Abstract
The world of work and the labour market has been changing. As the world’s economy continues to go through turbulent times, the employment relationship as we used to know it continues to evolve. As a consequence, more and more employees are on flexible contracts, organisational structures are leaner, employees are expected to do more with less and the traditional jobs can no longer be guaranteed by employers. Employers need to harness the full potential of their employees in order to remain competitive. In order to get the most out of their workforce, employers need to understand the psychological bonds that sustain the employment relationship, especially during turbulent times. As such, this study investigates the relationship between the psychological contract and organisational identification in call centres. The study also explores whether an employee’s employment contract type has a moderating role on the relationship between the psychological contract and organisational identification. From a labour relations perspective, the study examines the possible implications of the introduction of amendments to labour laws that regulate the practices of employment services, also known as labour brokers. The study was a quantitative cross-sectional field design. The sample consisted of employees working in a South African call centre setting (N=195) who were either on permanent or temporary employment contracts. The relationship between the constructs of the psychological contracts and organisational identification were investigated using two scales. The study confirmed the relationship between the psychological contract and organisational identification in the call centre. Contrary to some past research findings and literature, the type of employment contract that the sample profile held was of little or no consequence to their perceptions of the psychological contract, their identification with the employer, and the relationship between the psychological contract and organisational identification. The findings point to the need for workplace management and Human Resources (HR) practitioners to pay increased attention to the management of beliefs regarding mutual obligations. The contribution of this study is threefold. There have not been many studies conducted on call centres within the South African context. Secondly, the results of this study will add to the available literature on the dynamics of the employment relationship in call centre settings. Thirdly, not much research has focused on how an employee’s contract status may influence their exchange relationship with the employer.
M.Phil. (Employment Relations)