Readiness for change: which source of justice and support really matters?

Abstract

PurposeAlthough justice perceptions have been proven to be a critical determinant of readiness for change (RFC), research is still needed to investigate which source(s) of justice fosters employee's preparedness to face change within his/her organization. The aim of this study is to examine the simultaneous influence of three sources of justice, namely the organization, the supervisor and the coworkers, on RFC through perceived organizational support, perceived supervisor support and perceived coworker support, respectively.Design/methodology/approachThree different sets of data were collected from employees in the United States and in Europe. Path analyses were performed to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicated that perceived organizational support mediates the relationship between organizational justice and RFC. Conversely, however, the effect of supervisory justice and coworkers justice on RFC was not mediated by perceived supervisor support and perceived coworker support.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine the simultaneous influence of organizational, supervisory and coworkers justice on RFC. In doing so, it highlights the need to consider justice stemming from the organization as a priority when considering implementing an organizational change, as opposed to justice emanating from the supervisor and coworkers. In addition, this study responds to long-standing calls for the simultaneous examination of multiple sources of justice and the exploration of the largely neglected role of justice stemming from coworkers.