Hiring, training, and retaining the hard-core unemployed: A selected review.

Reviews studies concerning the hiring, training, and retaining of the hard-core unemployed. Evidence indicates that the characteristics of the hard-core unemployed (e.g., age, sex, and marital status) and the characteristics of the supervisory and counseling roles and their occupants are related to turnover. Although training does not seem to affect the propensity to terminate, it does have both functional and dysfunctional effects on work attitudes. Job structure, pay level, and other organizational variables are related to turnover. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizational rewards and retention of the hard-core unemployed.

Studied the relationship between 4 organizational rewards (pay, job status, promotion, and job security) and the retention of the hard-core unemployed (HCU), using data from 114 firms involved in hiring the HCU. The level of pay and the structure of raises positively affected retention, as did promotional opportunities (the percentage of minority members in supervisory positions). In firms with primarily minority members in the work force, the greater the percentage of minority supervisors the higher the HCU retention, but in primarily White firms the opposite relationship occurred. Job status and job security also were related to retention. Based on the relative effects of program characteristics (e.g., training) and organization characteristics (e.g., pay), recommendations are made for increased emphasis on organizational factors in developing strategies for employing the HCU. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships between job difficulty, employee's attitude toward his job, and supervisory ratings of the employee effectiveness.

Using correlational techniques, an investigation was made of the relationships between job difficulty (estimated by job evaluation factors), employee attitudes toward his job, and job environment, and supervisory ratings of employee performance. As job difficulty increased, employee attitudes were significantly more positive toward the job, management, and communication, and opportunity for advancement. Partial correlations showed that the relationship between job satisfaction and job difficulty increased when the effects of general morale were eliminated. Supervisory ratings of employee effectiveness were significantly rated (negatively) to employee salary and job tenure. Correlations between employee's attitude dimensions indicate increasing complexity of job content and increased content with people as a part of the job, are positively related to an employee's attitude toward his job. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race, employment, and the evaluation of work.

Tested 2 hypotheses derived from need hierarchy theory: (a) black and/or unemployed men will value material job outcomes more highly than white and/or working-class men and (b) Evaluation * Instrumentality of work and material outcomes will correlate more highly with evaluation of work for the black and/or unemployed than for the white and/or working-class samples. The evaluation and instrumentality of 15 job outcomes, working, and being unemployed, were gathered from 52 black working class and white hard-core unemployed men and 48 white working-class and black hard-core unemployed men (18-50 yrs old). Significant race, social class, and interaction effects occurred, but the direction of the differences was not exactly as predicted. Correlational analyses also did not support the hypotheses. Results are discussed in terms of experiential differences in the perception of work and unemployment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of personal background and training on work values of the hard-core unemployed.

Investigated differences in the work values of 110 disadvantaged, hard-core unemployed and 180 unskilled or semiskilled industrial employees, identified biographical correlates of work values, and examined changes in work values following training (as measured by the Survey of Work Values). When compared with regular employees, hard-core trainees placed less emphasis on keeping active on the job, taking pride in their work, and subscribing to the traditional Protestant ethic, but placed more emphasis on making money on the job. Significant relationships were found between background characteristics and work values of the hard core. Changes in work values of disadvantaged Ss after 8 wk. of training did not differ from those of 252 controls (insurance agents and college students) who completed the Survey twice. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative analysis of the reliability of job performance ratings.

This study used meta-analytic methods to compare the interrater and intrarater reliabilities of ratings of 10 dimensions of job performance used in the literature; ratings of overall job performance were also examined. There was mixed support for the notion that some dimensions are rated more reliably than others. Supervisory ratings appear to have higher interrater reliability than peer ratings. Consistent with H. R. Rothstein (1990), mean interrater reliability of supervisory ratings of overall job performance was found to be .52. In all cases, interrater reliability is lower than intrarater reliability, indicating that the inappropriate use of intrarater reliability estimates to correct for biases from measurement error leads to biased research results. These findings have important implications for both research and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of job attitudes, training, and organization climate on performance of the hard-core unemployed.

Examined potential contributors toward the job performance and retention of 478 hard-core unemployed (hcu): (a) the hcu's biographic and demographic background, (b) attitudes toward work, (c) the organizational climate in which he is placed, and (d) the effect of a 2-wk training/orientation program. The sole correlate of the hcu's work effectiveness and behavior was the degree of supportiveness of the organizational climate in which he was placed. In addition, the hcu saw this climate as far less supportive than did his supervisor. Results indicate that programs geared primarily toward adapting the hcu's work attitudes to the predominant social structure in the organization are far less potent than those that also incorporate the adaptation of the organizational climate. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race, economic class, and the intention to work: Some normative and attitudinal correlates.

