Showing papers in "Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources in 2015"

Flexible work arrangements, work engagement, turnover intentions and psychological health

Abstract: Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are often written into company policies to demonstrate organisational sensitivity to potentially difficult interfaces between employees’ work and non-work domains. The current research investigated employees’ use of FWAs and relationship to work engagement, with turnover intentions and psychological strain also used as criterion variables for comparison purposes. A heterogeneous sample of Australian employees (N = 823) responded to two waves of data collection separated by a 12-month interval. It was expected that supportive aspects of organisational culture would be consistent with increased employee utilisation of FWAs, high work engagement, low turnover and low levels of psychological strain, and the opposite would be found for hindering aspects of organisational culture. It was also expected that supportive organisational culture would demonstrate an enduring effect over time. In general, research findings supported these hypotheses. However, the research also identified a negative relationship between use of FWAs and work engagement over time. This suggests that take-up of FWAs is highly dependent on workplace cultural norms. The implications of these results are discussed.

Developing a framework of effective prevention and response strategies in workplace sexual harassment

Abstract: Sexual harassment remains a widespread workplace phenomenon, despite laws that proscribe it. Drawing initially on a typology from the violence prevention literature that conceptualizes prevention and response approaches according to when they occur, the paper synthesizes strategies identified in literature addressing workplace sexual harassment, as well as other workplace injustices or grievances. The paper utilizes this previous research to develop a framework of sexual harassment prevention strategies along two dimensions: functions and timing. The framework offers a research-informed set of organization-wide preventative and remedial approaches, a systemic approach to what is often seen as an individual problem, and a means to better focus interventions that are often disparate and unco-ordinated. The paper also highlights important areas for future research including a stronger focus on longer-term (tertiary) corrective actions.

The effects of emotional intelligence and stress‐related presenteeism on nurses’ well‐being

Abstract: Emotional intelligence has long been associated with lower levels of stress and enhanced well-being. This paper contributes empirically by examining the direct and moderating effects of emotional intelligence on the presenteeism and well-being relationship. A sample of 312 registered nurses who provide home-based care in an Australian community nursing service were recruited to take part in the study. Results from structural equation modelling revealed that emotional intelligence has direct and moderating effects on well-being. Stress-related presenteeism significantly predicted nurses’ well-being. These findings provide further support for the positive effects that emotional intelligence can have on the effective management of job stress and the enhancement of nurse well-being. We advocate more nursing training on emotional intelligence, and examine the potential benefits of emotional intelligence training and other related HR initiatives.

Entrepreneurial orientation and innovation performance: roles of strategic HRM and technical turbulence

Abstract: This study advances research on the return from entrepreneurial orientation by examining how a firm's internal system (i.e. strategic human resource management) and the external environment (i.e. technical turbulence) within which a firm operates interact in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and product innovation performance. Using a matched sample of 151 chief executive officers and other top executives from Chinese manufacturing firms, this study finds that entrepreneurial orientation is positively related to product innovation performance and that this relationship is stronger among firms implementing strategic HRM practices to a greater extent. Furthermore, the three-way interaction test indicates that the interactive effect of entrepreneurial orientation and strategic HRM practices on product innovation performance is stronger for firms operating in a less turbulent environment.

Positive pathways to engaging workers: Work-family enrichment as a predictor of work engagement

Abstract: Engaged workers willingly devote their best efforts to their work in terms of their energy (vigor), sustained attention (absorption) and their sense of purpose (dedication), thereby contributing to the optimal functioning and performance of organizations. In consideration of the positive and negative influence of work–life balance for work performance, this study assessed the role played by work–family enrichment as a direct antecedent of work engagement. Two waves of data were collected from an Australian sample of workers with family commitments (N = 470). Cross-sectional analyses found that experiences of work that contributed to a positive mood (affect) and to a sense of confidence (capital) in family life were associated with all three dimensions of work engagement and with family satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated enduring effects of positive mood, with work–family affect predicting work engagement and family–work affect predicting family satisfaction. The results support Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory which predicts positive experiences, particularly those that enable workers to leave work in a good mood, and returns benefits in the form of work engagement. The current study provides evidence that enriched experiences at the workplace provide tangible benefits to people's family lives and long-term returns to organizations in the form of ongoing employee engagement.

