Xander D. Lub

Different or alike? : Exploring the psychological contract and commitment of different generations of hospitality workers

Purpose – This study aims to explore generational differences in the psychological contract of hospitality employees and work outcomes such as commitment and turnover intention.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected in 20 hotels (n=359) from a four‐star hotel chain in The Netherlands using a self‐administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using MANOVA and post‐hoc analysis.Findings – Findings suggest that opportunities for development and challenge, variation and responsibility are more important to younger generations of hospitality workers. Generation X placed high value on work‐life balance, autonomy and job security. No differences were found for work atmosphere, salary and task description. Significantly lower commitment and higher turnover intention was also found for Generation Y.Practical implications – The findings provide insight into generational differences in expectations that hospitality workers have of their employers. This helps managers in developing management styles as we...

One job, one deal...or not: do generations respond differently to psychological contract fulfillment?

This paper investigates generational differences in the relations between psychological contract fulfillment and work attitudes. Data were collected from a sample of 909 employees in the Dutch service sector. Structural equation modeling analyses were used to test the moderating effects of generational differences on the influence of psychological contract fulfillment on affective commitment and turnover intention. The relationship between psychological contract fulfillment and these work outcomes was moderated by generational differences. Furthermore, results indicate that different generations respond differently to different aspects of psychological contract fulfillment, such as career development, job content, organizational policies, social atmosphere and rewards. The study provides evidence that generational differences impact the reciprocal relationship between employer and employee. Results from this study suggest that Baby Boomers and Generation X may be more motivated by social atmosphere, whereas Generation Y may be more motivated by job content and career development. Fair organizational policies are particularly motivating to Generation X, and providing rewards, though more important to Generation Y, seem mostly unrelated to work outcomes. This article is the first to study the moderation of generational differences in the relationships between psychological contract fulfillment and work outcomes.

Creating Inclusive Teams Through Perceptions of Supplementary and Complementary Person–Team Fit Examining the Relationship Between Person–Team Fit and Team Effectiveness

Using a multi-wave, multi-level design, this study unravels the impact of subjective (dis)similarities in teams on team effectiveness. Based on optimal distinctiveness theory and the social inclusion model, we assume combined effects of individual and shared perceptions of supplementary and complementary person–team fit on affective and performance-based outcomes. Furthermore, at the team level, we expect this relationship to be mediated by team cohesion. In a sample of 121 participants (across 30 teams), we found that teams in which members share perceptions of high supplementary as well as high complementary fit outperform those in which they do not. In addition, members of such teams report higher levels of team satisfaction and viability. Both of these occur through positive effects on the cohesion within the team. Thereby, our results support the central tenet of the social inclusion model. At the individual level, this enhancing effect of the interaction was not supported, providing additional evidence for considering perceived person–team fit as a collective construct.

Psychological contract fulfillment and expatriate intrinsic career success: the mediating role of identification with the multinational corporation

Abstract In this study, we examined to what extent psychological contract fulfillment (PCF) positively affected two dimensions of expatriate intrinsic career success - job and career satisfaction. Moreover, we assessed whether these relationships were mediated by identification with the multinational corporation (MNC). One hundred ninety-seven expatriates of a large multinational technology company participated in this study. We used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. Results showed that identification with the MNC partially mediated the relationship between PCF and job satisfaction, and PCF and career satisfaction. This study highlights the important role of fulfilling promises vis-à-vis expatriates and identification with the MNC for expatriate intrinsic career success. Since intrinsic career success is an important predictor of intentions to remain with the organization, it is particularly important that MNCs attend to and manage the psychological contracts of their expatriates.

Home to work spillover and turnover intentions: The mediating role of training and development practices

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between home-to-work spillover, measured as positive and negative home–work interference (HWI) and turnover intentions, as well as the mediating role of perceptions concerning training and development practices. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected among 418 respondents who were working at two business schools. A confirmative structural equation modeling analysis was conducted for the analysis. Findings As expected, positive HWI showed negative relationships with turnover intentions, while negative HWI related positively to turnover intentions. Training and development practices mediated the relationship between positive HWI and turnover intentions; the mediation effect was stronger for women than it was for men. Training and development practices did not mediate the relationship between negative HWI and turnover intentions, however. Practical implications The outcomes suggest that helping employees to balance their work and home lives can be beneficial for employees, as well as for employers in terms of reducing turnover intentions. Originality/value As contributions, additional insight into the relationship between positive and negative non-work factors and turnover intentions by examining the ways in which both positive as well as negative HWI are related to turnover intentions. Furthermore, the research considers the mediating role played by perceptions concerning human resource (HR) practices, and particularly training and development practices as perceived by the employee, in the relationship between positive and negative HWI and turnover intentions.

‘When You Grew Up …’ or ‘How Old Are You?’ A Review of Theory and Evidence on Generational and Age Differences in Psychological Contracts

In many developed countries, organisations are facing challenges regarding the potential workforce. Some figures suggest that, as a result of lower fertility rates and increased life expectancy combined with low participation rates for older workers, the dependency ratio (i.e., the ratio of populations aged 65 and older to populations aged 20–64) is on the rise (OECD 2006). This will lead to an expected 10 percent reduction in the potential workforce between 2020 and 2050 (OECD 2005).