Barjinder Singh, T.T. Selvarajan and Stephanie T. Solansky
Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to test a model of the influence of coworker-resources (coworker-support and coworker-exchange) on…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to test a model of the influence of coworker-resources (coworker-support and coworker-exchange) on employee performance with psychological flourishing as mediator and employee race as moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 321 employees from a mid-western US organization, the authors conducted a field study and used regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The authors ran the basic mediation as well as moderated-mediation models with non-parametric bootstrapping procedures.
Findings
Coworker-support and coworker-exchange were positively associated with psychological flourishing, which, in turn, was positively associated with employee performance. The authors found support for psychological flourishing as a mediator of coworker influence–employee performance relationships. The authors also found evidence supporting race as a boundary condition that moderated coworker influence–performance relationships, which were stronger for minorities as opposed to whites.
Practical implications
To ensure employee well-being and superior employee performance, especially for racial minorities, managers must create work environments replete with coworker-support and healthy coworker-exchange.
Originality/value
The study undertakes a simultaneous examination of two different forms of coworker influences on employee performance and clarifies the role of underlying psychological mechanisms that pave the way for coworker influence on performance. The findings provide clarity regarding the employee–coworker relationship research; in addition, they establish race as an important boundary condition when considering coworker influences and employee performance.
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Barjinder Singh, T.T. Selvarajan and Olga Chapa
The purpose of this paper is to expand the criterion domain of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), by examining the relationship between high-quality relationships (HQRs…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to expand the criterion domain of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), by examining the relationship between high-quality relationships (HQRs) and OCBs, with identity freedom as a mediator. In addition, the study also tries to highlight the role of gender as a moderator, whereby female (vs male) employees deferentially evaluate the importance of HQRs while engaging in OCBs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted survey research by collecting data from 160 working adults and performed both basic mediation and mediated-moderated regression analysis with bootstrapping to determine the authors’ findings.
Findings
Results of the study establish HQRs as important antecedents of employee citizenship behaviors, clarify the role of identity freedom as an important underlying psychological mechanism that mediates the relationship between HQRs and OCBs and position gender as an important boundary condition in the relationship between HQR and identity freedom, whereby female employees are more likely to enjoy identity freedom in the presence of HQRs, as opposed to males.
Research limitations/implications
The present study illustrates the importance of HQRs and identity freedom as precursors of OCBs and in doing so expands the nomological net of OCBs, especially with respect to the antecedents of OCBs. The study also expands the scope of social identity theory by highlighting, in addition to social identity, the importance of identity expression.
Practical implications
This study provides guidance to organizational practitioners to focus on building HQRs at work as HQRs, by making employees feel safe, pave the way for OCBs. In addition, the study also highlights the importance of gender as a moderator, whereby employees with different gender affiliations react differently to organizational contexts.
Originality/value
Very little research has examined the relationship between HQRs and OCB. Antecedents of OCBs have been grouped into four categories: individual (or employee) characteristics, task characteristics, organizational characteristics and leadership behaviors. Clearly, the role played by the quality of interpersonal relationships in fostering OCBs has not been fully examined. By highlighting HQRs and identity freedom as antecedents of OCBs, the study informs the OCB literature by introducing interpersonal-relational and attitudinal elements as criterions of OCBs.
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Rajan Selvarajan and Peggy A. Cloninger
The purpose of this paper is to examine how ethical assessments of employees are influenced by job performance outcomes, that is, by an employee's success or failure as measured…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how ethical assessments of employees are influenced by job performance outcomes, that is, by an employee's success or failure as measured by a successful or unsuccessful job appraisal.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 180 employees rated the performance of a fictitious salesperson described in one of four written vignettes as successful/ethical, successful/unethical, unsuccessful/ethical or unsuccessful/unethical.
Findings
Job performance outcomes bias the ethical assessments of raters, even raters with stronger ethical beliefs. Successful employees were judged to have exhibited more ethical behaviors than unsuccessful employees.
Research limitations/implications
Job performance outcomes are a systematic source of bias that should be examined to determine the locus of effect as either rater perception and/or recall of ethical behavior that is biased by the job outcomes achieved by ratees. Studies should also examine other rater characteristics such as cognitive moral development; whether ethical intensity of the incidents in the vignettes influences assessments; whether training or other sources of appraisal (e.g. customers or peers) moderates bias; and field settings.
Practical implications
Managers who reward unethical performance with positive job appraisals will influence other employees to be more accepting of unethical behavior and may undermine organizational processes such as background checks. Organizations may try to counter these effects by other sources of appraisal (e.g. customers or peers), training, or supplementary methods.
Originality/value
The research provides important new empirical evidence regarding incorporating ethical behavior into performance appraisals, and has implications for managers seeking to improve employees' ethical behaviors, and for researchers examining performance appraisals, cognition, ethics, and organizational processes.
