Gabriel Fischmann

The mediating role of psychological needs in the relation between qualitative job insecurity and counterproductive work behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to add to the understanding of the qualitative job insecurity, i.e. the insecurity about the continuity of valued job aspects in future. Specifically, the paper examines whether qualitative job insecurity is related to counterproductive work behavior (CWB), both directed to the organization (i.e. CWB-O) and other individuals at work (i.e. CWB-I), and whether frustration of the basic psychological needs of autonomy, belongingness and competence, as defined in self-determination theory, may account for these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – The hypothesis were examined using structural equation modeling in heterogeneous sample of Romanian employees. Findings – Results support the hypotheses showing that feeling insecure about ones valued job aspects associates with high levels of need frustration and, therefore, also with both CWB-O and CWB-I. While each of the accounted for the associations of qualitative insecurity and CWB-O, only frustration of the need...

Perceived employability and performance: moderation by felt job insecurity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship perceived employability (the employees perception about available job opportunities in the external labour market) and performance, accounting for felt job insecurity. Performance is conceptualized broadly in terms of optimal functioning (i.e. in-role performance and helping behaviour) and malfunctioning (i.e. organizational and interpersonal counterproductive work behaviour). Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected among 433 Romanian workers. Findings – The authors hypothesize and demonstrate that perceived employability relates positively to optimal functioning, but less so when workers feel insecure: highly employable workers may be high achievers, but withdraw from the organization when they feel insecure. Furthermore, the authors hypothesize that perceived employability relates positively to malfunctioning, the more so when workers feel insecure. Highly employable workers may care less about organizational norms,...

Engaged, committed and helpful employees: the role of psychological empowerment.

ABSTRACT Although previous research has been focused on the relationship among personality, empowerment, and outcomes, little is known about the incremental effect of empowerment on positive work outcomes. This article aims at exploring the relation between personality factors (i.e., extraversion and conscientiousness) and positive work outcomes (i.e., work engagement, affective organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior), and at determining the incremental effect of psychological empowerment on these outcomes. A convenience sample from three organizations has been used for data collection (N = 258; 52% women, mean age 38.55 years, SD = 10.21). Hierarchical multiple regressions indicate that personality and psychological empowerment explain a significant amount of the variance in the positive organizational outcomes, and that psychological empowerment has a significant incremental value over demographics and personality for the studied outcomes.

The five-factor traits as moderators between job insecurity and health: A vulnerability-stress perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the moderating effects of the broad personality traits associated with the five-factor model (FFM) of personality, on the relationship between qualitative and quantitative job insecurity (JI) and physical and mental health complaints. Design/methodology/approach Self-report data collected in a cross-sectional study from a heterogeneous sample of 469 Romanian employees was analyzed with hierarchical regressions in order to identify moderation effects between each personality trait, JI and health outcomes. Findings Neuroticism and introversion amplify the relationship between JI and mental health complaints. None of the other personality traits showed any significant interaction with JI. No moderating effects were found for physical health complaints. Quantitative and qualitative JI show a high correlation and similar relationships with other variables, but may not be part of the same larger factor. Practical implications The FFM has a lower contribution than expected in explaining the JI-health dynamic, with only 2 out of 5 reaching significance. The personality traits of neuroticism and introversion function as moderately strong vulnerability factors in the JI-mental health relationship, and may be used by managers in identifying employees who are at risk in situations when JI is likely to appear. Originality/value The authors offer overall support for the main effect model in the relationship between JI and health, showing that, while some broad personality traits buffer the negative effect of JI in a fairly strong manner, this effect may be very difficult to completely abolish. The authors further show that quantitative and qualitative JI are very closely related facets of the broader JI construct.