Effect of hourly overpay and underpay inequity when tested with a new induction procedure.

Tested J. S. Adams' (see PA, Vol. 40:8736) inequity theory with an induction which did not challenge the workers' job qualifications, eliminating devalued self-esteem as a confounding variable. 31 workers were hired for an hourly pay clerical task in a real job situation and assigned to 1 of 3 groups overpay, underpay, and control in a before-after design. Contrary to inequity theory predictions and to previous inequity theory experiments, there were no significant work performance differences among the 3 groups, but 3 of 11 underpay Ss quit the job while no other Ss quit. It is concluded that the results of this experiment combined with the results of other experiments strongly suggest that inequity effects previously reported are probably due to the self-esteem variable. It is suggested that research on wage inequity should focus more on variables, e.g., turnover, satisfaction, and recruitment rather than solely on work performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance as a moderator of the job satisfaction–turnover relationship.

Examined the effects of job satisfaction and rated job performance on voluntary turnover among 295 hospital employees (approximate average age 35 yrs). Measures of job satisfaction were obtained from Ss, independent performance ratings by superiors were obtained from company records, and voluntary turnover data were collected 1 yr after administration of the questionnaire. With the use of subgroup analysis and moderated regression, it was found that employee performance ratings significantly moderate the job satisfaction–turnover relationship. Results suggest that satisfaction level represents a greater influence for low performers than for high performers on the decision to stay in a job. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investigating behavioral antecedents of turnover at three job tenure levels.

A field study was conducted to investigate differences between hourly assembly operators who stayed and hourly assembly operators who voluntarily quit their jobs. A total of 80 stayers and 121 leavers were identified from personnel records and were classified into one of three job tenure groups, 2–5 months, 6–12 months, and more than 12 months. Job performance, attendance measures, and biographical variables were used to predict turnover for each job tenure group. Results indicated poorer performance by leavers with 6–22 months tenure compared with stayers. No differences in performance or attendance were obtained between stayers and leavers with between 2–5 months and those with more than 12-months job tenure. Leavers after 6 and before 12 months demonstrated more absenteeism compared with stayers. Implications for the role of absenteeism and constraints on the performance-retention relation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job satisfaction and turnover in a female clerical population.

Job-satisfaction questionnaires were administered to a sample of 350 female clerical workers. After a lapse of 5 mo. 31 girls had quit, 26 of whom had completed the questionnaire. These 26 girls reported significantly less satisfaction with their jobs than the 319 girls who remained on the job. An explanation of this finding in terms of the difficulty of finding a new job, economic pressures to remain on present job, and condition of the labor market is offered. The relationship between satisfaction and turnover is not regarded as general. The data from the subsequent 7-mo study indicate that job-satisfaction scores continue to exhibit a significant relationship to turnover over a 12-mo period. Even after a 12-mo period the terminators had reported lower job satisfaction at the time of the assessment than those who were still with the company. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of employee participation in the development of pay incentive plans: A field experiment.

Ss were part-time workers who clean buildings in the evenings. 3 autonomous work groups with 10, 9, and 8 Ss developed their own pay incentive plans to reward good attendance on the job (Condition A). These plans were then imposed by the company on other work groups with 13 and 26 Ss (Condition B). Of 2 control groups, 1 (N = 17) talked with Es about job attendance problems but received no additional experimental treatment, and the other (N = 34) received no treatment. A significant increase in attendance followed only Condition A. Possible reasons cited: (a) participation caused Ss to be more committed to the plan, (b) Ss who participated in the development of their plan were more knowledgeable about it, and (c) participation increased Ss' trust of the good intentions of management with respect to the plan. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In Search of the Elusive U-Shaped Performance-Turnover Relationship: Are High Performing Swiss Bankers More Liable to Quit?

