The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between employee trust towards the company and their commitment to it. For this reason, this study questioned if certain…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between employee trust towards the company and their commitment to it. For this reason, this study questioned if certain levels of trust presented in each department at Micron Technology Italy were interrelated with the levels of commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey at Micron Technology Italy was conducted. Of the 1,580 employees who received the questionnaire, 892 responses were collected, resulting in a 56.46 per cent response rate.
Findings
The research findings show that for departments where trust values are below 6.8, the commitment level follows the trust value: there is a positive relation between these two factors. However, departments where employee trust reaches values higher than 6.8 are not reciprocated by a proportional commitment level that tends to reach a “satisfaction point”.
Research limitations/implications
The results are only partially coherent with previous studies. Further research is needed to determine whether these reports hold true under different situations/companies.
Practical implications
Since commitment does not seem to be continuously increasing, after a certain point it is not cost-effective for the company to implement communication strategies aimed at increasing employee trust in a non-targeted way. The need for customized communication strategies emerges as does the importance of understanding internal communication as integrated with other human resource management levers.
Originality/value
This paper offers an original contribution to the ongoing discussion concerning employee engagement. Employees' trust does not always lead to employee commitment behaviors inside the organization.
Details
Keywords
The paper aims to investigate the relationship between employees’ trust toward a company and their commitment to it. It questions if certain levels of trust presented in each…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate the relationship between employees’ trust toward a company and their commitment to it. It questions if certain levels of trust presented in each department at Micron Technology, Italy, are interrelated with the levels of commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
It reveals that a survey at Micron Technology Italy was conducted. Of the 1,580 employees who received the questionnaire, 892 responses were collected, resulting in a 56.46 per cent response rate.
Findings
It shows that for departments where trust values are below 6.8, the commitment level follows the trust value: there is a positive relation between these two factors. However, departments where employee trust reaches values higher than 6.8 are not reciprocated by a proportional commitment level that tends to reach a’satisfaction point’.
Practical implications
Advances the view that, since commitment does not seem to continuously increase, after a certain point, it is not cost-effective for a company to implement communication strategies aimed at increasing employee trust in a non-targeted way. The need for customized communication strategies emerges as does the importance of understanding internal communication as integrated with other human-resource management levers.
Social implications
It argues that managers must communicate with their employees as honestly and directly as possible, particularly during uncertain times, and should encourage the employees’ participation in the decision-making process.
Originality/value
It offers an original contribution to the ongoing discussion concerning employee engagement. Employees’ trust does not always lead to employee commitment behaviors inside the organization.