise recruitment policies and design of jobs. It is a useful reminder that it is no longer appropriate for people to talk in simple terms of satisfaction at work per se; it is vital to differentiate between various aspects and contexts of job satisfaction, or the of the lack of it. Originality/value – Earlier studies of fast‐food work have tended to be polemical and polarized: either apologias or very critical. This paper adopts a more balanced approach and it puts the findings into context.

Richard Winter; Brent Jackson

2006 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450610683636

Purpose – To identify and describe work environment conditions that give rise to a shared or different state of the psychological contract for managers and employees. Design/methodology/approach – Semi‐structured interviews conducted with seven managers and 12 employees within an Australian credit union. Questions relate to the causes (work environment conditions) and content (salary, recognition and rewards, trust and fairness, open/honest communication) of the psychological contract. Comparative analysis techniques identify and contrast psychological contract categories of managers and employees. Findings – Although managers and employees shared similar responses as to the state of the psychological contract, they attributed different causes to these states. Managers tended to construct rational explanations and emphasise resource constraints and financial considerations, whilst employees constructed emotional explanations and attributed this situation to an unfair, uncaring or distant management. Employees regarded the Staff Consultative Committee and open‐door policies as “symbolic acts” rather than genuine attempts to give employees a voice in the company. Practical implications – Aligning the psychological contract espoused by management more closely with that upheld by employees requires managers to adopt more personal, face‐to‐face communication strategies. The removal of status‐related barriers to communication places managers in a better position to explain to employees how the organisation can meet (or not) specific contract expectations and obligations. Originality/value – Paper provides interesting insights into how contracts form within the context of work environment, HRM policy and practice, and cultural factors – work context factors largely ignored by psychological contract researchers.

Brian Abbott

2006 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450610683645

Purpose – This paper draws on established and more recent concepts of an industrial relations actor and applies them to the citizens' advice bureau (CAB). The purpose of this is to determine the significance of the CAB as an industrial relations actor and to identify limitations associated with traditional concepts of what constitutes an actor. Design/methodology/approach – Eight bureaux from contrasting localities in Greater London participated in the research. CAB advisers providing employment advice and clients with work related problems were interviewed. Findings – Provides information on what constitutes an industrial relations actor and the significance of the CAB as a new industrial relations actor. Originality/value – The paper addresses a gap on new industrial relations actors particularly in relation to their importance. It suggests that new bodies can be classified as industrial relations actors and that they are significant, particularly in the absence of a strong labour movement.

Mark N.K. Saunders; Adrian Thornhill

2006 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450610683654

Purpose – To explore the implications for all employees' psychological contracts of a forced change from permanent to temporary employment status for some employees within an organisation. Design/methodology/approach – A random sample of 30 employees, stratified by employment status was selected. Each employee undertook a structured card sort of possible emotional responses to change followed by an in‐depth interview to explore and explain their categorisation of these responses. Findings – The nature of psychological contracts and organisational attachments for both permanent employees and forced temporary workers is complex. Permanent employees generally continue to exhibit relational forms of attachment to the organisation. These, they believe, are reciprocated by the organisation. Reactions from forced temporary workers are more varied. After a period of denial, some develop a more calculative approach to their interactions. Others maintain aspects of their previously developed relational attachments. Only some temporary workers appear to recognise that their future direction is no longer a concern of the organisation. Research limitations/implications – Although only based upon one organisation, the findings suggest that the process of psychological contract adjustment is likely to emerge through gradual re‐interpretation, rather than through re‐negotiation. Practical implications – Management actions need to be recognised as important in re‐defining the nature of psychological contracts. The transitional nature of this process may be prolonged where management imposes transactional contracts and where communication and negotiation to create clear expectations is lacking. Originality/value – The findings provide new insights into the implications of forcing employees from permanent to temporary contracts for their, and remaining permanent employees', psychological contracts.

Susan Sayce

2006 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450610683663

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to seek greater academic discussion of gender and gender change within industrial relations. It attempts to move the theoretical discussion of gender away from universal systems theories of analysis to a more micro multi‐layered approach that can accommodate what is a complex and subtle situation, gendered industrial relations. It commences to theorise why women in certain institutional frameworks progress whilst women in others do not. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative empirical case study approach has been taken to uncover the nuances of women's daily experiences of work relationships including industrial relations in Keylockco, a lock manufacturer. Findings – The findings indicate that Bourdieu's theory can be successfully used to analysis gender change within industrial relation and to explore how women's differing access to capital can facilitate their positional progress within hierarchical gender‐stratified industrial relations. While the paper does not offer solutions for improving the position of women within industrial relations it does seek to stimulate discussion around the positional requirements of industrial relations actors where greater social, economic, cultural and symbolic capital has accrued to men. Originality/value – The analysis of empirical data with Bourdieu's theory of habitus and capital has the potential to be extended to other sites of industrial relations than the Keylockco case study. It offers us the possibility to evaluate empirically the progression of women, for example, in female‐friendly unions such as Unison. It is also possible to apply the theory to both national and international experiences of gendered industrial relations.

John Chelliah; Brian D'Netto

2006 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450610683672

Purpose – To determine the factors associated with arbitration awards in unfair dismissal complaints under Australian federal legislation and to assess whether employees benefit from arbitration. Design/methodology/approach – This research involves an empirical analysis of 342 decisions in 17 industries by arbitrators in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission over the four year period 1997‐2000. Logistic and ordinary least squares regression are used to analyse the data. Findings – The findings of this study indicate that 50.6 per cent of arbitration decisions were in favour of employees and only 10.8 per cent of complainants were reinstated. Independent variables which are significantly associated with each of the three dependent variables are identified. Research implications/limitations – The results of this study enable researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the arbitration process and recognise independent variables that are associated with the arbitrator's decision in unfair dismissal cases. Practical implications – Employers lose half the unfair dismissal cases that go to arbitration. To reduce legal and associated costs, employers may need to look at ways of creating a more harmonious workplace. Employees do not benefit much from arbitration and have little chance of reclaiming their jobs. Reaching a settlement through mediation may be a better option. Originality/value – This is the first study to assess arbitration decisions in Australia. By developing a conceptual model based on arbitration outcomes and structuring the analysis on this model, the paper presents a logical understanding of the factors that drive arbitration decisions and remedies.