Organizational Fairness Research Articles

Associations of psychosocial working conditions with self-rated general health and mental health among municipal employees

To examine associations of job demands and job control, procedural and relational organizational fairness, and physical work load with self-rated general health and mental health. In addition, the effect of occupational class on these associations is examined. The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study baseline surveys in 2001-2002. Respondents to cross-sectional postal surveys were middle-aged employees of the City of Helsinki (n=5.829, response rate 67%). Associations of job demands and job control, organizational fairness and physical work load with less than good self-rated health and poor GHQ-12 mental health were examined. Those with the poorest working conditions two to three times more, often reported poor general and mental health than those with the best working conditions. Adjustment for occupational class weakened the associations of low job control and physical work load with general health by one fifth, but even more strengthened that of high job demands. Adjustment for occupational class clearly strengthened the associations of job control and physical work load with mental health in men. Mutual adjustment for all working conditions notably weakened their associations with both health measures, except those of job control in men. All working conditions except relational organizational fairness remained independently associated with general and mental health. All studied working conditions were strongly associated with both general and mental health but the associations weakened after mutual adjustments. Of the two organizational fairness measures, procedural fairness remained independently associated with both health outcomes. Adjustment for occupational class had essentially different effects on the associations of different working conditions and different health outcomes.

HRM practice and employee attitudes: different measures – different results

PurposeTo test the relationship between HRM practice and employee work‐related attitudes and examine whether different approaches to measurement of HRM gives different results.Design/methodology/approachHRM practice was measured in three ways: additive measures of numbers of HRM practice, employer reports and employee reports of strength of practices. Employee attitudes were measured using organisational commitment, job satisfaction and organisational fairness scales. Matched data sets tested the relationships.FindingsStatistically significant results were obtained between HRM practice and employee attitudes, but only when employee reports of the strength of HRM practice were used to measure HRM.Research limitations/implicationsThis study emphasises that care must be taken in HRM research to use suitable data sources, with employees being a valuable, but under‐used, source.Practical implicationsEffective HRM policies and practices should be measured by their perceived quality, not simply by the number of practices introduced.Originality/valueThis study highlights that there are perceptual differences as to the strength of HRM practices and emphasises the importance of allowing employee voice in HRM research.

Individual Differences and the Voice Effect

This research assesses individual differences in value of voice and examines their impact on the voice–procedural fairness relationship. In Study 1, 184 full-time employees completed surveys including measures of perceived voice, organizational procedural fairness, and value of voice. The results indicated that employee’s value of voice moderated the relationship between perceived voice and procedural fairness. A second study was conducted in a laboratory setting where voice was experimentally manipulated. Ninety-eight undergraduates participated in a simulation exercise wherein they completed measures of perceived voice, procedural fairness, and value of voice. Again, value of voice moderated the voice-fairness relationship, suggesting that individual differences influence voice effects.

A longitudinal analysis of organizational fairness: an examination of reactions to tenure and promotion decisions.

Most organizational justice research takes a cross-sectional approach to examining the relationship between perceived fairness and individuals' attitudes. This study examines the effect of procedural and distributive justice over time. It is suggested that individuals acquire more information and experience with procedures and outcomes over time. These changes in information and experience affect the influence of procedural and distributive justice on organizational attitudes. Faculty perceptions of tenure and promotion decisions were assessed 3 times (preallocation, short-term postallocation, long-term postallocation) over a 2-year period. Results generally supported the hypotheses. Procedural justice was most influential prior to and soon after outcome decisions were made. Distributive justice was most influential 1 year later.

Creating unfairness by mandating fair procedures: the hidden hazards of a pay-for-performance plan

Fairness perceptions and sales performance measures were collected from salespersons working originally under a salary-only pay system and subsequently under a salary-plus-commission pay system (i.e., a pay-for-performance plan). Perceptions of organizational fairness were enhanced by the use of a formal pay-for-performance system, although perceptions of individual managers' fairness were reduced by such a plan. Consistent with correspondent inference theory, the formal pay-for-performance pay plan discouraged respondents from crediting their supervisors with the fairness of their actions. The plan also brought significant performance decrements among those who believed they were not being paid for their performance (despite the fact that they were supposed to be). The limitations of mandated fair organizational practices are discussed.

