Employee Relations: An International Journal

Harvey, Geraint

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-06-2018-0151

The purpose of this paper is to present corporate wellness (CW) as an approach to worker well-being and as distinct from workplace health promotion (WHP). Theoretical explanations of the contribution of CW and WHP to the economic and social legitimacy objectives of human resource management (HRM) serve to elucidate this distinction and also to highlight the problematic nature of CW. An alternative approach to worker well-being, firm performance and social legitimacy of the firm is discussed.Design/methodology/approachThis is a review paper that analyses research into CW as a discrete approach to the management of people and compares this body of knowledge with ancillary studies of the impact of policies more commonly aligned with HRM in order to achieve the purpose of the paper.FindingsThe review is critical of CW as a means of achieving competitive advantage through people due to the probability of dysfunctional outcomes, namely exacerbating the health and well-being of the workforce, especially the mental health of workers.Practical implicationsDue to the sizeable investment in CW programmes, the paper advocates a focus on equity in pay, employment security and employee voice as an alterative means of enhancing the health of the workforce and the performance of the organisation.Originality/valueThis paper elaborates on recent critiques of worker well-being programmes (see e.g. Guest, 2017), offering a comprehensive and robust theoretical framework. The paper cites extensive evidence that improved pay, employment security and an effective voice in the workplace are more effective means of meeting the needs of the firm and improving worker well-being.

Somers, Mark; Birnbaum, Dee; Casal, Jose

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-06-2018-0154

The purpose of this paper is to investigate profiles of employee well-being using multiple components to better understand how well-being is experienced in organizations.Design/methodology/approachA survey design with 579 health care workers in the USA was administered. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify well-being profile groups.FindingsSix well-being profile groups based on the relative levels of work stress, carry-over stress and job satisfaction were identified. Profile groups differed with respect to intention to remain in the organization and occupation, and job search behavior.Practical implicationsModels of well-being at work have generated consistently disappointing results that have not enhanced the development of programs to increase well-being at work. By identifying patterns of well-being, this study offers insights into how well-being is experienced so that more targeted programs to promote it can be implemented.Originality/valueAlthough there is increased interest in the person-centered model in organizational research, it has not been applied to psychological well-being at work. This study represents an initial attempt to study configurations of well-being based on its components. Results indicate that distinct patterns of well-being are present, and those patterns are useful in gaining a greater understanding of how well-being is experienced and in how it can be more effectively managed.

Wikhamn, Wajda; Selart, Marcus

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-11-2017-0273

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which psychological empowerment and felt obligation can explain variations in personal initiative.Design/methodology/approachEmployees from a Swedish organization participated in a web-based survey.FindingsPsychological empowerment is important for enhancing proactive behavior at work, but its dimensions relate differently to personal initiative. Felt obligation mediates the relationship between psychological empowerment and personal initiative, but only for two dimensions of empowerment (meaningfulness and competence).Originality/valueThe paper contributes to our understanding of how employees’ feeling of obligation explains one form of proactive behavior. It also highlights the overlooked distinctiveness of psychological empowerment dimensions in predicting personal initiative at work.

Kim, Andrea

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-09-2017-0228

The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework that delineates how human resource (HR) practices are differentially configured for exploitative and explorative innovation as well as how the sets of HR practices support these two types of innovation.Design/methodology/approachBased on the structural ambidexterity approach and a bottom-up process in the multilevel theories, this research derives the need for the differential managerial structures for exploitation and exploration at the unit level. In addition, the Input–Process–Outcome model of team effectiveness and multilevel theories are employed to discuss the internal nature (e.g. resources, work styles) of exploiting and exploring units. Finally, building on strategic HR management literature, this research configures exploitation-targeted and exploration-targeted HR systems and delves into how these differentiated HR systems generate differential inputs of human capital resources and thereby foster exploitative and explorative innovation processes.FindingsThis research proposes several factors for exploitation and exploration, including: necessary inputs (i.e. commitment, narrowness, and cohesion for exploitation vs thoughtfulness, breadth, and openness for exploration), idiosyncratic innovation processes (i.e. convergent collective cognition vs divergent collective cognition), and differentiated HR systems comprised of different forms of unit staffing (homogeneity vs heterogeneity), performance appraisal, incentives, and training and development (short-term vs long-term orientation).Originality/valueThe proposed theoretical framework contributes to an improved understanding of the psychological foundation of organizational ambidexterity and systematizing how diverse HR practices work together to elicit exploitative and explorative innovation from employees.

