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Contingent and Non‐Contingent Working in Local Government: Contrasting Psychological Contracts
Author(s) -
CoyleShapiro Jacqueline AM.,
Kessler Ian
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.313
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-9299
pISSN - 0033-3298
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9299.00295
Subject(s) - psychological contract , sample (material) , organizational citizenship behavior , government (linguistics) , work (physics) , social psychology , citizenship , public service motivation , local government , psychology , organizational commitment , business , public relations , political science , public sector , politics , public administration , law , mechanical engineering , linguistics , chemistry , philosophy , chromatography , engineering
Given that the contingent worker is likely to be a familiar presence in the public service workplace of the future, this paper explores the consequences of contingent work arrangements on the attitudes and behaviour of employees using the psychological contract as a framework for analysis. Drawing upon survey evidence from a sample of permanent, fixed term and temporary staff employed in a British local authority, our results suggest that contract status plays an important role in how individuals view the exchange relationship with their employer and how they respond to the inducements received from that relationship. Specifically, contingent employees are less committed to the organization and engage in organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) to a lesser degree than their permanent counterparts. However, contrary to our hypothesis, the relationship between the inducements provided by the employer and OCB is stronger for contingent employees. Such findings have implications for the treatment of contingent and non‐contingent employees in the public services.