Training, exhaustion, and commitment of temporary agency workers: A test of employability perceptions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse whether the social exchange between temporary agency workers (TAWs) and the client organization is associated with a perception of training. In this study, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model that accounts for TAWs' exhaustion and desire to obtain a direct contract with the client company in the relationship between the perception of training and affective commitment. Our hypotheses were tested on a sample of 425 blue-collar workers from four Portuguese companies with temporary agency work contracts. Our findings support a conditional indirect relationship between the perception of TAWs that the training provided by the client company facilitates their internal employability and their commitment towards this company via exhaustion for those TAWs who have a low desire to have a direct contract with this company. In addition, our findings show that TAWs do not reciprocally respond to the training that promotes external employability, as this factor is not associated with the affective commitment of these individuals, although exhaustion is associated with this perception. Moreover, we discuss the implications of these findings for the human resource management of TAWs.

The future of workplace commitment: key questions and directions

“…Previous research has suggested that reciprocation by temporary workers is limited to target-specific training (internal to the client) which increased commitment only to that target (Chambel et al, 2013). Indeed, general (external) training did not increase commitment to the target offering the training.…”

“…Indeed, while some studies have found that temporary workers report lower levels of commitment (e.g., Biggs & Swailes, 2006; Coyle-Shapiro, Morrow, & Kessler, 2006), other studies have found that temporary workers can display similar or even higher levels of commitment than permanent workers (e.g., De Cuper & De Witte, 2008;Chambel, Sobral, Espada, & Curral, 2013;Haden, Caruth, & Oyler, 2011).…”

Psychological contract profiles among permanent and temporary agency workers

“…Such pattern of results is in line with the fact that this modality of employment is involuntary (CIETT, 2012;Lopes and Chambel, 2014) and most TAW worldwide, including Portugal, would rather have a permanent employment contract, and aspire to be hired by the company in which they perform their job. This desire suggests that TAW are highly vulnerable (De Jong and Schalk, 2010), as they avoid showing bad results since they depend on the client organization to fulfill their desires (Chambel, Sobral, Espada and Curral, 2013). Thus, TAW might show dedication towards their work, regardless of their perception of the organization's obligations.…”

Supporting temporary agency workers’ affective commitments: exploring the role of opportunities for competence development

“…Watkins and Marsick 2014). The present study examines TAWs' affective organizational commitment (further referred to as 'affective commitment', or AC), which refers to 'the emotional attachment to, identification with, and involvement in an organization' (Meyer et al 2002, 21) and is generally viewed as an important predictor of employees' performance (Chambel et al 2015;Meyer et al 2002).…”

“…full-time, indefinite period of time) as a means to maintain staff flexibility and at the same time maintain a competitive position (Chambel et al 2015;Connelly and Gallagher 2004). One of these 'nonstandard' or 'atypical' employment contracts includes temporary agency work: an employment construction in which employees are officially employed via an employment agency and work for a client organization for a limited period of time (Liden et al 2003).…”