Mauno, Saija; Kubicek, Bettina; Minkkinen, Jaana; Korunka, Christian

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-04-2018-0094

In order to understand the driving forces behind intensified job demands (IJDs), the purpose of this paper is to examine demographic factors, structural work-related factors, personal and job resources as antecedents of IJDs.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on cross-sectional (n=4,963) and longitudinal (n=2,055) quantitative data sets of Austrian employees. Data sets were analyzed via regression analyses.FindingsThe results showed that IJDs, as assessed through five sub-dimensions: work intensification, intensified job-related, career-related planning and decision-making demands, intensified demands for skills and for knowledge-related learning, remained fairly stable overtime. The most consistent antecedents of IJDs were personal initiative and ICT use at work. Job resources, e.g. variety of tasks and lacking support from supervisor, related to four sub-dimensions of IJDs.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings suggest that personal (being initiative) and job resources (task variety) may have negative effects as they associated with IJDs. Moreover, supervisors’ support is crucial to counteract IJDs.Practical implicationsEmployers should recognize that certain personal (e.g. personal initiative) and job-related resources (e.g. lacking supervisory support) might implicate higher IJDs, which, in turn, may cause more job strain as IJDs can be conceived as job stressors.Originality/valueIJDs have received very little research attention because they are new job demands, which however, can be expected to increase in future due to faster technological acceleration in working life. The study has methodological value as longitudinal design was applied.

Laundon, Melinda; Cathcart, Abby; McDonald, Paula

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-11-2017-0285

Employee reward is central to contemporary debates about work and employment relations; and in the context of ongoing wage stagnation, benefits represent a growing proportion of total reward value. Past studies have shown that when employees perceive benefits as unfair, this has a negative impact on engagement, performance and retention. Yet no previous studies have explored the components of a benefits system that influence employees’ fairness concerns. Using organisational justice as a theoretical lens, the purpose of this paper is to examine how dimensions of an employee benefits system influence the fairness perceptions of employees.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports on a qualitative, inductive case study of the benefits system in a large finance and insurance company, drawing on three data sources: interviews with the company’s benefits managers, organisational documents and open-text responses from a benefits survey.FindingsThree dimensions of the benefits system strongly influenced fairness perceptions – constraints on accessing and utilising benefits; prosocial perceptions about the fairness of benefits to third parties; and the transparency of employee benefits.Practical implicationsThe study informs organisations and benefits managers about the important role of supervisors in perceived benefits usability, and how benefits may be managed and communicated to enhance employee fairness perceptions.Originality/valueThis study makes a conceptual contribution to the benefits literature through a detailed exploration of the type of organisational justice judgements that employees make about benefits; and identifying for the first time prosocial fairness concerns about the impact of benefits on third parties.

Sharabi, Moshe; Polin, Brian; Yanay-Ventura, Galit

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-04-2018-0111

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of social and economic changes, particularly the transition from a collectivistic to an individualistic society, on the meaning of work (MOW) in Israel.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire probing the MOW domains (economic orientation, intrinsic orientation, interpersonal relations, entitlement and obligation norms and job satisfaction) was conducted on a representative sample of the Israeli labor force in 1981 (n=973) and 2006 (n=898).FindingsA comparison between the results of the 1981 and 2006 surveys shows a significant increase in economic and intrinsic orientation, and a significant decrease in interpersonal relations orientation, job satisfaction and obligation and entitlement norms. Work centrality remained stable. The demographic factors, especially education, have some impact on the MOW domains.Practical implicationsThe transformation of work values reflects the changes in employees’ expectations and needs. Therefore, organizations are compelled to find new material and non-material reward systems and methods to maintain employee commitment, motivation and satisfaction. Various implications for organizations and management are discussed.Originality/valueThis cross-sectional study explores how the combination of economic and social changes is reflected in employees’ job satisfaction and other work values. Furthermore, the study examines the impact of the main demographic factors on the MOW and offers suggestions to gain employees loyalty and commitment based on all the findings.