Work Context and the Definition of self: How Organizational Care Influences Organization-Basei Self-Esteem

We investigated how work context leads to employee self-definition. We propose that the employees of organizations whose values and organizing principles center on fulfilling employees' needs and acting in their best interests will report higher levels of organization-based self-esteem. Further, we argue that perceptions of organizational fairness and job authority mediate this relationship through the social-psychological process of reflected appraisal. Results based on analyses of data from a sample of 186 managers and professionals from 69 different organizational settings support our model.

Organizational fairness and psychological distress in hospital physicians.

Prior research has reported high levels of stress for physicians, but determinants of this stress are poorly understood. We explored whether problems in decision-making procedures and treatment of employees, as expressed in the theory of organizational fairness, may contribute to psychological distress in hospital physicians. Structural equation modelling (LISREL) was based on survey responses from 251 male and 196 female physicians working in 11 public hospitals in Finland. Low organizational fairness increased the risk of psychological distress in male physicians but not in female physicians. In the former group, the association between organizational fairness and psychological distress was partially mediated by decreased job control and increased workload. These findings suggest that broadening the view from the traditional psychosocial work characteristics to justice in management may assist in efforts to promote physicians' health and well-being.

Organizational fairness and psychological distress in hospital physicians

Aims: Prior research has reported high levels of stress for physicians, but determinants of this stress are poorly understood. We explored whether problems in decision-making procedures and treatment of employees, as expressed in the theory of organizational fairness, may contribute to psychological distress in hospital physicians. Methods: Structural equation modelling (LISREL) was based on survey responses from 251 male and 196 female physicians working in 11 public hospitals in Finland. Results: Low organizational fairness increased the risk of psychological distress in male physicians but not in female physicians. In the former group, the association between organizational fairness and psychological distress was partially mediated by decreased job control and increased workload. Conclusions: These findings suggest that broadening the view from the traditional psychosocial work characteristics to justice in management may assist in efforts to promote physicians' health and well-being.

Conflict resolution and procedural fairness in Japanese work organizations

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine short-term and long-term effects of perceived fairness, and to examine relational factors’ effects of procedural fairness in organizational conflicts between employees and supervisors among the Japanese. We asked 154 Japanese employees working in companies to rate their perception of conflicts as well as attitudes towards their own companies. We found that both perception of procedural and distributive fairness produced short-term effects (satisfaction with outcome of conflicts) and long-term effects (positive organizational attitudes). Perceived procedural fairness was increased by appropriate treatment of the supervisors, but our prediction that this effect would be moderated by the employees’ identification with organizations was not supported.

The Effects of Equal Opportunity Fairness Attitudes on Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Perceived Work Group Efficacy

We examined a causal model relating military respondents’ attitudes toward equal opportunity (EO)-related fairness to job satisfaction, organization commitment, and perceptions of work group efficacy. A distinction between EO fairness at the work group and organizational levels was made. Respondents’ perceptions of organizational EO-related fairness were hypothesized to influence perceptions of work group EO fairness. Respondents’ perceptions of work group EO fairness were in turn hypothesized to influence their organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and perceived work group efficacy. Structural equation modeling with a measurement model sample and two random samples each consisting of 5,000 observations provided support for these hypothesized paths. As a part of the investigation, we also examined and found support for causal linkages between perceived work group efficacy, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. The practical and theoretical importance of the findings for the U.S. military, particularly with regard to issues of retention and training, are discussed.

STUDYING ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE CROSS‐CULTURALLY: FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES

Because justice is inherently norm‐based, understanding people's perceptions of fairness in organizations requires considering the prevailing cultural standards in which those organizations operate. Social scien‐tists study cross‐cultural differences in justice primarily to comprehend the connection between culture and fairness, providing insight into the different meanings of justice around the world, and to assess the generalizability of culture‐bound organizational justice phenomena. The present studies focus on assessing generalizability, but fall short of doing so optimally because they suffer from several conceptual and methodo‐logical problems that are endemic in this literature. Cross‐cultural research suggests that although concerns about justice may be universal, operationalization of justice standards is highly particularistic. Finally, I address Gallon's Problem as it pertains to justice—that is, how observed connections between culture and justice perceptions may be inflated spuriously because of inevitable cultural diffusion. In closing, I note that the present research appears to be aimed more squarely at theory‐development rather than theory‐testing, which is appropriate, given the current state of the literature.

