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This study explored pay-setting managers' experiences regarding the individualized pay-setting process. Seven semi-structured group-interviews with pay-setting managers (N = 28) from four private companies in Sweden were conducted. A thematic analysis identified three main themes: 1) Prerequisites for pay-setting, which included conditions for pay-setting work and experiences of these conditions; 2) Assessment and feedback, which included experiences of employee performance assessment and feedback provision; 3) Rewards, which covered experiences of different pay incentives and the relationship between performance and pay. The pay-setting process was considered to include many obstacles as well as a few opportunities. Without proper pre-requisites to assess employee performance, the possibilities to adequately reward performance were experienced as limited, which, in turn, hampered possibilities to justify both the assessment and pay raise. Taken together, this study underscores the conflict between intentions relating to how to carry out a pay-setting process and managers' difficulties to actually accomplish this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How experiences and perceptions of pay and pay setting relate to employees’ job performance, willingness to remain in the organization, and health has been the subject of much debate. Previous research has typically used a variable-centered approach to investigate associations between different pay-related factors and such outcomes. In contrast, we used latent profile analysis to explore combinations of compensation characteristics (pay level, perceived horizontal pay dispersion, and procedural quality, i.e., transactional leadership and procedural pay-setting justice), combining relevant theories on the subject. Based on a nationally representative sample of private sector employees in Sweden (N = 1,146), our study identified six compensation profiles. Our key findings show, first, that higher levels of pay were generally associated with better performance, lower turnover intention, better self-rated health, and lower work-related exhaustion, especially when combined with perceptions of high procedural quality. Second, in terms of perceived horizontal pay dispersion, the results indicate that pay compression may be associated with beneficial outcomes, particularly when combined with high procedural quality. Third, procedural quality was generally associated with favorable work-related and health-related outcomes, although such positive effects may be contingent upon pay level and perceived horizontal pay dispersion. In conclusion, while pay level, perceptions of horizontal pay dispersion, and procedural quality may all matter for employee outcomes, it is important to consider their combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity framework, we investigate managers' ability, motivation, and opportunity as predictors of managers' self-reported justice enactment during pay setting. Data from 168 managers from a large industrial company in Sweden were analyzed with hierarchical multiple regression analyses to predict the four dimensions of enacted justice (distributive, procedural, informational, interpersonal). Ability indicators contributed to all justice enactment dimensions, with self-efficacy in one's role as pay-setting manager being positively related to all justice enactment dimensions. Motivation indicators contributed to three justice enactment dimensions (not informational), with managers' outcome expectations of pay setting being positively related to distributive justice enactment. Opportunity indicators contributed to three justice enactment dimensions (not interpersonal), where social support in the pay-setting process predicted these justice enactment dimensions. Demographics and personality variables only explained additional variance in interpersonal justice enactment. The paper sheds light on the managers' side of justice in pay setting, and highlights the relevance of resources to equip managers with ability, motivation, and opportunities in order to perceive that they can be fair during pay setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study sets out to investigate the potential differences between social workers using voice- or silence strategies in their experience of organisational resources, attitudes and health, and whether social workers moving between strategies (voice or silence) over time have a different experience of the same outcomes than those who stay with the same strategy group. The participating social workers (n = 1356) responded to two web-based questionnaires over a one-year period. Findings: The results show that voice strategies are related to the experience of more positive organisational resources, more positive attitudes (greater job satisfaction and organisational commitment, but lower intention to exit) and more positive health (greater recovery, but less emotional exhaustion and stress symptoms) than those using silence strategies. The results also show that moving from silence to voice is related to the experience of increased organisational resources, more positive attitudes and more positive health at T2, while those moving from voice to silence reported the opposite. Applications: The longitudinal approach applied in this study adds empirical evidence of the relationship between voice/silence and work-related attitudes, as well as health and well-being. The close relationship between organisational resources, employee voice behaviour and related individual outcomes regarding attitudes and health imply that Human Resources (HR) management has a lot to gain by developing and securing a voice-friendly and considerate climate in their organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceiving a pay system as just has been suggested to be a precondition for individualized pay to have a motivating effect for employees. Supervisors' enacted justice is central for understanding the effects that pay setting can have on employee attitudes and behavior. Yet, enacted justice has received little research attention, in regard to both organizational justice and pay-related topics. This study examines the effects of employees' perceived pay justice and supervisors' enacted justice, as well as the degree of congruence, on employees' work-related attitudes and behaviors. Questionnaire data from employees (N = 566) matched with data from their pay-setting supervisors (N = 208), employed in a Swedish manufacturing company, were analyzed. Results of polynomial regression with response surface analysis show that employees' perceptions of pay justice were important for their work-related attitudes and behaviors and that supervisor–employee congruence regarding pay justice was positively related to employees' attitudes and behavior, particularly when the ratings concerned high levels of justice. The results not only highlight the importance of developing a pay system that is perceived as just by employees but also emphasize the importance of reaching a congruence