Job Insecurity, Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intentions in Changing Organizational Contexts

• In Event: 085 - Section on Organizations, Occupation and Work Paper Session. Changes in Employment Relations and Their Consequences

Abstract

We draw on panel data from a randomized field intervention (STAR - promoting employee flexibility and supervisor support) to test its effects on employees’ job insecurity, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. An unanticipated exogenous shock – announcement of a merger – occurred in the middle of data collection. Both organizational changes – STAR and merger announcement -- reflect an emerging contract characterized by increasing employee temporal flexibility and increasing employer flexibility in reorganizing workforces. STAR promoted job satisfaction and reduced job insecurity at 12-months; learning of merger increased insecurity and turnover intentions. STAR buffered effects of learning of merger on insecurity and turnover intentions. Findings provide insights into the effectiveness of an organizational-level intervention, the dynamics of organizations, and how competing logics of two organizational changes affect employees’ subjective assessments.

Authors

• Phyllis Moen, University of Minnesota

• Erin Kelly, University of Minnesota

• Michael Oakes, University of Minnesota

• Shi-Rong Lee, University of Minnesota

• Jeremy Bray, RTI International

• David M. Almeida, Pennsylvania State University

• Leslie Hammer, Portland State University

• David Hurtado, Harvard University

• Orfeu Buxton, Harvard University