CROSS‐CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES OF ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE

Perceptions of organizational fairness have been found to predict important organizational outcomes, including employee loyalty (Schaubroeck, May, & Brown, 1994), commitment (Folger & Konovsky, 1989), and extra role behavior (Moormam, 1991). Studies also show a significant relationship between injustice and negative organizational outcomes, such as retaliatory behaviors (Skarlicki & Folger, 1997), theft (Greenberg, 1990), and rule breaking (Tyler, 1990). Although research in organizational justice has made considerable advances in the past three decades, these studies have taken place predominately in North America. We know relatively less about how employees from other countries make fairness judgements and react to their perceptions. By assuming that our current understanding of work‐place fairness is universal, we overlook the deep cultural differences that can exist between people of different nations.

The role of human resources in ethics/compliance management: a fairness perspective

Many large corporations now have formal programs for managing ethical behavior and legal compliance. But the often minor role of human resources (HR) in companies' ethics management efforts is problematic. This is because ethics management efforts are likely to raise questions of fairness, and trigger a fairness heuristic among employees that can generate important outcomes for the ethics program specifically and the organization generally. Relying on research on fairness in organizations and corporate ethics practices, we explain why the extensive involvement of HR in corporate ethics programs is important to the perceived fairness, and thus the likely outcomes (e.g., employee commitment), of those programs.

The Legal Ramifications of Performance Appraisal: The Growing Significance

The recent turmoil in the business environment brought on by the numerous mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations, downsizings, and spinoffs has provided impetus to the growing number of cases involving discrimination litigation. Performance appraisal is frequently a part of this litigation, most notably included in cases addressing layoffs, promotions, discharge, merit pay, or a combination of these actions. The critical human resource decisions affecting these actions are normally judgments regarding the performance of the employee. Evaluations of that performance should be based on the results of performance appraisal processes that incorporated concerns for organizational justice and fairness.

The effect of organizational structure on perceptions of procedural fairness.

This study explored the relationship between 3 dimensions of organizational structure--centralization, formalization, and size--and perceptions of procedural and interactional fairness. Data from 11 organizations (N = 209) indicated that, as predicted, centralization was negatively related to perceptions of procedural fairness, and organizational size was negatively related to interactional fairness. However, contrary to predictions, formalization was not related to perceptions of procedural fairness. Results suggest that organizational structure and design should play a more prominent role in our thinking about organizational fairness.

Japanese Employee's Conflict Resolution and Procedural Fairness in American Work Organizations

Japanese Employee's Conflict Resolution and Procedural Fairness in American Work Organizations

Fairness and Ideology

Although social contracts theory has been applied to organizations (Donaldson & Dunfee, 1994), rarely has the theory been tested empirically. This article uses the traditions of communitarianism and individualism to instantiate an ideal-type economic social contract. We asked 269 subjects to complete the Ideological Orientation Scale and to make judgments on eight downsizing scenarios. Using social judgment theory, we assess the direct and indirect influences of ideology on judgments of fairness. Our findings suggest that ideology indeed shapes individual’s conceptions of organizational fairness.

Unfairness and resistance to change: hardship as mistreatment

Proposes that organizational fairness is a psychological mechanism that can mediate employee resistance to change. Focuses on resentment‐based resistance as a subset of all possible resistance behaviors. Uses referent cognitions theory to explain why organizational change not only increases employees’ sensitivity to fairness, but also why change is frequently perceived as a loss. Recent theoretical and empirical research is presented that suggests if researchers and managers focus on the effects of any one of these three types of justice (i.e. distributive, procedural or interactional justice), they might fail to address resistance adequately. Examines how the three forms of justice interact to predict resistance to change, and provides some implications of this interaction effect for change managers.

Differential Superior-Subordinate Relations, Perceptions of Fairness, and Coworker Communication

This study examines the complex relationships between differential superior-subordinate relations, fairness perceptions, and coworker communication. Data gathered from employees in a variety of organizations indicate that differential treatment from a supervisor to his or her subordinates influences coworker communication by (a) leading coworkers to talk about the differential treatment itself, and (b) influencing the nature of the communication relationships among the coworkers. Data also provide insight into issues of perceived organizational fairness, indicating that fairness perceptions are often socially constructed by work group members through discourse.

Effects of Organizational Fairness on Japanese Sales Personnel

Research has found that perceptions of equity can affect such critical variables as job satisfaction, withdrawal tendencies, and performance of U.S. workers. Whether similar results would generalize to sales personnel in the equity-oriented Japanese environment is unknown. This article presents the results of a study that examined the influence of organizational fairness (a measure of perceived equity) on Japanese salespeople's job satisfaction, organizational commitment, motivation, and performance. Findings indicate that organizational fairness has an impact on Japanese sales personnel. Implications are also provided.