Clarifying the effect of work hours on health through work–life conflict

Abstract: Previous research on the relationship between work hours and health has produced inconclusive findings, which may be related to the use of predominantly male samples. This paper examines the relationship between work hours and health in a national Australian sample (Australian Work + Life Index) of men and women. We examine total work hours across major occupational groups and find differences in health outcomes related to gender. In addition, our findings provide important insights into the pathway through which work hours impact health. Specifically, we offer compelling evidence that work–life conflict functions as a pathway through which total work hours impact health outcomes. The results of this study suggest that human resource management practitioners pay further attention to interventions that enable workers to more successfully manage the energy exchange between work and non-work domains. We also review several related pathways by which human resource managers may reduce employee work–life conflict.

Supervisory practices and training transfer: lessons from Malaysia

Abstract: Extant training transfer literature has paid little attention to supervisory practices, especially in the context of developing countries. This study investigates the influence of supervisory practices on training transfer via motivation to learn in the Malaysian public sector context. This study is one of the first to explore the impact of supervisor assignment decisions on training transfer through the mediating effect of motivation to learn. Quantitative data was collected from 306 employees working in a large government agency. The findings have demonstrated that supervisor support, communication, and assignment decisions are valid predictors of motivation to learn, leading to training transfer. Such findings have important implications for theory development by elucidating factors within supervisory practices which are critical for motivation to learn and training transfer. Implications for human resource management include the need for practitioners to expand supervisors' role and competency in promoting motivation to learn and training transfer.

In or out: job exits of older workers

Abstract: As the proportion of older workers in the labour market increases, there is a greater need to identify ways to engage and retain mature age workers. In 2011, the authors interviewed 24 older workers who had recently left full-time employment in Australia. They found that the exit decisions of older workers are more complex than the dichotomous choice between staying and retiring. Three distinct decision options were identified: retire, change jobs or take a break from the labour market. Work intensification and discrete personal or work events influenced the decision to retire or take a break from the labour market. Work dissatisfaction influenced the decision to exit the organisation but not the labour market. The findings point towards the importance of flexibility, job redesign and supportive work practices in retaining mature age talent that might otherwise be lost to dissatisfaction and work intensification.

Employer brand management, organizational prestige and employees' word-of-mouth referrals in Taiwan

Abstract: Word-of-mouth is thought to be an effective external recruitment information source that organizations are not generally able to do much about. While a number of previous studies have suggested the effectiveness of word-of-mouth recruitment, few have explored the specific factors enabling organizations to manage it effectively. This study addresses the cross-level influence of employer brand management (EBM) and organizational prestige on employees' word-of-mouth referrals. A total of 308 survey responses from senior managers and their employees were received from 33 firms in Taiwan. All hypotheses were supported, which suggests significant relationships between EBM, organizational prestige, and employees' word-of-mouth referrals. The study results also suggest that organizations are able to manage employee word-of-mouth referrals by enhancing EBM and reinforcing employees' perceived organizational prestige accordingly.

Reputation and talent mobility in the Asia Pacific

Abstract: This paper argues that different forms of reputation are important for the attraction and retention of talent. Drawing upon the skilled migration literature as well as examples from national governments, supranational organisations and the mass media, we provide a typology that highlights the intersections between reputation and talent mobility. We provide three important contributions. First, we illustrate that reputation plays a central role in the global competition for talent. Second, we highlight that the reputations of countries affect the attraction and retention of top workers. Third, we show that global talent is not only influenced by country reputation but also produces reputations which manifest at the individual level through the inflow and outflow of talent. These contributions shed new theoretical and practical insights on the importance and impact of reputation for talent mobility.

