Psychological contract and its motivational and health‐enhancing properties

Abstract

PurposeIt has been hypothesized that perceived contract fulfilment is positively associated with affective commitment, leading also to reduced turnover intentions, and with mental health, and that these relationships are fully mediated by work engagement. Employing the job demands resources (JDR) model, the purpose of this study is to examine the motivational and health‐enhancing properties driven by perceived employer psychological contact fulfilment.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were tested in a sample of 178 Finnish employees using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe hypotheses were supported. Perceived psychological contract fulfilment had both motivational (psychological contract → work engagement → affective commitment → reduced turnover intentions) and health‐enhancing (psychological contract → work engagement → mental health) effects.Originality/valueThe findings highlight the centrality of perceived psychological contract fulfilment to employees, and the importance of work engagement as a positive affective‐cognitive state at work.

Positive Management: The Relationship Between the Psychological Contract, Employee Engagement and Organisational Commitment

“…Employees tend to give something back to the employer and will therefore show more commitment in case of contract fulfilment. Besides, the research shows that Finnish employees have a better mental health in case of contract fulfilment (Parzefall and Hakanen, 2010). Finally, the research shows that engagement fully mediates the relation between mental health, employee motivation and the fulfilment of the psychological contract.…”

“…Finally, the research shows that engagement fully mediates the relation between mental health, employee motivation and the fulfilment of the psychological contract. The research also established that engagement plays an important mediating role in the psychological contract and several positive outcomes (Parzefall and Hakanen, 2010).…”

“…Another study among 178 Finnish employees showed that employees have less turnover intentions, if they experience fulfilment of the psychological contract (Parzefall and Hakanen, 2010). Employees are also in this case more committed to the organisation.…”

“…While committed employees change jobs less quickly (e.g. Parzefall and Hakanen, 2010) and report themselves sick less often (Effectory, 2014).…”

An Examination of Psychological Meaningfulness, Safety, and Availability as the Underlying Mechanisms linking Job Features and Personal Characteristics to Work Engagement

“…Some studies have even found positive associations between engagement and health (e.g., Hallberg & Schaufeli, 2006;Schaufeli, Taris, & Van Rhenen, 2008). For instance, Parzefall and Hakanen (2010) found support for both a motivational as well as a health-enhancing process in which engagement fully mediated the impact that psychological contract fulfillment had on mental health. Therefore, although engagement is still a fairly new construct in I/O psychology, empirical findings revealing its positive relationship with performance and other positive outcomes in the workplace are reason enough to see why researchers and practitioners have developed an interest in its nomological network in research and application to the workplace.…”