Tested 4 hypotheses, derived from a combination of instrumentality-expectancy theory and the concept of a nonresponsive environment for the hard-core unemployed. Ss were 100 black and 100 white males 18-50 yrs old, with about half of each group from the working class and half from the hard-core unemployed. It was expected that (a) the hard core would perceive weaker normative pressures to seek work; (b) perceived normative pressure would have lower correlations with intentions to seek work in the hard-core samples than in the working-class samples; (c) the attitude toward each of 5 specific job-seeking behaviors would independently predict intended frequency of performance of each behavior; and (d) an instrumentality approach would predict intended frequency of each behavior less well in the black and hard-core samples than in the white and working-class groups. Results partially support Hypotheses 1 and 2; partially reverse Hypothesis 3; and do not support Hypothesis 4. Data are interpreted as supporting the concept of white working-class alienation. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of two orientation approaches in hard-core unemployed turnover and absenteeism.

Compared the turnover and absenteeism rates of 49 male negro hard-core unemployed hires in 2 treatment conditions and with those of 49 normal hires. The university-sponsored, quasi-therapeutic orientation proved to be less effective than the company-sponsored orientation which, although intended to be a passive, information-giving approach, proved to have a dynamic free-discussion, personal-counseling, and intervention-with-supervision character. Overall, hard-core hires were not differentiated from normal hires in terms of turnover but were characterized by significantly higher absenteeism. It is concluded that extended company-orientation programs can be superior to supportive programs led by outside professionals, and that hard-core hires provided with such orientation can be as stable employees as those hired who meet normal hiring criteria. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relevance of the supervisory alliance to the counseling alliance and to treatment adherence in counselor training.

The quality of the supervisory working alliance should be related to the quality of the counseling working alliance and to trainee adherence to a treatment model. After each of 4 supervision sessions, 75 trainees completed the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory, and, after each counseling session, their clients completed the Working Alliance Inventory. Judges rated portions of the videotaped counseling sessions with an adherence measure. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze these nested data (repeated measures of trainees nested within supervisors). As hypothesized, the trainee's perception of the supervisory alliance was significantly related to the client's perception of the counseling alliance and to aspects of treatment adherence. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the supervision literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work resources, work-to-family conflict, and its consequences: A Taiwanese-British cross-cultural comparison.

The aim of this research was to explore relations between work resources (supervisory support and organizational family supportive values), work-to-family conflict (WFC), and work- and nonwork-related outcomes in a cross-cultural comparative context involving Taiwanese and British employees. The authors surveyed 264 Taiwanese employees and 137 British employees using structured questionnaires. For both Taiwanese and British employees, work resources were found to be negatively related to WFC but positively related to work satisfaction. WFC was negatively related to work and/or family satisfaction. More important, the authors found that nation moderated the relationship between supervisory support and WFC: Supervisory support had a stronger protective effect for Taiwanese than British employees. It is thus recommended that, in addition to introducing various family-friendly policies, companies should be more active in cultivating a family-supportive organizational culture and mobilizing managers to act as supporters of family life, especially in societies sanctioning collectivistic values and large power distance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivation, comportements organisationnels discrétionnaires et bien-être en milieu Africain: Quand le devoir oblige?

This study tested an organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) model based on the motivational model of job burnout (MMJB) with Gabonese employees (N = 146). It was hypothesized that to the degree that employees perceive their supervisors as promoting their autonomy, competence and relatedness, their motivation at work will be more self-determined. Supervisory style and motivation would then predict job satisfaction, which in turn influences life satisfaction. Work motivation and job satisfaction should also determine OCB and the latter should then influence life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling analyses overall support the model. However, altruism OCB was negatively related to self-determined motivations, which then negatively predicted life satisfaction. These results support SDT's prediction that a behaviour regulated by non-self-determined motivations will negatively affect well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conscientiousness and performance of sales representatives: Test of the mediating effects of goal setting.

Used 91 sales representatives to test a process model that assessed the relationship of conscientiousness to job performance through mediating motivational (goal-setting) variables. Linear structural equation modeling showed that sales representatives high in conscientiousness are more likely to set goals and are more likely to be committed to goals, which in turn is associated with greater sales volume and higher supervisory ratings of job performance. Results also showed that conscientiousness is directly related to supervisory ratings. Consistent with previous research, results showed that ability was also related to supervisory ratings of job performance and, to a lesser extent, sales volume. Contrary to expectations, 1 other personality construct, extraversion, was not related to sales volume or to supervisory ratings of job performance. Implications and future research needs are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of several procedures for generating J-coefficients.

