Nancy E. Day

The relationship among reported disclosure of sexual orientation, anti‐discrimination policies, top management support and work attitudes of gay and lesbian employees

There is currently very little research to support the popularly held claim that “closeted” homosexual workers will have a less positive work‐related attitude and no empirical investigation of companies that prohibit discrimination on grounds of sexuality. This study used data from a survey of 744 homosexual employees to determine the relationships of reported disclosure of sexual orientation, anti‐discrimination policies and top management support for equal rights with relevant work attitudes. All three independent variables were found to be significantly related to affective organizational commitment and conflict between work and home. Additionally, anti‐discrimination policies and top management support were related to job satisfaction. However, none of the independent variables were significantly associated with continuance organizational commitment or job stress. It is suggested that human resource managers concerned with integrating gay and lesbian employees begin by educating top managers and creating a work environment in which disclosure of homosexual orientation is supported.

Teaching Diversity: A Study of Organizational Needs and Diversity Curriculum in Higher Education

Little evidence exists regarding how college diversity courses can best support the needs of the business community. To understand whether diversity courses fit business needs, a content analysis of syllabi was compared to a survey of human resources (HR) managers regarding the diversity management skills sought in college graduates. Findings demonstrate that HR managers want more emphasis on communication and listening skills, team building, and international diversity issues, whereas the syllabi place more emphasis on specific demographic groups and how diversity should be managed. There is a need to establish a closer link between course content and organizational demands.

Religion in the Workplace: Correlates and Consequences of Individual Behavior

Religion is an increasingly important aspect of diversity management. However, while much scholarly work exists regarding spirituality, little addresses relationships between religiosity and individual outcomes that may affect organizational functioning. Reviewing past research from psychology and management literatures, this paper describes correlates of religiosity that may affect individual behavior in the workplace, such as physical and mental health, coping, concern for others, creativity, commitment, ethical behavior, prejudice, intelligence and personality. Recommendations for future research call for theory-based conceptualizations with well-articulated measures conducted in organizational samples.

Perceived pay communication, justice and pay satisfaction

Purpose – Although some research shows that positive outcomes occur when workers understand how their pay is determined, little is known about the dynamics of how pay communication affects pay satisfaction. This research proposes that the relationships between pay communication and pay satisfaction exist because justice perceptions mediate them. Pay communication is of particular interest to managers of public sector organizations, where many aspects of the pay system are in the public domain, and without adequate communication, may be easily misunderstood by workers. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach – The study consists of a sample of 384 employees of a Midwestern public university in the USA who completed two questionnaires. Structural equation modeling is used.Findings – Pay communication has both direct and mediated relationships with pay satisfaction (satisfaction with pay level, benefits, pay raise, and pay administration). Distributive justice account...

An investigation into pay communication: is ignorance bliss?

Purpose – The papers purpose is to investigate the relationships between pay communication and referent choice, pay satisfaction and pay equity perceptions.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 149 employed graduate business students from a variety of organizations were surveyed at two different times, first to assess dependent variables (pay satisfaction and pay equity perceptions), and second to measure perceived pay policies.Findings – Contrary to predictions, increased pay communication was not associated with referent choice, and referent choice was unrelated to pay attitudes. Pay communication was also unassociated with pay satisfaction. However, increased pay communication was found to be negatively related to pay equity perceptions.Research limitations/implications – A two‐questionnaire survey methodology was designed to minimize the possibility of common method variance. Because few employers communicate about pay, there was restriction of range for this independent variable, perhaps constra...

Pay Equity as a Mediator of the Relationships Among Attitudes and Communication About Pay Level Determination and Pay Secrecy

Although a limited amount of research exists on pay communication, most shows that pay communication is associated with positive attitudes. Little research exists on pay secrecy and its outcomes. Using equity theory, this article explores the dynamics of how perceived pay communication and perceived pay secrecy policies relate to desirable attitudes. The article proposes that pay equity is the link that mediates these relationships. Data were collected in a U.S. public utility, and findings reveal that perceived communication about how pay levels are determined is positively associated with affective organizational commitment and three dimensions of pay satisfaction, and most of these relationships are fully or partially mediated by pay equity. While perceived written pay secrecy policies show no relationship with attitudes, perceived unwritten secrecy policies negatively predict pay administration satisfaction and this relationship is mediated by pay equity. Finally, neither written nor unwritten pay secrecy policies are related to whether or not respondents report discussing their pay.

Do We Practice What We Preach? An Exploratory Study About How Business Schools Manage Their Human Resources

Using Pfeffers typology of high-performance human resource management practices, this study examined faculty perceptions of how U.S. schools of business utilize such practices. Results show that faculty believe that most high-performance human resource management practices are used by their schools, particularly employment security, empowerment/self-management, and information sharing. Faculty perceive less attention being devoted to the use of training and development practices, competitive pay, and reward systems. Implications for business school management are presented, which include ensuring that deans and department chairs are trained in effectively managing faculty for achievement of business school missions and goals.

Lacerations of the Soul: Rejection-Sensitive Business School Faculty and Perceived Publication Performance

Work-related rejections, such as missing a promotion, failing to land a job, losing a client, or having a paper rejected, are common work experiences, and for some, such disappointments could be debilitating. Extensive psychological research shows rejection sensitivity negatively affects interpersonal relationships, but how it relates to work attitudes and behaviors has not been examined, and this study is the first to apply rejection sensitivity in a work setting. Using a cross-sectional sample of 339 tenured/tenure-track business faculty, we use need-to-belong and social identity theoretical approaches to examine how work-related rejection sensitivity predicts publication performance, coping style, and professional commitment. Findings show rejection-sensitive faculty report lower publication performance (in effort and quantity) and are less likely to use positive coping strategies. Although rejection sensitivity did not predict professional commitment, rejection-sensitive faculty who reported better publication performance were higher in professional commitment than rejection-sensitive faculty who reported lower performance. Based on these findings, we hope to improve academic leaders’ understanding that some otherwise qualified faculty will be more affected by rejection than others. Taking proactive stances to ensure these faculty are prepared to deal effectively with rejection through interventions such as mentoring and training would enhance the chances that all qualified faculty will succeed in the long term.