Work centrality and work alienation: distinct aspects of a general commitment to work

Abstract

The authors tested the proposition that identification with the work role and engagement in the work role constitute different aspects of a general commitment to work. Whereas work centrality (a strictly normative attitude) represents the extent to which a person identifies with the work role, work alienation (an affect‐inclusive attitude) represents the extent to which a person is engaged in the work role. Predicated on these conceptual distinctions, the authors tested whether work centrality and work alienation exhibited theoretically‐meaningful, differential correlations with six variables reflecting various work‐related commitments. Using data from 349 employed individuals, the results of Hotelling–Williams t tests revealed that, compared to work alienation, work centrality had stronger correlations with Protestant work ethic and leisure ethic. In contrast, compared to work centrality, work alienation was more strongly correlated with work locus of control, work self‐discipline, and affective organizational commitment. Work centrality and work alienation did not differ in their correlations with job involvement–role. Taken together, the results suggest that people who are highly committed to work not only identify with the work role, they are also engaged in the work role. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ageism in the Workplace: The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Predicting Job Satisfaction, Commitment, and Engagement

“…As expected, greater age identification overall was positively correlated with job longevity variables— job satisfaction, commitment, and engagement. As expected and replicating past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ), greater work centrality overall was strongly positively correlated with the job longevity variables. Aging anxiety, as expected and consistent with past work (Gendron, ), was negatively related to job longevity variables.…”

“…Age identity was most strongly related to job commitment which may be because having a positive social identity can lead to behaviors that maintain that identity, such as increased commitment to one's occupation, and workers of all ages might be motivated to prove that they are valuable workers to others and their organization, at any age. Work centrality was a strong predictor of job longevity variables in this study, which is consistent with past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ). Workers who see their occupation as an important aspect of their self‐concept and a central component in their lives seem likely to show increased job commitment, and job engagement to maintain that identity and as a result would report more job satisfaction as well.…”

Ageism in the Workplace: The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Predicting Job Satisfaction, Commitment, and Engagement

“…As expected, greater age identification overall was positively correlated with job longevity variables— job satisfaction, commitment, and engagement. As expected and replicating past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ), greater work centrality overall was strongly positively correlated with the job longevity variables. Aging anxiety, as expected and consistent with past work (Gendron, ), was negatively related to job longevity variables.…”

“…Age identity was most strongly related to job commitment which may be because having a positive social identity can lead to behaviors that maintain that identity, such as increased commitment to one's occupation, and workers of all ages might be motivated to prove that they are valuable workers to others and their organization, at any age. Work centrality was a strong predictor of job longevity variables in this study, which is consistent with past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ). Workers who see their occupation as an important aspect of their self‐concept and a central component in their lives seem likely to show increased job commitment, and job engagement to maintain that identity and as a result would report more job satisfaction as well.…”

Work Alienation and Work Engagement. The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support

“…Therefore, scholars and practitioners should pay attention to the organizational impact of work alienation and implement measures to reduce it, and, at the same time increase the level of social support. The results are in line with the previous empirical studies that showed that work alienation reduces the connection employees have with their work setting (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000). The fact that perceived social support correlates with work engagement is supported by previous studies (Caesen & Stinglhamber, 2014) and it is in line with the JD-R model which stated that social support is an important part of the employee's resources helping them to better control their job demands and to efficiently perform their tasks (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004).…”

Work Alienation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Organizational Injustice and Organizational Commitment: Implications for Healthcare Professionals

“…An alienated person has a lack of involvement in the work role and disengages from the work. Work alienation was previously a component of a commitment propensity (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000;Banai & Reisel, 2007).…”

Ageism in the Workplace: The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Predicting Job Satisfaction, Commitment, and Engagement

“…As expected, greater age identification overall was positively correlated with job longevity variables— job satisfaction, commitment, and engagement. As expected and replicating past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ), greater work centrality overall was strongly positively correlated with the job longevity variables. Aging anxiety, as expected and consistent with past work (Gendron, ), was negatively related to job longevity variables.…”

“…Age identity was most strongly related to job commitment which may be because having a positive social identity can lead to behaviors that maintain that identity, such as increased commitment to one's occupation, and workers of all ages might be motivated to prove that they are valuable workers to others and their organization, at any age. Work centrality was a strong predictor of job longevity variables in this study, which is consistent with past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ). Workers who see their occupation as an important aspect of their self‐concept and a central component in their lives seem likely to show increased job commitment, and job engagement to maintain that identity and as a result would report more job satisfaction as well.…”

Work Alienation and Work Engagement. The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support

“…Therefore, scholars and practitioners should pay attention to the organizational impact of work alienation and implement measures to reduce it, and, at the same time increase the level of social support. The results are in line with the previous empirical studies that showed that work alienation reduces the connection employees have with their work setting (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000). The fact that perceived social support correlates with work engagement is supported by previous studies (Caesen & Stinglhamber, 2014) and it is in line with the JD-R model which stated that social support is an important part of the employee's resources helping them to better control their job demands and to efficiently perform their tasks (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004).…”

Work Alienation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Organizational Injustice and Organizational Commitment: Implications for Healthcare Professionals

“…An alienated person has a lack of involvement in the work role and disengages from the work. Work alienation was previously a component of a commitment propensity (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000;Banai & Reisel, 2007).…”

Ageism in the Workplace: The Role of Psychosocial Factors in Predicting Job Satisfaction, Commitment, and Engagement

“…As expected, greater age identification overall was positively correlated with job longevity variables— job satisfaction, commitment, and engagement. As expected and replicating past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ), greater work centrality overall was strongly positively correlated with the job longevity variables. Aging anxiety, as expected and consistent with past work (Gendron, ), was negatively related to job longevity variables.…”

“…Age identity was most strongly related to job commitment which may be because having a positive social identity can lead to behaviors that maintain that identity, such as increased commitment to one's occupation, and workers of all ages might be motivated to prove that they are valuable workers to others and their organization, at any age. Work centrality was a strong predictor of job longevity variables in this study, which is consistent with past research (Bal & Kooji, ; Hirschfeld & Field, ). Workers who see their occupation as an important aspect of their self‐concept and a central component in their lives seem likely to show increased job commitment, and job engagement to maintain that identity and as a result would report more job satisfaction as well.…”

Work Alienation and Work Engagement. The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support

“…Therefore, scholars and practitioners should pay attention to the organizational impact of work alienation and implement measures to reduce it, and, at the same time increase the level of social support. The results are in line with the previous empirical studies that showed that work alienation reduces the connection employees have with their work setting (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000). The fact that perceived social support correlates with work engagement is supported by previous studies (Caesen & Stinglhamber, 2014) and it is in line with the JD-R model which stated that social support is an important part of the employee's resources helping them to better control their job demands and to efficiently perform their tasks (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004).…”

Work Alienation as a Mediator of the Relationship between Organizational Injustice and Organizational Commitment: Implications for Healthcare Professionals

“…An alienated person has a lack of involvement in the work role and disengages from the work. Work alienation was previously a component of a commitment propensity (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000;Banai & Reisel, 2007).…”