Fatal consequences an analysis of the failed employee voice system at the Bundaberg Hospital

Abstract: In this paper we discuss the failure of the employee voice system at the Bundaberg Base Hospital (BBH) in Australia. Surgeon Jayant Patel was arrested over the deaths of patients on whom he operated when he was the director of surgery at the hospital. Our interest is in the reasons the established employee voice mechanisms failed when employees attempted to bring serious issues to the attention of managers. Our data is based on an analysis of the sworn testimonies of participants who participated in two inquiries concerning these events. An analysis of the events with a particular focus on the failings of the voice system is presented. We ask the following: how and why did the voice systems in the case of the BBH fail?

Strategic HRM and devolving HR to the line: Cochlear during the shift to lean manufacturing

Abstract: Our case study at Cochlear, a medical device manufacturer, highlights how devolving HR to the line can facilitate organisational change to lean manufacturing. Drawing on interviews and focus groups conducted with management and employees, it sheds light into the HR practices in one of the very few Australian manufacturers that are successful on an international scale. This study contributes to the debate on strategic human resource management and in particular on the role of line managers and the process and outcomes of devolving HR responsibilities to the line during an organisational-wide transformation to lean management (a form of high-performance work systems). Furthermore, we add to the increasing and significant research stream which argues that HR affects organisational performance indirectly rather than directly; hence, the focus of HR professionals should be on developing systems of support for line managers so as to ensure the consistent and equitable enactment of intended HRM practices.

Human resource management practices to support sport event volunteers

Abstract: This paper presents the findings of a study that explored the relationship between two specific elements of HRM (perceived organizational support (POS) and perceived supervisor support (PSS)) and the affective commitment (AC) and satisfaction of volunteers involved in a community cycling event. The findings indicate that volunteers' satisfaction can be attributed more to the informal support (or lack thereof) provided by their supervisor (PSS) than the formal procedures implemented by the organization (POS). Volunteers' AC however, can be attributed more to POS than PSS. These results suggest that for some volunteers the supervisor may embody the organization; the support provided by the supervisor on the day of an event can become more important than support provided by the organization prior to the event. A poor supervisor's performance in providing the requisite support may therefore impact more on a volunteer's satisfaction than any failings (or otherwise) of the overall HRM system.

Determinants of high-performance work systems in small and medium-sized private enterprises in China

Abstract: This study investigates the determinants of high-performance work systems (HPWS) in small and medium-sized private enterprises (SMPEs) in China. Fifteen SMPE owners in a medium-sized city of China were interviewed, the data were analysed and a grid model was developed. The results show that stakeholder relationships and the commitment of owners to human resource management (HRM) are the two main aspects determining the adoption of HPWS in China's SMPEs. Most of the HRM practices used by these SMPEs were developed by the owners according to the specific needs of the firm and the need for flexibility. This research contributes to the HPWS literature by providing evidence on its development in SMPEs in a transitional economy.

The contribution of job strain, social support and working hours in explaining work–family conflict

Abstract: There is some debate whether job strain or working hours is more prominent in explaining work– family conflict. We tested a multi-group structural equation model and the results suggested the model was equally applicable to academic and administrative staff employed at an Australian regional university. After controlling for demographic and work-related factors the main predictors of work–family conflict were: job strain, total work hours, job satisfaction, employment as an academic and having dependent children. Social support was negatively related with work–family conflict but the association was not significant. Despite greater job control, academics reported greater job strain and work hours. The results suggest that strategies aimed at decreasing job strain and work hours may reduce the extent of work–family conflict.

Organisational climate and human resources: exploring a new construct in a cross-national context

Abstract: This paper reports the findings of an exploratory study which identifies aspects of organisational climate that relate to human resource management. A novel data analysis technique was employed to analyse qualitative data from interviews with 50 human resource managers in Australia, Canada and Turkey. The results identify four organisational climate dimensions that focus on HR issues and work environments. Based on the suggestions of the competing values framework and also on the literature concerning studies of societal culture, we labelled these climate dimensions as: 1) collaboration; 2) competition; 3) control; and 4) family-orientation. These dimensions are seen to offer a path for future research on organisational climate and human resource management, and how employee's perceptions of the HR policies, practices and procedures may influence the efficacy of the HR function. Implications for studying these phenomena across different societies are addressed.