J-coefficients were examined as estimators of criterion-related validities for the occupation of machinist in a medium-sized international manufacturer of precision automotive accessories. Test and job performance components of the J-coefficient were estimated from supervisory, incumbent, coworker, policy capturing, importance, and test expert ratings. The results indicated that combinations of estimates from several sources generated J-coefficients that reproduced the pattern and mean values of the validities. Supervisory and incumbent sources were superior to test expert source for estimating test components, whereas co-worker, policy capturing, and importance sources were equally effective for estimating job performance components. The implications of the J-coefficient are discussed for personnel selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pursuit and adjustment of goals during unemployment: The role of age.

This longitudinal study investigated the predictive value of 2 self-regulatory processes (goal pursuit and goal adjustment) on mental health and reemployment success over a period of 8 months. A total of 87 unemployed job seekers participated in this study. There is some evidence that age moderated the relationship between goal pursuit and goal adjustment with mental health and reemployment success. Contrary to expectations, goal pursuit was positively related to mental health for relatively older individuals. The authors found no effects of goal adjustment on mental health. However, as expected, goal adjustment had a negative relationship with reemployment success for relatively younger individuals. The authors found no moderator effects of age on the relationship between goal pursuit and reemployment success. Thus, the study revealed different relationships between self-regulatory processes and mental health as well as reemployment success for younger and older individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work sampling for personnel selection.

Developed a work sample checklist from supervisors' ratings of important tasks and behaviors expected of maintenance mechanics. The test was given to 34 employees by an outside e, and checklist evaluations were compared with (a) supervisors' evaluation of each s on 3 factors; and (b) ss' responses on the test of mechanical comprehension, the wonderlic personnel test, and the short employment tests. Results indicate that performance on the work sample was significantly related to supervisory evaluations of job success, but that none of the validity coefficients for the paper-and-pencil tests was significant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Extending our understanding of burnout: Test of an integrated model in nonservice occupations.

C. L. Cordes and T. M. Dougherty (1993) provided a conceptual framework of job burnout in nonservice organizations. This study sought to determine the "fit" of that theoretical model within nonservice occupations. LISREL VIII was used to test this model on 165 participants, and the overall model fit the data well. Supervisory support moderated the relationships between the role conflict, role ambiguity, and quantitative role overload stressors and emotional exhaustion and between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Unexpectedly, role conflict, role ambiguity, and quantitative role overload had a positive impact on emotional exhaustion when supervisory support was high. As expected, participation had a negative association with depersonalization. Employees experiencing emotional exhaustion were more likely to feel nervous or tense at work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training, counseling, and retention of the hard-core unemployed.

Examined the effect of training and counseling on the retention of the hard-core unemployed (HCU), using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data from 130 programs in 114 firms involved in hiring the HCU. Results indicate that the content of training, rather than whether training is offered, was the critical variable. Job-skills training was positively related to retention; attitudinal training measured by the use of role playing was negatively related to retention. Personal counseling activities that encouraged the trainee to attend were also related to retention. Also, an interaction effect on retention between counseling and the length of training was identified. A theoretical framework for explaining the relationship between program characteristics and retention is discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervisory guidance and behavioral integrity: Relationships with employee citizenship and deviant behavior.

The authors examined the effects of supervisory guidance (providing instruction to employees) and behavioral integrity (a pattern of word-deed alignment) on employee organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and deviant behavior. Results revealed a pattern of Supervisory Guidance x Behavioral Integrity interaction effects, such that relationships between guidance and outcome variables were dependent on the level of behavioral integrity exhibited by supervisors. The interactions suggest a positive relationship between supervisory guidance and OCBs when behavioral integrity is high but also a positive relationship between guidance and deviant behavior when behavioral integrity is low. These results were consistent across 2 independent field samples: 1 assessing individual employee perceptions of supervisory behavior and the other assessing aggregate perceptions of supervisory behavior among employees in bank branches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of an operant-based taxonomy and observational index of supervisory behavior.

The Operant Supervisory Taxonomy and Index (OSTI), a theory-based taxonomy and observational instrument of supervisory behavior, includes 7 categories of supervisory behavior, the 1st 3 of which are based on the theory of operant conditioning and considered to be related to effective supervision: performance consequences, performance monitors, performance antecedents, one's own performance, work-related, non-work-related, and solitary. Field tests of the OSTI, which consisted of 189 30-min observations of 7 theater managers over a 5-wk period and 440 30-min observations of 20 bank managers over a 12-wk period, showed that the OSTI was feasible, acceptably reliable, and sensitive to differences in behavior among managers. A generalizability theory analysis indicated that 20 30-min observations provided reasonably representative information on a given manager's behavior. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)