Do broken promises matter? The effects of psychological contract breach on job embeddedness and nurses' work attitudes
International Journal of Workplace Health Management
ISSN: 1753-8351
Article publication date: 3 May 2022
Issue publication date: 29 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This research investigates the effects of psychological contract breach on the fit, links and sacrifice dimensions of job embeddedness as well as the mediating roles of these three subcomponents in the relationships between psychological contract breach and nurses' work attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 591 nurses from private general hospitals in northern Thailand. The hypotheses were tested and analyzed by means of a confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling and a bootstrapping procedure.
Findings
The results indicate that psychological contract breach was negatively associated with the three dimensions of job embeddedness, signifying that the fit, links and sacrifice dimensions are distinct constructs. Also, these three subcomponents mediated the relationship between psychological contract breach and loyal boosterism. Only the links and sacrifice dimensions were found to have mediating effects on turnover intention.
Research limitations/implications
Future research may consider longitudinal data to avoid potential method biases and draw causal inferences among study variables. Employing cross-cultural research in future studies would also be beneficial.
Practical implications
If possible, health care organizations should not make any promises that they cannot keep or fulfill. Fine-tuning expectation and managing communication in a timely manner may signal commitments to fulfill the contracts and minimize any potential inducement-outcome discrepancies.
Originality/value
This study adds to the literature by furthering understanding of the employee-organization relationship through the lens of psychological contract and job embeddedness theories.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The researcher would like to thank each hospital's executive committee who supported this work and also the respondents who voluntarily participated in the survey.
Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Conflict of interest: No conflict of interest to declare.
Citation
Dechawatanapaisal, D. (2022), "Do broken promises matter? The effects of psychological contract breach on job embeddedness and nurses' work attitudes", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 515-533. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-07-2021-0143
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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