Strategy, structure, and HRM policy orientation: Employee recruitment and selection practices in multinational subsidiaries

Abstract: This study investigates influence of some important features of multinational corporations' (MNCs) such as their corporate strategies, structures, and international policy orientations, on subsidiaries' human resource management (HRM) practices, and particularly on employee recruitment and selection activities. Four European multinational subsidiaries operating in Bangladesh were selected for the study. In-depth case studies revealed that the subsidiaries' recruitment and selection practices were guided by the changing nature of corporate structures, production strategies, and headquarters' international HRM policy orientations. The study also shows that the development of employee recruitment and selection practices by subsidiaries is not solely dependent on their parent companies. The roles and capabilities of subsidiaries also influence subsidiary–headquarters relationships, and consequently, the development of different employee recruitment and selection practices at the subsidiary level.

Effects of mentoring on customer orientation: the moderating role of gender

Abstract: This study investigates the effects of mentoring on employees' customer orientation in a Chinese setting by focusing on the moderating role of gender. The results from a survey of 280 employees indicate that proteges have higher levels of customer orientation than non-proteges. Moreover, proteges who receive higher levels of career and psychosocial support exhibit higher levels of customer orientation than those who receive lower levels of such support. The effects of the mentoring relationship and career support on customer orientation are stronger for women than for men. The findings are discussed in terms of the theoretical and practical implications for human resource management.

Global relocation: an examination of the corporate influence on expatriate adjustment

Abstract: This paper examines the important yet often overlooked corporate influence on expatriates' intercultural adjustment. Using four months of ethnographic data collected in China, we aim to understand how expatriates' transnational corporation employers and their outsourcing global relocation agencies work together to manage and influence expatriates' adjustment process. Our findings reveal the different impact organizational support can have on expatriate general and interaction adjustment, the mediating effect of organizational management of expatriate uncertainty and anxiety on adjustment outcome, and the relevance of organizational concern for efficiency. These findings suggest that the success of expatriate relocation programs hinges on their ability to help expatriates manage uncertainty and anxiety in ways that both provide them with the comfort of home and offer rich and authentic cultural experiences.

Cross-cultural self-preparation of Australian self-initiated expatriates for working and living in South Korea: ‘Stumped like a bonsai: A show of what could have been’

Abstract: Multinational organisations continue to staff their international operations with expatriate employees and extant research has highlighted that organisationally provided cross-cultural preparation can contribute towards intercultural effectiveness and minimise expatriate failure and challenges associated with working and living internationally for these individuals. Yet, the cross-cultural preparation of self-initiated expatriates, especially those from regions outside of North America and Europe, has received considerably less attention in the literature even though they represent a growing and significant component of the global talent pool. This research addresses this gap in the literature by exploring the perceptions that self-initiated Australian expatriates have of cross-cultural self-preparation for careers in South Korea; providing greater insights into a cohort of expatriates living and working in a nation of growing commercial importance to Australia which has been accorded limited attention in the expatriation literature. The research draws on semi-structured interviews with 20 self-initiated Australian expatriates and repatriates working within diverse industries including construction, education, engineering, government, legal, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. The interviewees were primarily males aged between 20 and 30 years who had worked (on average) for 24.5 months in South Korea. The findings are significant in highlighting: the value of cross-cultural self-preparation; differences in preparation needs for those in urban and rural areas; prior work and non-work experience for preparedness; and the importance of adjustments in attitudes.

Changing patterns of compensation and benefits in multinational and Australian companies 1996–2009

Abstract: This paper explores the compensation and benefits (C&B) practices of subsidiaries of multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Australia between 1996 and 2009 and contrasts them with comparable local firms. The evolution of C&B over the period is tracked using a composite index taken from two iterations (1996, 2008/9) of the CRANET Australia survey of HR practices and analysed in the context of significant deregulation of Australian human resource/industrial relations institutional settings during this period. The research finds no overall increase in compensation and benefits sophistication, but significant differences between MNCs and locals and enduring country of origin/region effects within the different MNC groups. Localization pressures on MNC practices appear to have reduced in response to deregulation and there is some, but not conclusive, evidence of increasing dominance effects.

