Nicole Torka

On the transferability of “traditional” satisfaction theory to non‐traditional employment relationships: temp agency work satisfaction

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...

Direct participation quality and organisational commitment: the role of leader‐member exchange

Purpose – The relationship between participation quality and commitment has received relatively limited attention in the industrial relations (IR) and human resource management (HRM) literature. This paper seeks to fill some of the gaps in prior research. It aims to answer three questions: How do participation justice and satisfaction influence affective and normative organisational commitment? Does leader‐member exchange (LMX) influence satisfaction and perceived justice with participation? Do the three assumed indicators of participation quality mediate the relationship between LMX and affective and normative organisational commitment?Design/methodology/approach – The research was conducted at three faculties of a Dutch university, and involved faculty staff. E‐mails and online questionnaires were distributed in Dutch. Hypotheses were tested. Three indicators of direct participation quality: satisfaction with participation, perceived distributive justice concerning participation, and procedural justice ...

Atypical Employment Relationships and Commitment: Wishful Thinking or HR Challenge?

Nowadays, simultaneously maintaining flexible working practices and commitment is an important topic for HR managers since they both can contribute to organisational success. However, many HRM researchers and practitioners are unsure whether these can go together as job security is often seen as a necessary condition for commitment. Since relatively little research has yet been completed, this article contributes to this discussion. The aim of this article is to explain how flexible workers can be committed. Since knowledge on the matter is very limited, it was decided to conduct an exploratory, qualitative study, observing and listening to welders and fitters in two Dutch companies. The results show that there are more congruencies than differences in terms of commitment between the two groups of workers (typical and atypical). Moreover, the findings also indicate that the commitment of atypical workers depends on a whole range of Human Resource Management choices. HRM for these workers does not begin and end with choices made about human resource flows and specific contract policies. Therefore, an active approach to the whole HRM territory (work systems, rewards, human resource flow, and employee influence) would seem desirable. It was found that all employees want employers to listen to their views regarding policy choices that affect them personally.

Antecedents of perceived intra‐ and extra‐organisational alternatives

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore antecedents of perceived intra‐ and extra‐organisational alternatives among employees in the Czech Republic, Poland and the Slovak Republic.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 9,068 low‐educated supermarket employees at 360 supermarkets. LISREL analysis was employed.Findings – Age, job autonomy and organisation size predict both forms of perceived alternatives. Tenure appears to influence both forms of perceived alternatives positively. Job challenge and sex only predict perceived extra‐organisational alternatives. Unexpectedly, despite relatively high unemployment rates, the respondents perceive extra‐organisational alternatives.Research limitations/implications – Some of the antecedents of perceived alternatives identified in research among workers in Western societies seem to have a different or no impact on the perceived alternatives of employees in these countries. The study comprises only cross‐sectional data. In order to test caus...

Honesty and genuine happiness: Or why soft healers make stinking wounds (Dutch proverb)

ABSTRACT Genuine happiness is impossible without authentic concern for and corresponding behaviour towards the well-being of others. Such an incorporation of others into the self refers to a “democratic self” and the related regard for the common good. The author argues that the honesty of professionals who work in or for an educational or vocational setting is vital for the good of the individual and the common good. By introducing “democratic selves”, recent advancements in Dialogical Self Theory (DST) point to an inclusion of the common good. However, given the importance of virtues for one’s own and the common good, the theory and its applications are in need of integrating virtues and in particular honesty.

Perceived distributive justice and Leader-Member Exchange: An exploration among Dutch and Polish (agency) workers

Leseprobe ----- Abstract We compare the distributive justice perceptions of agency workers and permanent staff concerning different aspects of HRM. Moreover, we investigate if the supervisor-subordinate relationship quality (Leader-Member Exchange, LMX) influences the relationship between the contract status and distributive justice perceptions. We conducted semi-structured interviews in three Dutch logistics companies and distributed questionnaires among workers performing low-skilled jobs. Results show that a direct relationship between contract status and distributive justice perceptions remains when testing the mediator effect of LMX. Contract status seems partly to determine perceived LMX and, consequently, perceived distributive justice. However, the differences in perceived justice concerning voice, participation and pay between the worker groups change when individual workers perceive high-quality LMX. Thus, not only between group differences might be relevant, but also within group differences. ----- Wahrgenommene Verteilungsgerechtigkeit und Leader-Member Exchange: Eine Exploration unter niederlandischen und polnischen (Leih)Arbeitern Zusammenfassung Wir vergleichen die wahrgenommene Verteilungsgerechtigkeit bei Festangestellten und Leiharbeitnehmern hinsichtlich verschiedener Aspekte des HRM. Es wird untersucht, ob die Qualitat der Vorgesetzten- Mitarbeiter-Beziehung (Leader-Member Exchange, LMX) die Beziehung zwischen Vertragsstatus und wahrgenommener Verteilungsgerechtigkeit wie vermutet beeinflusst. Wir haben teilstrukturierte Interviews in drei niederlandischen Logistikunternehmen erhoben und Arbeitskrafte in gering qualifizierter Beschaftigung mit einem Fragebogen befragt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Beziehung zwischen Vertragsstatus und wahrgenommener Verteilungsgerechtigkeit beim Test des Mediator- Effekts von LMX bestehen bleibt. Der Vertragsstatus scheint die Wahrnehmung des LMX und folglich das Gerechtigkeitsempfinden (teilweise) zu determinieren. Es andern sich die Unterschiede im Gerechtigkeitsgefuhl hinsichtlich der Mitsprache, der Mitbestimmung und des Gehalts zwischen den Gruppen, wenn individuelle Arbeitskrafte eine hohe LMX Qualitat wahrnehmen. D.h. es sind Unterschiede zwischen Gruppen und auch innerhalb von Gruppen zu beachten. Keywords: (Polish) temp agency workers, perceived distributive justice, LMX, voice, participation (JEL: L2, M5, Y8) ----- Bibliographie: Torka, Nicole/Goedegebure, Ivy: Perceived distributive justice and Leader-Member Exchange: An exploration among Dutch and Polish (agency) workers. Industrielle Beziehungen, 1-2017, S. 100-123. https://doi.org/10.3224/indbez.v24i1.06