But they promised! How psychological contracts influence the impact of felt violations on job-related anxiety and performance

Abstract

PurposeThis study unpacks the relationship between violations of organizational promises, as perceived by employees and their job performance, considering the mediating effects of job-related anxiety and moderating effects of psychological contract type.Design/methodology/approachMulti-source, multi-wave data were collected from employees and their supervisors in Pakistan.FindingsFeelings of organizational betrayal may reduce job performance due to the higher anxiety that employees experience in their daily work. This mediating role of enhanced job-related anxiety in turn is stronger to the extent that employees believe that their psychological contract contains relational obligations but weaker when it contains transactional obligations.Practical implicationsThe study gives organizational decision makers pertinent insights into how they can mitigate the risk that employees who are angry about broken organizational promises stay away from performance-enhancing work activities, namely, by managing the expectations that come along with psychological contracts. In so doing, they can avoid imposing dual harms on employees, from both a sense that they have been betrayed and the risk of lower performance ratings.Originality/valueThis study offers expanded insights into the process that underpins the translation of psychological contract violations into diminished job performance, by pinpointing the simultaneous roles of experienced job-related anxiety and beliefs about employer obligations.

The link between fear about COVID-19 and insomnia: mediated by economic concerns and psychological distress, moderated by mindfulness

“…Prior studies also indicate that lower fit indices are more acceptable in understudied research settings (Kashif, Braganca, Awang, & De Run, 2017 ; Lattin, Carroll, & Green, 2003 ). Research conducted in the specific country setting of Pakistan reports similar CFI, IFI and TLI values, lower than .90 but higher than .80, as acceptable (e.g., De Clercq, Azeem, & Haq, 2021 ; De Clercq, Jahanzeb, & Fatima, 2020c ).…”

How Self-Efficacy Drives Job Performance: The Role of Job Anxiety and Intrinsic Motivation

“…Furthermore, employees who have the awareness and love of work will not show an attitude of betrayal and avoid the meanings of organizational goals. (De Clercq et al, 2020) stated that betrayal and not being grateful for what is given by the organization can reduce performance because it is always haunted by higher anxiety in daily work. Thus, anxiety is not a barrier factor in doing work with the assumption of good self-efficacy.…”

“…Employees who have a quality personality will certainly reduce anxiety levels so that their performance is good (Kaakeh et al, 2020). Then, (De Clercq et al, 2020) stated that employees who are not grateful for what is given by the organization can reduce performance because they are always haunted by higher anxiety at work. Therefore, the better self-efficacy, the lower the work's anxiety and the higher the performance (De Clercq et al, 2018).…”

Constructing and Validating Students’ Psychological Contract Violation Scale

“…When psychological contracts are violated, people's trust in the organisation is damaged, thereby diminishing their satisfaction with work and reducing their commitment to the organisation and their interest in remaining with the organisation over time (De Clercq et al, 2021). In faculty-student relationships, psychological contract violations can take many forms for each party to the contract.…”