An exploratory study of the cultural context of organisational climate and human resource practices

Abstract: The ‘climate’ construct has an important and long history in organisational science. This study explores a specific type of organisational climate, known as human resource (HR) climate, in the context of an organisation operating in Turkey. The competing values framework is used to interpret the findings regarding the nature of HR climate, and to compare and contrast HR climate with organisational climate. This study employs an exploratory qualitative research design in which several in-depth interviews were conducted with HR managers/directors. The findings suggest that although some dimensions of HR climate show similarities with those of organisational climate, there are significant differences. In addition, several dimensions of the HR climate found in this study reflect cultural characteristics of Turkey, specifically collectivism and paternalism. This extends knowledge of the concept of HR climate and shows that the construct may have dimensions that are culturally specific (particular) rather than universal.

Exploring aspects of workplace climates in Canada: implications for the human resources of health-care

Abstract: Recently, researchers on organizational climate have focused on the ‘issue-specific’ nature of climate, such as the climate for safety or service, or, in this case, the climate for human resources. This has resulted in a clearer connection between specific climates and relevant outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from an exploratory study that was conducted in Canada that served to help us understand the aspects of workplace climate with a focus on human resources (HR). In this study, interview data was collected from 14 HR managers from across western Canada, some of which were from healthcare organizations. The benefit of this research is to better understand the current climate within organisations and to develop a construct for HR climates that can be used to build capacity in the research, training, and practice of HR within health-care (and other industries) in Canada.

Modelling the reasons for the use of vocational training in Australian enterprises

Abstract: This paper analyses a unique data set to examine the determinants of the explicit reasons employers give for training employees in Australia. The nature of the data requires the use of multinomial logit methods to uncover how certain strategic, recruitment and organizational variables impact on the reasons employers provide for their training choices. The results highlight the complexity of training decision-making in enterprises and show that numerous reasons are cited by employers for undertaking training. The most commonly identified training drivers relate to training strategy variables capturing the status of the organization as a registered training organization (RTO), the use of a business plan and strategic importance of training. In contrast, the relatively least important drivers are the level of staff permanence, occupational structure, occupational status and the number of employees. The complexity of training decisions suggests that policy-makers should be cautious in following generic and simple solutions in trying to promote employer training.

Salary sacrificing in Australia: are patterns of uptake and benefit different in the not-for-profit sector?

Abstract: Australia's tax arrangements enable employers to offer salary sacrificing as a way to increase levels of remuneration on offer, and to attract, motivate and retain staff. This article discusses the role of salary sacrificing in the not-for-profit sector, and contributes new evidence about who uses it, who benefits, and who might be missing out. Based on a large national household panel survey, we show that within the not-for-profit sector and across the workforce more broadly, salary sacrificing is unequally accessed by employees, with higher income earners reaping greater benefits. On the basis of uneven patterns of uptake and benefit, salary sacrificing offers only a limited strategy for addressing problems of low remuneration. Human resource practitioners in the not-for-profit sector should develop broader strategies to attract and retain staff, especially in lower paid positions, where salary sacrificing is both less likely to be utilised and less beneficial.

The totalitarian dynamic behind HRM's democratic façade

Abstract: The terms 'authoritarian' and 'democratic' are political concepts often applied as a means of distinguishing human resource management (HRM) from older forms of labour management, the common assertion being that former authoritarian practices have become more democratic under HRM. This article challenges this view by arguing that the foundational principles and practices of HRM, when orientated by the expectations of a 'desired' organisational culture, cast it into a role that involves mobilising the collective psychology of organisational members to accept willingly the legitimacy of managerial authority and the virtues of firm loyalty. It is suggested that such a role has no parallel in orthodox democratic arrangements; that if political concepts are to be applied to the way labour is managed under HRM, a clearer affinity exists with the aims and practices of totalitarian regimes and their use of propaganda and other means to control civilian populations. Key points: This article challenges the assumption that HRM is cast in the spirit of democracy. HRM's foundational principles and functional practices are instead more closely aligned with totalitarian conceptions of social control. This is evidenced by HRM's role in mobilising the collective psychology of employees in accordance with a 'desired' workplace culture proscribed by organisational leaderships.