IngentaConnect Transitioning between temporary and permanent employment: A two-w...

Authors: De Cuyper, Nele¹; Notelaers, Guy¹; De Witte, Hans¹

Source: Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Volume 82, Number 1, March 2009 , pp. 67-88(22)

Publisher: British Psychological Society

Abstract:

The present two-wave study investigates how transitioning between temporary and permanent employment relates to a number of psychological consequences; namely, work engagement, affective organizational commitment, life satisfaction, and turnover intention. We hypothesize that temporary employment associates with unfavourable outcomes when it is a trap (entrapment hypothesis), while no such unfavourable outcomes are expected for those who transition to permanent employment (stepping stone hypothesis). Furthermore, we investigate the assumption that transitioning from permanent to temporary employment relates to unfavourable outcomes. Finally, we investigate dynamics related to selection into temporary or permanent employment. Hypotheses are tested on a sample of 1,475 workers. The results show that continuous temporary employment does not relate to unfavourable outcomes over time, while gaining permanent employment associates with increased work engagement. Also, permanent workers who transition to temporary employment are more engaged and committed after transitioning. No evidence for possible selection mechanisms is found.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1348/096317908X299755

Affiliations: 1: Research Group for Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology, K. U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

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Transitioning between temporary and permanent employment: A two-wave study on the entrapment, the stepping stone and the selection hypothesis