Employee Relations: An International Journal

Nicole Torka; Birgit Schyns

2007 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450710776272

Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to identify sources of temp agency work satisfaction and discuss whether or not these sources differ from those well‐known to traditional satisfaction research (i.e. those appropriate for employees with a permanent contract). Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a qualitative study (semi‐structured interviews and fieldwork) among low and medium skilled metalworkers (welders and fitters) in two Dutch companies. The authors were able to identify sources for temp agency work satisfaction: organizational conditions, central personality constructs, labour market experiences, and layoff experiences. Findings – The findings in the paper conclude that satisfaction theory is transferable to temp agency workers, but that future satisfaction research should include less studied factors such as labour market and layoff experiences, as well. Research limitations/implications – The paper is a qualitative case study research within two Dutch companies and involved a certain occupational group: metalworkers. Consequently, the external transferability of the results (i.e. country, occupational group, industries) may be limited. Furthermore, the research approach used does not allow for the making of casual assumptions. For example, it was not possible to address the question as to whether “perceived alternatives” influences “sensation seeking” or vice versa. Longitudinal questionnaire research could help to clarify such issues. Job satisfaction theory in general is helpful in creating a framework for agency work satisfaction when it comes to Human Resource Management policies and practices. However, in order to explain agency workers' satisfaction, there is a need to broaden the traditional psychologically‐orientated theories and include aspects related to history and (occupational) sociology such as work experience in sectors where non‐permanent employment relationships are common. Practical implications – The paper shows that hiring‐in companies can contribute to agency workers' satisfaction and, it is believed, other non‐permanent workers such as freelancers and collegial loan‐in, by means of equal treatment policies and practices with respect to job characteristics, development and mobility policies, working conditions, direct employee influence, and (fringe‐) benefits. Originality/value – In this paper the focus has been on a relatively seldom‐discussed phenomenon in employee attitude research: temp agency work satisfaction. The authors focus on sources that can explain the preference for a ménage à trois employment relationship over life‐time employment arrangements with one employer, i.e. a traditional permanent labour contract between two parties.

Judy Pate; Phillip Beaumont; Sandra Stewart

2007 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450710776281

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the important issue of trust in senior management in the public sector. More specifically, the research aims to explore to what extent has there been a downward spiral of trust in public sector senior management in the eyes of their employees in recent years, and whether this trend spans the public sector as a whole. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on both quantitative and qualitative methodologies from two public sector organisations, which are of very different character. The question being asking of the data is whether a relatively similar percentage of the workforce lacks trust in senior management and whether this is for essentially the same reasons. An attitude survey of the population of both case study organisations was conducted in conjunction with focus groups. Findings – The findings in the paper revealed two important matters. First, longitudinal data indicates that relative distrust of senior management is enduring and cannot be explained or rationalised by merely a short‐term breakdown of communication. The second conclusion from the data is that although the two case study organisations had dramatically different structural characteristics, histories and workforce compositions, the degree of lack of trust in senior management was remarkably similar both as regards extent and leading cause of this. Practical implications – The findings from two very different public sector organisations suggest that there is a persistent lack of trust in senior management. This finding has important implications for managing the workforce as a lack of trust has significant implications for employee attitudes and behaviour. Originality/value – This paper raises some important concerns with regards to the quality of the employee‐employer relationship in the public sector.

Zoe S. Dimitriades

2007 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450710776290

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the usefulness and to highlight the nature of inter‐relationship(s) between service climate and job involvement in impacting customer‐focused organizational citizenship behaviors of frontline employees in a diverse cultural context, at the crossroads of East and West. Design/methodology/approach – Building on organizational citizenship behavior literature, the present study in the paper involved customer‐contact personnel employed in five service industries in a Greek mid‐sized town. Questionnaires were administered in person by the researcher during regularly scheduled meetings on company premises. A total of 269 individuals were invited to participate in the study. Participation was voluntary. The response rate was 74 percent. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability‐, correlation‐ path‐ and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test research hypotheses. Findings – The findings in this paper indicate that the concept of customer‐oriented organizational citizenship behavior (CO‐OCB) is a useful construct in the Greek context. Both direct and indirect influences and interactive effects were identified. Indeed, results indicate that the relationship between job involvement and service climate in impacting CO‐OCBs is complex (moderated mediation or mediated moderation?), warranting further investigation. Research limitations/implications – The findings in the paper are limited by the sampling method and the specificity of the geographic context. It would be of interest to enhance the theoretical model by incorporating more individual, task, organizational and contextual variables. Practical implications – The study in this paper demonstrates the important effects of service climate and job involvement on frontline employees' customer‐oriented organizational citizenship behaviors in Greek service organizations. Service managers should benefit from noting the links and the likely favorable outcomes for customers, employees and their organizations. Originality/value – The paper provides empirical evidence of the applicability of the CO‐OCB construct in Greek service contexts and illuminates the complex nature of inter‐relationships between organizational climate for service and job involvement in predicting customer‐oriented organizational citizenship behaviors, expanding the OCB literature.

