STILL FEELING PROUD TO BE WORKING FOR YOUR EMPLOYER? LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN WHITE COLLAR EMPLOYEES' MORALE IN A TIME OF ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING

Abstract

Using two panels of employer-employee matched datasets, this study investigates the changes in work morale for white-collar employees—managerial, professional, and technical (MPT) workers—and how such changes are related to organizational restructuring. Findings suggest little changes in work morale of white-collar workers—more MPT workers in the 2002 data strongly agreed that they “feel proud to be working for their employers” than did their counterparts in 1991, but fewer of them agreed to the statement. Moreover, managerial employees have been increasingly akin to the tall organizational hierarchy, but display some resentment toward teamwork. In contrast, work morale of professional/technical workers is not related to the changes in organizational hierarchy and teamwork, but their positive reaction to internal labor markets has significantly declined from 1991 to 2002. The conclusion section summarizes major findings and discusses implications for future studies on this subject.