The antecedants of psychological contract and its consequences: an empirical study of frontline employees of the forest department in a north Indian state

Abstract

In this study, Psychological Contract is viewed as being influenced by Organization Politics, Job-Design (Task Autonomy, Task Identity, Task Significance and Task Feedback), Organizational Justice (Procedural, Distributive, Interactional and Informational). The proposed influences of Psychological Contract are seen as Burnout (Emotional Exhaustion, Personal Accomplishment and Depersonalisation),Organization Identification (Positive Identification, Disidentification, Neutral and Ambivalent Identification) and Organizational Commitment. A number of hypotheses are developed linking the Psychological Contract to the various antecedents and consequent variables. Data for empirical verification was gathered through field study using a questionnaire in Hindi. The data was then analysed and the hypothesis verified through multiple regression for foresters and forest guards. SPSS software was used for the statistical analysis. Along with the empirical study, a blank space was left in the questionnaire to encourage people to give their responses on whatever they felt was important to them based on the questionnaire. The responses were then grouped and analysed. Results indicated that Organization Politics, Distributive and Procedural justice, Task Autonomy, Task Significance and Task Feedback were important antecedents of the Psychological Contract. Organization identification was an important consequence of Psychological Contract fulfilment. Organization Disidentification was high when Exhaustion was high and Personal Accomplishment was low. Levels of Burnout were low in the department and Commitment level of foresters was interestingly more than that of Forest Guards though the latter enjoyed more autonomy. The study is an effort to enhance the understanding of the Psychological Contract among the frontline employees in the forest department to motivate them, to put to best use their talents and skills.