Managing the psychological Managing the psychological contract in turbulent timescontract in turbulent times

(or, It ain’t what you do it’s the way (or, It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it)that you do it)

Dr Alf Crossman

University of Surrey

School of Management

The Psychological Contract

Source: Guest, D., & Conway, N. (1997).

Causes Content Consequences

Involvement climate

Bureaucratic climate

HR Practice

Experience

Expectations

Alternatives

Fairness

Trust

Delivery of the Deal

Behavioural consequences

Motivation

Effort

Attendance/absence

Organizational citizenship

Intention to stay/quit

Attitudinal consequences

Organizational Commitment

Employment Relations

Job Satisfaction

Security

The Psychological ContractThe Psychological Contract

Exchange relationship(reciprocity)

Commitment

Trust

Psychological contract:

Construction(reconstruction)

Perceived psychological

contract variation:• Breach• Enhancement

The organizational context: Observed or experienced internal

factors

Environmental context: Observed or experienced external factors and

social cues

Periodic review

Periodic review

Self-awareness of the psychological

contract -misalignment:

emotional response to event or trigger

Parallel psychological contractsParallel psychological contracts

Organization

Department

Manager ‘A’

Manager ‘B’

Manager ‘C’

Psychological contract

Reference to, and impact on

Employee ‘B’

Employee ‘C’

Psychological contract

Organization

Department

Manager ‘A’

Psychological contract

Organization

Department

Manager ‘A’

Reference to, and impact on

Employee ‘A’

Manager ‘B’

Manager ‘C’

“When I left school I worked in a shoe shop, but my dream….

….was to work in the big building on the top of the hill, because they were known as a good employer”

The dreamThe dream

The Automobile AssociationThe Automobile Association

• The motto:

Courtesy and Care

The realityThe reality

“….I don’t trust managers any more”.

“….he broke that trust in the first year when he offered my job to someone else”.

(Automobile Association employees)

How to get it How to get it wrongwrong

Wales: Katy TannerWales: Katy Tanner

Katy Tanner, a 21-year-old sales assistant, received the message while she was off work with a migraine, said the South Wales Echo newspaper.

The text message said: "We will not require your services anymore...Thank you for your time with us."

Tanner said: "I don't think it's right to just text someone. At least they should have talked to me face to face. You're not allowed to SMS in sick, you have to phone. The fact that they sent me an SMS is a bit of double standards."

New Zealand: Laurel ShaleNew Zealand: Laurel ShaleLaurel Shale worked from April 9 to November

30, 2007, at a telephone marketing call centre operated by Enduring Sales Ltd (ESL) in Auckland.

On November 30, she was sent home from work because she was upset about a workmate leaving the job. Later that day she received a text message from her supervisor saying she was not needed "on Monday or in future until further notice".

Australia: John EidAustralia: John EidWhen John Eid got his marching orders, they were short, sharp and

arrived via SMS: "Its official, you no longer work for JNI Traffic Control & u have forfeited any arrangements made."

Two months after receiving the text message on his mobile phone, Mr Eid, 37, is taking his former employer to court - not for offences against the language, but over the procedural fairness and validity of his dismissal.

In an unprecedented case that highlights the use of technology in the workplace, he is launching an unfair dismissal claim against JNI Traffic Control, where he had worked for eight months before his SMS sacking.

England: Chelsea Taylor England: Chelsea Taylor Shocked Chelsea Taylor (16) burst into tears after reading the

message - signed with two kisses by her manager at a cafe. Chelsea was fired from her Saturday job after being sent out to buy biscuits and losing a £10 note from the till. She owned up straight away and offered to repay the money but manager Elaine Sutton used Facebook to track her down and give her the boot.

The message, riddled with spelling errors and bad punctuation, read: "hiya Chelsea its Elaine from work. Sorry to send u a message like this but bin tryin to ring u but gettin no joy. "I had to tell the owner bout u losin that tenner coz obviously the till was down at the end of day. she wasn't very pleased at all and despite me trying to persuade her otherwise she said I have to let u go. I'm really sorry.”

Employee engagementEmployee engagement

• Sheffield City Council is trying to build employee commitment

• Friday 24 September 2010, 17.15. e-Mail sent to employees advising them their contracts will be terminated and re-employment will be on less advantageous terms.

How to get it How to get it rightright

The ‘ethic of reciprocity’, or the The ‘ethic of reciprocity’, or the ‘Golden Rule’‘Golden Rule’

"Do not do to others what would anger you if done to you by others."

Isocrates (436–338 BC)

"What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not to impose on others.“

Epictetus 55-135 AD

A salutary lesson for us all!A salutary lesson for us all!

When I was a kid about half past threeMy ma said "Daughter, come here to me"Said things may come, and things may goBut this is one thing you ought to know...

Oh 't ain't what you do it's the way that you do it

'T ain't what you do it's the way that you do it

'T ain't what you do it's the way that youdo it

That's what gets results