This article explores the added value of the HR function as it is perceived by three groups of managers: top managers, HR managers and line managers. Despite the fact that literature about strategic ...HRM focuses almost exclusively on the value of the HR function as a strategic partner, it was assumed that its perceived value for the business would not be restricted to the area of strategy formulation and implementation. Several 'result domains' can be distinguished in which the HR function can deliver value to the business. Based on our review of the literature, the degree of strategic involvement of the function was used as a second perspective to investigate its perceived added value. To examine our propositions, a qualitative study was carried out in which 97 HR managers, 38 top managers and 178 line managers participated. The results confirm our thesis that the perceived value of the HR function contains more than just the fulfilment of its role as a strategic partner. Based on our results, an integrated model for the perceived value of the function has been developed.
To move or not to move? De Vos, Ans; Dewettinck, Koen; Buyens, Dirk
Employee relations,
03/2008, Letnik:
30, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore professional employees' career move preferences and the impact of both individual and organizational career management. Departing from theoretical work ...on the “new career”, different types of career moves employees can make on the internal labor market are discussed and related to the literature on both organizational and individual career management. Design/methodology/approach To test the hypotheses, a cross‐sectional survey of 472 professional employees from one company is presented. Findings The preferences for both vertical career moves and moves relating to job enrichment and temporary moves are significantly affected by individual career management, but not by organizational career management practices. The preference for making lateral moves could not be explained by our antecedent variables. Research limitations/implications Future research should involve a larger sample of organizations in order to collect empirical data about the extent to which OCM practices impact career preferences. Our results provide evidence for the relationship between individual career management and career move preferences and thereby adds to the literature on the “new career”. Practical implications This study has a number of practical implications that relate to the ways in which organizations can stimulate different career moves among their employees through the enhancement of personal career initiatives. Originality/value The value of this paper is the contribution it makes to the career literature by relating to different streams of research, about career mobility on the one hand and individual and organizational career management on the other.
To study whether public sector employees are a different type of employee with different expectations than the private sector employees, we look at differences in the generic dimensions of their ...psychological contract. Data from a survey of 4956 Belgian employees show that, compared to private sector employees, public sector employees attach less importance to career development opportunities and financial rewards promises, and perceive these promises as less fulfilled. They also perceive social atmosphere and work-life balance as less fulfilled. Furthermore, we observed significant gender differences in the importance and fulfilment of the psychological contract.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of generational, contextual, and individual influences on Millennials' career expectations. Design/methodology/approach Two matched ...samples of Millennials graduating in 2006 (n = 787) and 2009 (n = 825) filled out a questionnaire regarding their psychological contract expectations, career strategy, and optimism about the labor market in completely different socioeconomic contexts. Findings Recession is related to lower levels of optimism. During times of recession, Millennials lower their expectations regarding the work-life balance and social atmosphere. However, their expectations regarding job content, training, career development, and financial rewards remain high, suggesting that these expectations are largely embedded within the generation. Moreover, Millennials' expectations are significantly influenced by individual variables, careerism, and optimism. Implications This study suggests that managers need to focus their limited resources during times of recession on meeting Millennials' high expectations regarding their development and careers. Because violating these high expectations can have detrimental effects on a number of outcomes, organizations are encouraged to discover creative and inexpensive ways to provide Millennials with meaningful work, plenty of learning opportunities and career development. Originality/value By comparing two matched samples of Millennials in two different situations, this study was able to disentangle generational, contextual, and individual influences on Millennials' psychological contract expectations.
This paper explores the information‐seeking behaviors newcomers engage in relating to their psychological contract and addresses the impact of work values (autonomy, advancement, group orientation ...and economic rewards) and work locus of control (LOC). We propose that these individual characteristics could explain differences in the frequency with which newcomers search for information about the promises their employer has made to them. A two‐wave longitudinal study was conducted in which 527 newcomers from eight organizations participated. The results largely support the proposed relationships between work values and contract‐related information seeking, while the relation between work LOC and contract‐related information seeking is rather weak. Implications for psychological contract formation are discussed.
To move or not to move? De Vos, Ans; Dewettinck, Koen; Buyens, Dirk
Employee relations,
01/2008, Letnik:
30, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore professional employees' career move preferences and the impact of both individual and organizational career management. Departing from theoretical ...work on the "new career", different types of career moves employees can make on the internal labor market are discussed and related to the literature on both organizational and individual career management.Design methodology approach - To test the hypotheses, a cross-sectional survey of 472 professional employees from one company is presented.Findings - The preferences for both vertical career moves and moves relating to job enrichment and temporary moves are significantly affected by individual career management, but not by organizational career management practices. The preference for making lateral moves could not be explained by our antecedent variables.Research limitations implications - Future research should involve a larger sample of organizations in order to collect empirical data about the extent to which OCM practices impact career preferences. Our results provide evidence for the relationship between individual career management and career move preferences and thereby adds to the literature on the "new career".Practical implications - This study has a number of practical implications that relate to the ways in which organizations can stimulate different career moves among their employees through the enhancement of personal career initiatives.Originality value - The value of this paper is the contribution it makes to the career literature by relating to different streams of research, about career mobility on the one hand and individual and organizational career management on the other.
Careers research in Europe: Identity and contribution Khapova, Svetlana N.; Vinkenburg, Claartje J.; Arnold, John
Journal of occupational and organizational psychology,
December 2009, Letnik:
82, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This guest editorial introduces the special section of the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology ‘Careers research in Europe’. Contributing to the aim of the special section to ...highlight the value of the European careers research for the benefit of the global community of career scholars, as well as towards advancing researchers' understanding of contemporary careers, the guest editorial discusses two themes. The first theme concerns the importance of incorporating cultural context in career studies. The second theme concerns the value the European multilingual and multicultural context offers for career studies. It is suggested that the value of European research can be seen in the diversity it offers to views on careers. It includes: (a) diversity of social, political, and economic environments; (b) diversity of cultures; and (c) diversity of theories and methods that can be used in career studies.
In this chapter, we explore the possible impact of life and career stages on workers’ career sustainability and their work-life balance by taking a whole-life perspective. We address both the ...positive and negative effects of demands and resources in the job and home domains and we consider the three indicators of career sustainability (happiness, health, and productivity), thereby integrating both the employee and employer perspectives. We differentiate between three age groups: starters (aged 20-34 years); middle-aged (aged 35-49 years old); and seniors (≥ 50 years old), and we share our conceptual insights on career sustainability and work-life balance, using the dimensions of person, context, and time. We provide some examples of the impact of job- and home-related demands and resources in relation to the various life and career stages. The role of career shocks - which may pertain to one’s working life, private life, or both - will also be highlighted.