This project revisits the perennial debate over the relationship between job performance and turnover. Disputing traditional findings, C. Trevor, B. Gerhart, and J. Boudreau (1997) observed that high and low performers quit more than do average performers. They further challenged received wisdom by showing that promotions can induce turnover, especially among poor performers, by signaling ability. The authors sought to replicate and extend these unconventional findings by exploring curvilinear and moderating effects on the performance-exit relationship among 11,098 Swiss nationals employed in a bank. Survival regression revealed that performance is curvilinearly related to quits and that bonus pay deterred superior performers from leaving more than did pay increases. Further, the average number of job levels advanced per promotion rather than promotion rate increased quit risks. Cultural and organizational moderators of performance-termination associations and effective strategies for retaining top performers are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A multivariate analysis of the determinants of job turnover.

Developed and tested a multivariate analysis of the turnover process with 654 accountants (mean age 37 yrs). The following variables were measured: demographic variables, tenure, cognitive/affective orientation to current position (including multiple measures of job satisfaction and organizational commitment), perceived job security, intention to search for an alternative position, perceived existence of alternative positions, and intention to change positions. Turnover data were collected 1 yr later, and it was found that 22% of Ss had changed jobs. Results support the existence of significant relationships between the set of independent variables presented in the working model and actual turnover, but not the hypothesis that all variables influence turnover behavior through their impact on intentions to change position. Turnover was significantly influenced by age, tenure, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job security. Turnover behavior was also more strongly related to intentions to search for alternatives than to intentions to change positions. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do people do what they say? Further studies on the situational interview.

In Study 1, an interview consisting of 20 situational questions plus 5 past-experience questions was administered to 29 female clerical workers who had worked for the company an average of 6 yrs, and responses were correlated to the observations of supervisors and peers collected by means of an on-the-job appraisal instrument. S responses and appraisals correlated significantly; however, no relationship was found between what Ss said they had done in the past and current appraisals. In Study 2, the predictive validity of the situational interview with 157 entry-level employees (mean age 28.51 yrs) was tested by comparing interview ratings with performance appraisals 3 yrs later. Results show a significant relationship but, since hired Ss performed no differently than the 192 Ss (mean age 29.76 yrs) who were not hired on the situational interview, it had no practical significance. A follow-up study with 29 of the hired Ss who were reinterviewed showed that the original interviewers had not used the situational interview correctly. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age, experience, and performance on speed and skill jobs in an applied setting.

The decremental theory of aging (e.g., A. T. Welford, 1965), which is based on extensive laboratory investigations, maintains that abilities decline as workers age. In the present study, the theory was applied to an examination of the relation of age and experience to productivity, absenteeism, accidents, and turnover among 667 garment workers. Ss were separated into 6 age categories that formed the basis of a cross-sectional design. A crucial distinction was drawn between jobs requiring speed and those demanding skill. It was hypothesized that physical decrements would be more relevant to performance on speed jobs than on skill jobs, but contrary to predictions, older Ss surpassed the younger ones in both job categories. Partial correlations between experience and performance, which removed the influence of age, demonstrated that experience rather than age determined performance. However, the present design did not allow assessment of self-selection biases that may distinguish Ss who kept on working from those who terminated. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity and fairness of physical ability tests for predicting performance in craft jobs.

Problems relating to performance, accidents, and turnover in outdoor telephone craft jobs stimulated 2 experiments aimed at developing and validating a physical test battery. Based on job analysis results, a battery of 9 measures was administered to a sample of 128 Ss (83 males and 45 females) in Exp I. A 2-test battery (dynamic arm strength and reaction time), valid for predicting job task performance and turnover, was selected. Regression equations for males and females were not significantly different. Exp II included a sample of 210 Ss (132 males and 78 females). A 3-test battery consisting of a body density measure, a balance test, and a static strength test was selected based on relationships with training performance. No significant differences were found in the regression equations for males compared to females. The Exp II battery was also significantly related to field performance, training completion, and accidents and was valid for the Exp I criteria. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors in the job involvement of middle managers.