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Yemisi Bolade-Ogunfodun, Lebene Soga and Rita Nasr
Working-from-home (WFH) models represent one of several types of flexible work practices gaining ground in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular interest is the…
Abstract
Working-from-home (WFH) models represent one of several types of flexible work practices gaining ground in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular interest is the increase in the use of digital technology platforms for work collaboration and communication. These have been largely well received in terms of their potential to mitigate disruptions to business activity and employee work life in the absence of in-person work contexts. Research indicates that the sales and adoption of many digital platforms have witnessed sharp increase since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. These have contributed to creating seamless organisational collaborations, shared access to electronic data and new organisational processes to mirror previous in-person work arrangements. Many organisational members have had to upskill at rapid rates to catch up with these developments. Despite the benefits to employees, managers and organisations in terms of facilitating continued remote work, we illuminate the hidden inequities within this work model and highlight the unintended consequences from the standpoint of gender, race and the digital divide. We identify key aspects of WFH that represent underlying factors which create conditions for inequities and illustrate these with a case study. Additionally, we analyse the role of technology as a platform for WFH, noting impacts on employee well-being, team dynamics, as well as manager-employee relations. We conclude by raising implications for managers, offering recommendations to rebalance the inequities identified, such as developing an inclusive organisational culture, creating systems to access and evaluate employee feedback as well as developing appropriate response mechanisms that support particularly vulnerable groups.
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Naval Garg, Manju Mahipalan and Nidhi Sharma
The study examined the relationship between workplace toxicity and turnover intentions among Indian healthcare employees. It also explored the role of gratitude as a moderator in…
Abstract
Purpose
The study examined the relationship between workplace toxicity and turnover intentions among Indian healthcare employees. It also explored the role of gratitude as a moderator in the workplace toxicity–turnover intentions relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a cross-sectional research design. The sample comprises 315 employees from the Indian healthcare sector. Approximately, 400 employees are approached both through email and office visits. Responses were received from 336 participants, and 21 incomplete questionnaires were discarded. The relationships between four variables of workplace toxicity and turnover intentions are examined using correlation and hierarchical regression. The moderation effect of gratitude is studied using the PROCESS macro in SPSS 21.
Findings
The results revealed that workplace toxicity could explain 45.8% variations in employees' turnover intentions. It also reported significant negative regression coefficients between all four dimensions of workplace toxicity and turnover intentions. It suggested that toxic health organizations may promote turnover intentions among healthcare employees. Also, findings recommended a significant moderating effect of gratitude amid the relationships of four dimensions of workplace toxicity and turnover intentions.
Practical implications
Hospital administrators must ensure that health professionals have the necessary support to remain effective in the field by providing a conducive working environment emerging from sound human resource practices that promote respect, collegial relationships, teamwork and collaboration. The present research demonstrates gratitude as one such factor that could act as a catalyst within the workplace. Practitioners could achieve a healthy work environment by developing complementary relief measures that build organizational capacities and improve its culture while sponsoring programs for individual employees that instill positivity through awareness of gratitude in everyday life.
Originality/value
This study offered a comprehensive understanding of workplace toxicity by investigating its four dimensions. Also, it is one of the pioneer studies that evaluate the role of gratitude in restricting workplace toxicity-induced turnover intentions.
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Swee Leong Sing, Wai Yee Yeong, Florencia Edith Wiria, Bee Yen Tay, Ziqiang Zhao, Lin Zhao, Zhiling Tian and Shoufeng Yang
This paper aims to provide a review on the process of additive manufacturing of ceramic materials, focusing on partial and full melting of ceramic powder by a high-energy laser…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a review on the process of additive manufacturing of ceramic materials, focusing on partial and full melting of ceramic powder by a high-energy laser beam without the use of binders.
Design/methodology/approach
Selective laser sintering or melting (SLS/SLM) techniques are first introduced, followed by analysis of results from silica (SiO2), zirconia (ZrO2) and ceramic-reinforced metal matrix composites processed by direct laser sintering and melting.
Findings
At the current state of technology, it is still a challenge to fabricate dense ceramic components directly using SLS/SLM. Critical challenges encountered during direct laser melting of ceramic will be discussed, including deposition of ceramic powder layer, interaction between laser and powder particles, dynamic melting and consolidation mechanism of the process and the presence of residual stresses in ceramics processed via SLS/SLM.
Originality/value
Despite the challenges, SLS/SLM still has the potential in fabrication of ceramics. Additional research is needed to understand and establish the optimal interaction between the laser beam and ceramic powder bed for full density part fabrication. Looking into the future, other melting-based techniques for ceramic and composites are presented, along with their potential applications.