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Consequences of Job Insecurity and the Moderator Role of Occupational Group

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Beatriz Sora Miana ,
M. Gloria González-Morales ,
Amparo Caballer  and
José M. Peiró
Beatriz Sora Miana
Affiliation:
Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Spain)
M. Gloria González-Morales
Affiliation:
University of Guelph (Canada)
Amparo Caballer*
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
José M. Peiró
Affiliation:
Universitat de València (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Amparo Caballer. Departament de Psicologia Social, Facultat de Psicologia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 València (Spain). E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In recent decades, transformations in organizations and the labour market have produced an increase in employee job insecurity. In response to this situation, workers present different negative reactions. However, the intensity of these reactions varies across studies that have investigated the outcomes of job insecurity. One possible explanation for this inconsistency may lie in the influence of other factors, such as the occupational group (Sverke et al., 2002). The aim of this study is to provide additional evidence about the relationship between job insecurity and its outcomes (i.e., life satisfaction, job satisfaction, perceived performance and organizational commitment), and examine the moderator role of occupational group in this relationship. The sample was composed of 321 employees from different Spanish organizations. The results showed that job insecurity was directly and negatively related to life satisfaction, job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and they suggest that occupational group moderated relations between job insecurity and three studied outcomes. In the case of life satisfaction and perceived performance, this relationship was stronger among blue collar workers. The relationship between job insecurity and job satisfaction was stronger in white collar workers. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Las transformaciones en el mercado laboral y las organizaciones de las últimas décadas han conllevado un aumento de la inseguridad laboral de los trabajadores. En respuesta a esta inseguridad, los trabajadores presentan distintas reacciones negativas. Sin embargo, la intensidad de estas reacciones varía en los estudios que se han centrado en examinar estos efectos asociados. Una posible explicación de esta variabilidad se basa en la influencia de otros factores, como por ejemplo el grupo ocupacional (Sverke y col., 2002). El objetivo del presente trabajo es proporcionar evidencia adicional a la relación entre la inseguridad laboral y sus efectos asociados (ej: satisfacción con la vida, satisfacción laboral, desempeño percibido y compromiso organizacional), así como examinar el papel modulador del grupo ocupacional en esta relación. La muestra de este estudio estuvo compuesta por 321 trabajadores de diversas organizaciones españolas. Los resultados mostraron que la inseguridad laboral se relacionaba directa y negativamente con la satisfacción con la vida, la satisfacción laboral y el compromiso organizacional. Los resultados sugirieron que el grupo ocupacional modulaba la relación entre inseguridad laboral y tres de los efectos asociados estudiados. En el caso de la satisfacción con la vida, y el desempeño percibido esta relación era más intensa en el grupo de empleados de cuello azul. La relación entre inseguridad laboral y satisfacción laboral resultó más fuerte en el caso de los empleados de cuello blanco. Se discuten las implicaciones y limitaciones de este estudio.

Keywords

job insecurityoccupational grouplife satisfactionjob satisfactionorganizational commitmentinseguridad laboralgrupo ocupacionalsatisfacción con la vidasatisfacción laboralcompromiso organizacional
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , November 2011 , pp. 820 - 831
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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