Hennekam, Sophie; Ananthram, Subramaniam; McKenna, Steve

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-07-2018-0192

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individuals perceive and react to the involuntary demotion of a co-worker in their organisation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw on 46 semi-structured in-depth interviews (23 dyads) with co-workers of demoted individuals.FindingsThe findings suggest that an individual’s observation of the demotion of a co-worker has three stages: their perception of fairness, their emotional reaction and their behavioural reaction. The perception of fairness concerned issues of distributive, procedural, interpersonal and informational justice. The emotional responses identified were feelings of disappointment/disillusion, uncertainty, vulnerability and anger. Finally, the behavioural reactions triggered by their emotional responses included expressions of voice, loyalty, exit and adaptation.Originality/valuePerceptions of (in)justice perpetrated on others stimulate emotional and behavioural responses, which impacts organisational functioning. Managers should therefore pay attention to the way a demotion is perceived, not only by those directly concerned, but also by co-workers as observers.

Sarkar, Santanu; Liu, Meichun

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-06-2018-0160

The purpose of this paper is to find how the changing relationship between labour and political parties influenced the growth of reasonably independent labour unions in Taiwan.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have drawn on data collected through in-depth interviews of union officials, labour activists and members of legislature from two major political parties in Taiwan.FindingsThe authors found that the breach between labour and political parties was affected by the eventualities contemplated in democratisation. Though the DPP (Minchin-tang/Democratic Progressive Party) provided the initial “shot in arm”, autonomous unions have not necessarily grown underneath DPP’s dominion. Political liberalisation of Taiwan’s industrial relations systems has gained more momentum when the DPP was in opposition than in power. Anti-incumbency pushed independent unions to sway the opposition’s backing when Kuomintang (KMT/the Chinese Nationalists) was in power and not to that extent when the KMT stepped down. The autonomous labour movement in Taiwan was initially influenced by the changing relationship between labour and ruling parties. However, the movement was subsequently shaped by the ethnic and political characteristics based on the historical divide between the mainlanders and Taiwanese and Taiwan’s changing economic landscape.Research limitations/implicationsSpecific limitations include the subjectivity of the inference and lack of generalisability of the findings that are based on interviews with two out of three players of industrial relations system.Practical implicationsBecause of globalisation and global financial crisis that brought together a new generation of workforce who hold individualistic values, have lesser faith in collectivism and perform new forms of work where unionisation is no more relevant, the autonomous labour movement in Taiwan was hugely impacted.Originality/valueGrowth of independent unions is not being shaped by democratisation alone. If we refocus the debate about democracy’s implied relationship with the rhetoric of national identity, one can see the crucial role played by the changing economic landscape and ethnic divisions ingrained in political origins.

Pant, Jyoti Joshi; Venkateswaran, Vijaya

2019 Employee Relations: An International Journal

doi: 10.1108/er-04-2018-0096

The purpose of this paper is to identify talent segments within the millennial generation based on performance and intention to stay and differentiate them in terms of their expectations. Based on results, the paper proposes a customized approach to talent management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a mixed methodology, including 11 exploratory focus group discussions, followed by a survey involving 1,065 employees from nine information technology and business process management companies.FindingsThe paper creates a framework of talent segments (performing loyals, performing movers, developing loyals and developing movers) that have different values for the organization. Significant differences are observed in their PC expectations from the manager, PC expectations related to career growth and development and PC expectations related to job and work environment.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers faced constraints in obtaining actual performance data from the organizations; therefore, a self-perception report of performance was used.Practical implicationsOrganizations’ talent-management strategy must acknowledge and understand the differences in PC expectations of talent segments and offer tailored TM programs for maximum impact.Social implicationsThe paper challenges the old assumption of a uniform psychological contract (PC) that has guided the talent management strategy. Every talent segment has value and must be viewed on continuum rather than a binary construct of “Talent or no talent.”Originality/valueThis is one of the few studies which explores how the perception of PC expectations differs between talent segments. It contributes to literature on talent segments, PC and the millennial generation.