between supervisors' and employees' perceptions of high fairness, as this has positive implications for employees' attitudes and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose – The purpose of the present paper is to investigate how employees' coping (problem, emotion and avoidance focused coping) may affect the reactions to job insecurity. Because the coping investigated in the present study addresses the stressor in different ways, the authors expect different moderating effects depending on the type of coping, which results in three different hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 579 Swedish accountants was used to test these hypotheses via surveys. Findings – The findings support the authors' assumptions that emotion focused coping weakened the relation of job insecurity and some of the outcomes. Both avoidance and problem focused coping strengthened the relation between job insecurity and some of the outcomes. Research limitations/implications – As this study utilizes cross-sectional data and only one occupational group, it is important to test the relations using longitudinal data with different occupational groups in future research. Practical implications – From these results some practical conclusions can be drawn as to which coping forms might be more beneficial, which can be helpful for organizations in order to develop intervention programs. Originality/value – This study expanded the understanding of coping in the context of job insecurity by testing different forms of coping and including a variety of important outcomes of job insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated hiring managers' intentional readiness to change hiring procedures as a function of individual determinants, such as their self-efficacy beliefs, causal attributions, and past behaviors. Hiring managers from three large organizations were recruited to participate and provide information about their current hiring processes and personal experiences. Results showed that self-efficacy beliefs had a strong negative relationship with intentional readiness to change. Managers' past behavior, in terms of use of unstructured interviews and external attributions of failure, were negatively associated with intentional readiness to change, while use of unstructured interviews and external attribution of success were positively associated with intentional readiness to change. Furthermore, the interactive effect of causal attribution and use of selection methods played a significant role in explaining intentional readiness for change. The results indicated that recruiting managers who preferred using unstructured interviews and attributed failures to external causes were less willing to change hiring practices than those who made less use of unstructured interviews and explained their failure externally. Implications and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that closedowns seem to result in increased productivity even though all productivity targets have been abandoned. The closedown case analysed in this article is different from previous research since management came to employ high goals for productivity and efficiency throughout the entire closedown process (29 months). The article argues that individuals gradually accept the demise and detach themselves from the dying organization by adopting new career goals which they can start pursuing after the actual closure, thus the closure becomes a subgoal. This study examines change in the dependent variables’ mean values, and the relationships between goal setting, job performance, goal commitment, organizational citizenship behaviour, job satisfaction and job-induced tension. A longitudinal design (N = 151) based on two data points (T1: February 2006, T2: February 2007) were tapped into the annual goal setting process. The results support that goal setting was effective in this specific closedown scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers the author's perspectives regarding the use of the term "job insecurity," which is discussed in several European journals. It scrutinizes the content of several journals including "European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology," "Job Insecurity: Coping with Jobs at Risk," and "International Studies of Management and Organization" that pertains to job insecurities. It notes that in 2010, the journal "International Studies of Management and Organization" published a special issue that criticizes how job insecurities has evolved, the aspects that must be given attention and the new knowledge generated from several research conducted on job insecurity.

Most studies on the relationship between job insecurity and well-being have focused on the effects of employees' overall concerns about the continued existence of the job as such (quantitative job insecurity). Comparatively little research has examined perceived threats to valued job features (qualitative job insecurity). The overall aim of this study was to investigate the relative strength of associations of quantitative and qualitative job insecurity with job-related (job satisfaction and burnout) and general (psychological distress and psychosomatic complaints) well-being, and health-related behavior (absenteeism and medical consultation). Controlling for sociodemographics, negative affectivity, and job characteristics, these relationships were tested in a sample of 7,146 Belgian employees in the banking sector. The results suggest that both quantitative and qualitative job insecurity are important stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Personalforschung is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The experience of job insecurity has been linked to several different outcomes, such as negative attitudes towards work and the organization, turnover intention, as well as health complaints. However, since the strength of these effects have been found to vary across studies, it is vital to identify factors that could influence the relationships. The present study examines the moderating role of three personality characteristics (negative affectivity, positive affectivity, and external locus of control) on the relation between job insecurity and outcomes (mental health complaints, job dissatisfaction, and job-induced tension). Data from 400 nurses at a Swedish acute care hospital (response rate 71%; 91% women, aged 20–68 years) showed that both job insecurity and personality were related to strain. Also, the data indicated some buffering effect of personality. Despite the gender bias of the sample, the study provides additional support for the notion that job insecurity affects strain even after controlling for individual characteristics. The study also expands the literature on job insecurity by pointing out the influence of personality characteristics on the relationship between stressors and strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of rapidly changing environmental conditions, innumerable organizations engage in restructuring activities. As a consequence, many employees feel insecure about