Emerald | Employee Relations | Table of Contents

Establishing Linkages between Religiosity and Spirituality on Employee Performance

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper examines the impact of religiosity and spirituality on employee performance in multi-cultural and multi-religious organisations. Design/methodology/approach - This study adopted Religiosity Personality Index (MRPI) by Azimi et al. (2006), Spirituality Involvement and Beliefs Scale (SIBS) by Hatch et al. (1998), and Performance Measures by Sarmiento et al. (2007). The performance data was collected from employees, peers, and supervisors. The study administered and received all the 435 completed sets of questionnaire (435 employees, 870 peers, and 435 supervisors). Findings - SEM analysis showed that religiosity and spirituality have a significant positive relationship with employees’ performance. Better spiritual condition improves performance. Religion functions as a moderating variable in employees’ job performance. Research limitations/implications - This study has extended the knowledge of spirituality at workplace by confirming that spirituality is more significant than religiosity in influencing employees’ performance. Religion, however, moderates spirituality-performance relationship.Practical implications - Based on the empirical findings of this study, organizations may formulate new policies and strategies for improving employee performance by allowing and encouraging spiritual activities at workplace irrespective of religious and spiritual beliefs, thereby facilitating understanding and mutual respect. A culture of respect for diversity of beliefs and faiths should be cultivated in the workplace by enforcing appropriate codes of conduct as well as instilling values of tolerance, respect and compassion, which would result in more productive teamwork and improved performance. Originality/value - This is the only study that measured the impact of religiosity and spirituality on employees’ performance using three different sources of data: employees, peers, and supervisors.

Determinants of Job Satisfaction in the Banking Sector: The Case of Lebanese Managers

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Hayfaa Tlaiss) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The aim of this study is to fill a gap in the literature on job satisfaction in the Middle East, reflecting on the experience of women managers from Lebanon. Design/methodology/approach - A survey questionnaire was designed and administered to a sample of women managers in the banking sector. The survey covered several aspects including objective, subjective, and overall job satisfaction.Findings - Overall, the findings revealed that the respondents were satisfied with the subjective aspects of their careers, but not the objective ones. Work-related factors seemed to better explain the job satisfaction of women managers in the banking industry in Lebanon when compared to individual personal factors. Originality/value - Given the limited research on job satisfaction in the Middle East and the importance of job satisfaction on performance and retention, this study adds to the little that is known about the effect of individual and work-related factors on job satisfaction of employees in the Arab Middle Eastern region. The implications of this study can be of great importance for public policy initiatives, practitioners and academic scholars.

Effects of Benevolence, Integrity, and Ability on Trust-in-Supervisor

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (June M. L. Poon) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This study examined the predictive effects of trustworthiness attributes (i.e., benevolence, integrity, and ability) on trust-in-supervisor.Design/methodology/approach - A field survey using a structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 107 white-collar employees from diverse organizations in Malaysia. The data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis.Findings - The results showed that perceptions of supervisor benevolence, integrity, and ability predicted trust-in-supervisor both directly and interactively. Further analysis revealed that integrity and ability interacted in a compensatory manner to predict trust-in-supervisor when benevolence was high but not when it was low. Research limitations/implications - Study limitations include the use of self-report cross-sectional data. The findings underscore the importance of looking beyond statistical models that test only for main and two-way interaction effects in research examining trustworthiness attributes. Researchers should consider examining three-way interaction effects or run the risk of having a misspecified model. Also, research to determine the relative importance of trustworthiness attributes and the conditions under which one attribute is given more weight than another is needed.Practical implications - Supervisors should be made aware of the importance of treating their subordinates with benevolence. Nevertheless, because benevolence is a necessary but insufficient condition for fostering trust, employers must ensure that their supervisors have high integrity and ability or, at the very least, one of these attributes.Originality/value - This study highlighted the importance of examining higher order effects in research examining trustworthiness attributes and provides what is perhaps the first empirical test of how benevolence, integrity, and ability interact to predict trust-in-supervisor.

Why do Employees Jump Ship? Examining Intent to Quit Employment in a Non-Western Cultural Context

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This study proposed to investigate the phenomenon of intention to quit among frontline employees. The main objectives of the current study were to examine the level of intention to leave and what factor influence the employees to consider leaving their organisations. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 493 frontline employees from Jordanian organisations. The study reported in this paper tested the factor structure of intention to quit using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Findings - The findings emerged from this study established a three factor solution model which is appropriate to test employees’ intention to quit based on three factors namely work opportunities, personal needs, and personal responsibilities. The results provided new perspectives and support the overall validity of the nomological network of intention to quit factors, but also suggest that caution should be exercised in different contexts and cultural settings. Originality/value - The present study emphasises the need to expand the focus on intention to quit research beyond attitudinal and relational factors. Theoretical implications, limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Branding Employment Related Public Policies: Evidence from a Non-Western Context

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Baker Ahmad Alserhan) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - While the legislative side of workforce nationalisation as a key target area for public policies has been extensively studied and scrutinized, the marketing side has not. It remains mostly overlooked leaving both researchers and practitioners with little or no information to begin with. This ‘marketing’ information gap represents the focus of this paper and it is exactly what the author aims to bridge. Design/methodology/approach - A thorough analysis of how the nationalization policy has been perceived by the UAE workforce has been carried out and the results of that analysis has been used to identify the core components of a balanced strategy that aims at enhancing the image of Emiratisation as a public brand, or a public offering, and hence better the implementation of the policy i.e. increase the employability of citizens and, at the same time, retain the much needed expatriate workforce.Findings - The study which consisted of 120 interviews collected in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) revealed that workforce nationalization as a government offering has been inadequately branded by stakeholders and the government did not engage the branding process at any level. The branding part of the policy was not addressed at all. In effect, the policy was left on its own in that regard. As a result, ‘brand Emiratisation’ now stands for mutual private-public distrust, implementation difficulties, and serious misgivings about the nature of the policy. Originality/value - This is the first study internationally to address labor nationalization policies from a marketing perspective. As such the results and discussions therein have wide implications on the employment decisions in organizations, particularly as the number of countries imposing restrictions on the employment of foreign workers continue to rise.

Empirical Exploration of the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Organizational Justice and Turnover Intentions.

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Galit Meisler) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The current study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence and perceived organizational justice, and how the interplay between them influences turnover intentions. Design/methodology/approach - A sample of 368 employees from a financial organization was used to test the research model and hypotheses. Archival information regarding participants' actual turnover was also acquired. Findings - Emotional intelligence was positively related to perceived organizational justice and negatively related to turnover intentions. Furthermore, perceived organizational justice fully mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and turnover intentions. The archival data concerning employees' actual turnover was significantly related to the self-report turnover intentions.Practical implications - Emotional intelligence training may be a powerful tool that organizations and human resource managers can employ to enhance perceived organizational justice and reduce employees' turnover. Originality/value - This research broadens the scope through which the contribution of emotional intelligence in the workplace can be viewed. Findings from the current study advance our understanding of the process by which emotional intelligence affects employees' perceptions and attitudes.