Lynette Harris; Carley Foster; Paul Whysall

2007 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450710776308

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to show that a defining characteristic of the UK retail sector is the high number of women it employs but there remains an enduring under‐representation of women in its management positions. The majority of women in the industry work part‐time and this paper aims to explore the factors that impact upon the career progression. Design/methodology/approach – In the paper, 1,000 questionnaires were completed by store staff in three leading retailers, supported by interviews with store staff and SME retailers in the UK's East Midlands region. Findings – The paper finds continuing barriers to career progression for women working part‐time in retailing. Despite family friendly employment policies becoming an increasingly important feature of modern work organisations, career progression was informed by a traditional concept of a career based on full‐time working. Research limitations/implications – The paper was limited to one sector. There is a need for further studies into women's career progression in other sectors reliant on female employment. Practical implications – The findings in the paper have implications for promotion policies, training and development provision and line management practices if retailers are to maximise the potential of the women they employ. Originality/value – The paper suggests that retailing is an industry where a significant number of women are working below their potential despite organisational policies supportive of diversity and equality of opportunity.

Carol Atkinson

2007 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450710776317

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to present research into the employment relationship in small firms and to examine its link to high performance. A psychological contract framework is adopted, it being argued that this supports a more nuanced analysis than existing perspectives on the small firm employment relationship which are limited and do not give sufficient insight into performance issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a case study approach, carrying out 41 interviews involving both owner managers and employees in three firms. A critical incident technique (CIT) is adopted in the interviews. Findings – The paper finds that high performance derives from a relational psychological contract and that transactional contracts impact negatively on performance. It is also demonstrated that, contrary to what is implied in much of the existing small firm literature, small firms are capable of building relational contracts. Research limitations – The research in this paper is drawn from a small‐scale study and is not generalisable. It does, however, provide a basis for a more detailed study of the small firm employment relationship. Practical implications – The research in the paper demonstrates the value of building a relational psychological contract in order to drive high performance. It also gives insight into how this can be done in the small firm context and the importance of the owner manager approach to this. Originality/value – The paper presents more nuanced ways of exploring the small firm employment relationship than already exist and also considers the issue of performance, which is under‐researched in this context.

Jie Shen

2007 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/01425450710776326

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to analyse the characteristics, development and implementation of the Chinese labour arbitration system and its role in settling labour disputes. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses official statistics and the arbitral cases published on the web sites of government labour and social security departments. Findings – The paper finds that labour arbitration has become the most important mechanism for settling labour disputes in China since the middle 1990s. This trend indicates the fading of traditional political and administrative means due to the decreasing influence of governmental labour administration and the subordinate status of trade unions, and the emergence of the rule of law in setting labour terms. The effectiveness and fairness of labour arbitration is to a certain extent constrained by its limitations and workers' weak position in employment relations that prohibit it from fully upholding the Labour Law. Research limitations – The paper shows that there is a paucity of literature devoted to labour arbitration in China. Further research is necessary to study labour arbitration, particularly the issues concerning: the frequency and reasons for workers to compromise in demands when claims, especially unfair dismissal cases; the process and the way in which arbitrators handle cases and make decisions; the fairness of arbitration awards; and the ways for improving competency and neutrality of arbitrators and arbitration committees. Practical implications – The paper shows that the party‐appointed method is necessary to improve the two parties' control of arbitration process. The public should be allowed to access to case and arbitrator related information in order to increase the transparency of arbitration. Originality/value – This is the first paper that introduces the labour arbitration system in China and analyzes its role in setting labour disputes and its potential for improvement.