the future existence of their jobs. While research suggests that such job insecurity has negative consequences for employee attitudes and well-being, less is known about if and how these negative effects can be alleviated by social support from the union. This present study tests for a potential moderator effect of perceived union support in the insecurity mental health complaints relation using survey data collected among unionized workers in Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden. The results indicate that job insecurity is associated with mental health complaints in all participating countries and that union support relates negatively to mental health complaints in one of the participating countries. However, no interaction effect was obtained, thus indicating that union support does not reduce the effects of job insecurity on mental health complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased flexibility on the labour market has given rise to feelings of job insecurity in many individuals. The stress literature suggests that the fear of losing one's job could be as detrimental as losing the job itself, and numerous studies indicate that job insecurity may indeed have important consequences for both the individual and the organization. However, the effects of job insecurity are typically greater with regard to short-term rather than long-term consequences. Therefore, the aim of this article is to investigate if short-term consequences (job satisfaction and organizational commitment) mediate the impact of job insecurity on long-term outcomes (mental health complaints and turnover intention). Survey data from four European countries show that the effect of job insecurity on turnover intention is mediated by organizational commitment and job satisfaction. In contrast, it appears that work attitudes partially mediate the effect of job insecurity on mental health complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research suggests that job insecurity is associated with impaired employee well-being, there is insufficient empirical evidence to draw any causal inferences since most studies are cross-sectional and thus do not control for previous levels of health symptoms. We used longitudinal questionnaire data to investigate the direction of the relationship between job insecurity and health complaints. After controlling for prior levels of mental and physical health complaints and five other variables that could potentially confound the results (gender, age, organizational tenure, family status, and education), the results of latent variable modeling showed that the cross-lagged effect of job insecurity on mental health complaints, one year later, was significant whereas the reversed effects of mental and physical health complaints on subsequent insecurity were non-significant. However, there was no significant cross-lagged effect of job insecurity on physical health complaints. The results provide empirical support for the theoretical notion that job insecurity leads to health complaints, and imply that prior levels of health should be taken into consideration in order to explain the relative effect of perceived job insecurity on the physical and mental health of the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the nature of job insecurity and addresses conceptual as well as methodological issues affecting our understanding of its consequences. A review of the literature suggests that a great deal of theoretical and empirical work is needed to capture the nature of job insecurity, develop psychometrically sound measures of the different aspects, and arrive at valid conclusions regarding the effects of insecurity. First, job insecurity is defined as a subjectively experienced stressor which may be divided into different dimensions. Second, the multiple aspects of job insecurity may have divergent consequences or at least be differentially related to potential outcomes such as work-related attitudes, job performance, physical health, mental well-being, and job-induced stress symptoms. Third, given that most studies on job insecurity have been cross-sectional, a lot of work remains before we know how, or if, insecurity contributes to changes in such outcomes. Fourth, there are a number of plausible factors that may moderate the relationships between job insecurity and its potential outcomes. Addressing these issues in theoretical as well as empirical work is necessary, we argue, to improve the understanding of both what job insecurity is and what it may imply for the individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the relative importance of downsizing-related variables and factors associated with fair treatment for job satisfaction, union satisfaction and well-being. Identification of the downsizing characteristics; Nature of fair treatment; Moderation of the negative effects of downsizing.

Although job insecurity has received growing recognition in connection with the transformation of working life, little is known about how unionization affects its consequences. Data from Swedish health care employees indicate that job insecurity is related primarily to coping strategies in the exit and voice domains. Union members were less inclined to make use of the exit and voice options compared with their non-unionized co-workers, and more typically expressed loyalty to the organization. The collective support derived from union membership may make individual voice expressions less important, a finding that has to be replicated in countries with lower unionization rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of job insecurity has received growing recognition in connection with increased unemployment and the use of large workforce reductions to improve organizational effectiveness and competitive ability. Although research suggests that job insecurity is negatively related to employee work attitudes and well-being, some issues concerning these relationships have not yet been fully addressed. First, concerns about the continued existence of one's job (quantitative insecurity) and important job features (qualitative insecurity) could relate differently to the outcomes. Second, empirical research has not systematically controlled for mood dispositions, although a growing body of literature suggests that this should be a standard procedure when self-rated stress reactions are measured. Third, most studies are cross-sectional and thus unable to control for prior levels of the outcome variables. Based on longitudinal data from a Swedish organization undergoing downsizing (N =375), this study revealed that quantitative insecurity was the most important dimension in that it negatively affected subsequent well-being after controlling for positive and negative affectivity as well as prior levels of wellbeing. Although job insecurity appears to have negative consequences for employees and their organizations, our results indicate that the consequences of insecurity may have been overestimated in previous, often cross-sectional, research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]