Work

Perceived Post-restructuring Job Insecurity: The Impact of Employees' Trust in one's Employer and Perceived Employability

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate whether trust in one's employer and also perceived employability are able to reduce employees' perceived post-restructuring job insecurity. Both, quantitative job insecurity (insecurity over the continuity of a job) and qualitative job insecurity (insecurity over the continuity of valued aspects of the job) are examined. Based on Lazarus' theory of stress, we predict that employees' trust in their employer, perceived levels of employability and the combination effect impacts employees' perceived post-restructuring quantitative and qualitative job insecurity. Results taken from a sample of 377 employees working in Switzerland who survived restructuring mostly support these hypotheses. In general, employees with a high level of trust in their employer and high level of perceived employability show lower post-restructuring quantitative and qualitative job insecurity. Moreover, results suggest a potentially important role for the multiplicative effects of trust in one's employer and perceived employability regarding the perception of qualitative job insecurity. Implications for both research and practice are discussed.

Source: German Journal of Human Resource Management Zeitschrift für Personalforschung

DOI: 10.1177/239700221202600405

Authors: Alexandra Arnold, Bruno Staffelbach

Institution: University of Zurich

Language: English

Topic: Organizational Downsizing and Restructuring

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2238710985