Person-Organization fit among interdependent employees: A longitudinal study of employee well-being in Japan

Abstract

Studies of person-organization fit (P-O fit) have shown that a fit between the values of the individual and organizational culture leads to higher employee well-being (e.g., high job satisfaction). However, it is not entirely clear what organizational culture forms a favorable P-O fit with highly interdependent employees. Thus, the current study examines the type of organizational culture that forms an effective P-O fit with employees with highly interdependent cultural values in the East Asian context.A longitudinal survey of 456 workers in Japan conducted in 2021 and 2022 revealed that clan culture—organizational culture emphasizing interpersonal harmony—was positively related to employee well-being, and the effects became stronger when they had high levels of interdependence. Conversely, market culture—organizational culture emphasizing competition and achievement—was unrelated to well-being. Furthermore, it related negatively to employee well-being when interdependence was high. These results suggest that organizational culture’s effects on employee well-being vary when individuals have interdependent values.