Investigated the nature of job involvement (JI) and its relationship to other variables for 149 male middle managers in 1 company. A replication group contained 58 Ss. Both company satisfaction(CS) and JI were measured using 20-item Likert scales. A significant linear relationship between JI and CS was found in both groups (r = .44, .45). Principal components factor analyses of JI scores for both groups produced 3 orthogonal factors that replicated. Because only the 1st factor, job ambition, was consistent with previous research, it is concluded that the factor structure of JI is occupationally specific. Results are interpreted as supporting the idea that importance of the job to a worker's self-image is associated with his satisfaction with the company. Possible relationships of JI to theories of work motivation are discussed. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The shortened workweek: A field experiment.

Examined the effects of the 4-day, 40-hr workweek by comparing 2 experimental groups (n?=?97, n?=?111) and a comparison group (n?=?94) of operating employees in a medium-sized manufacturing company. Comparisons were made on dimensions of self-actualization, autonomy, personal worth, social affiliation, job security, pay and overall job satisfaction, anxiety-stress, absenteeism, and performance over a 13- and a 25-mo period. Analysis of 13-mo data indicated that Ss in the 4-day, 40-hr groups were (a) more satisfied with autonomy, personal worth, job security, and pay; (b) experienced less anxiety-stress; and (c) performed better with regard to productivity than did the comparison group. However, these improvements were not found with the 25-mo data. It is suggested that uncontrolled variables may account for the differences in the short- and long-term effects of the shortened workweek. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of work sample test upon self-selection and turnover of job applicants.

Hypothesized that job applicants who were administered a pre-employment work sample test and who, consequently, had a more accurate expectancy about task requirements would have a higher job refusal rate and a lower voluntary turnover rate than applicants not administered the work sample test. Ss were 67 white and 93 black female applicants for the job of sewing machine operator. Some support for the hypotheses was found for white Ss but not for black Ss. Racial differences are explained in terms of the differential importance of factors in the work situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learning set acquisition in autistic children.

Compared the performance of 19 autistic 5-13 yr olds (mean MA: 4 yrs, 3 mo) on an object discrimination learning set task with that of MA and IQ matched control groups of normal and retarded Ss. All but 2 of the autistic Ss acquired a learning set. About 1/2 of the Ss in each control group also acquired a learning set. However, the mean number of problems to criterion was similar for both the autistic and control groups of Ss who acquired a learning set. It is suggested that the superior performance of autistic Ss on a task which is believed to be related to MA indicates that the MA of these children may be higher than that which is usually obtained with standard measuring techniques. Results provided somewhat equivocal evidence for a relation between MA, IQ, and learning set formation in the normal and retarded Ss. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Racial differences in job and work environment priorities among newly hired college graduates.

Conducted a study of 70 black and 179 white newly hired college graduates to assess racial differences in Ss' rated importance of various work and company characteristics. Responses to survey items asking the Ss to rate the importance of several job and company characteristics were factor analyzed. 2 factors emerged, the 1st reflecting a higher order future and growth orientation and the 2nd, a more hygienic job context factor. Results show that both black and white Ss rated the higher order growth characteristics as more important. However, black Ss rated each hygienic extrinsic item significantly higher than did white Ss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral and physiological consequences of stress and its antecedent factors.

Administered a stress assessment survey and collected blood samples for 370 18–74 yr old Department of Defense and civilian hospital employees. Using a path analytic model, it was hypothesized that intraorganizational, extraorganizational, and individual characteristics would be related to stress and its behavioral and physiological consequences. Exploratory path analysis resulted in the identification of paths that led to the primary behavioral consequences of intent to quit the organization. Also identified were paths that led to an increase in the medical consequence variable: the ratio of total cholesterol divided by high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Data show that intraorganizational variables affected Ss' intentions to quit an organization indirectly through their impact on job stress and job satisfaction. Home–family relationships affected job stress indirectly through their effect on life stress. Potential for developing coronary artery disease as measured by the "cholesterol ratio" was affected by individual characteristics. The ratio was higher for Ss who were male, overweight, smoked, and did not exercise. (66 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)