An Investigation Of The Relational Component Of The Psychological Contract Across Time, Generation, And Employment Status.(Brief

A third limitation of the investigation was that the Psychological Contract Survey focused solely on relational aspects of the contract, such as trust, support, and loyalty (Macneil, 1985). Some researchers studying the psychological contract also have focused on transactional aspects, such as pay, benefits, and working conditions. In those studies, researchers primarily were interested in measuring violations of the psychological contract over a shorter time frame (cf., Robinson, 1996; Robinson and Rousseau, 1994). The present investigation centered on changes in the psychological contract over several decades. Consequently, the focus was on socioemotional, long-term aspects of the psychological contract. This study has shown that the relational component of the contract has declined over time. However, it does not address the transactional element of the contract. An in-depth examination of transactional aspects of the psychological contract over time would further enhance the understanding of the relation ship between employees and employers. It would be interesting to explore whether perceptions of transactional elements have increased, decreased along with the relational element, or remained the same over time.

Past research on the psychological contract has relied primarily on the responses of full-time, permanent employees. As the percentage of contingency workers increases, it becomes important that research reflects this change. This study took a first step toward exploring the effect that employment status has on worker perceptions. A more complete understanding could be achieved by examining additional employment distinctions (e.g., temporary workers, tele-commuters, seasonal contractors). Another dimension associated with employment status is volition. McLean Parks et al. (1998) defined volition as the degree to which employees believe they have a choice between being a full-time or a contingency worker. Since most companies today use some form of contingency worker, the psychological and managerial literatures could benefit by focusing more research attention on the unique needs and expectations of all employees.

The findings of this investigation strongly indicate that perceptions of the relational component of the psychological contract have decreased during the past five decades. Numerous references to this decline have been made without empirical evidence. Although the study was an initial step, future research should explore reasons behind such a decline. For example, this change may have been caused by the massive corporate restructuring and downsizing during the 1980s. Cavanaugh and Noe (1999) found preliminary support for the notion that employees who were adversely affected by organizational change initiatives expressed concerns about the relational aspects of their employment (e.g., job security). It is possible that conditions beyond the workplace, such as societal or political changes, also may have contributed to the shift in the psychological contract. Future researchers could examine how variables external to an organization may affect the occurrence of a contract violation (Rousseau, 1995), as well as the attributions employees make concerning why the violation occurred (i.e., reneging versus disruption). Likewise, researchers may want to explore possible differences in perceptions of the psychological contract across various industries, occupations, and countries. A comprehensive understanding of the changing nature of the employment relationship will benefit both the employee and the organization.

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