Work role stressors and employee outcomes: Investigating the moderating role of subjective person-organization and person-job fit perceptions in Indian organizations

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to explore the direct effects of work role stressors and subjective fit perceptions on the employee outcomes of job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and turnover intentions. The study further aimed to investigate the moderating role of person-organization (P-O) fit, demands-abilities (D-A) fit and needs supplies (N-S) fit in the relationship between work role stressors and the aforementioned employee outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted using structured questionnaires for measuring the aforementioned variables. The sample of the study was 317 professionals from five sectors. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the data.

Findings

Hierarchical multiple regression showed that the work role stressors were negatively related to job satisfaction and OCB and positively related to turnover intentions. Subjective fit was seen to be positively related to job satisfaction and OCB and negatively related to turnover intentions. The analysis also found some support for the stress buffering effect of high subjective fit in the prediction of job satisfaction, OCB and turnover intentions.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the organizational behavior literature by focusing on the fact that the negative effects of work role stressors on employee outcomes can be mitigated by identifying the variables which act as a buffer to weaken this effect. The results of the study highlight the importance of the concept of subjective fit for the managers and the employees to help them in coping up with the demands of the job. They provide support for the fact that matching employees to their organization and job can help in the mitigation of employees’ stress, resulting in positive employee outcomes, hence benefiting the organization in the long run.

Originality/value

The study is the first of its kind to investigate the moderating role of P-O fit, D-A fit and N-S perceptions in the relationship between work role stressors and employee outcomes, especially in the Indian context.

Citation

Chhabra, B. (2016), "Work role stressors and employee outcomes: Investigating the moderating role of subjective person-organization and person-job fit perceptions in Indian organizations", International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 390-414. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-11-2013-0722