A self-consistency motivation analysis of employee reaction to job insecurity

Abstract

This study contrasts a social exchange explanation of job insecurity's negative effect on outcomes with an explanation based on self-consistency motivational theory. Specifically, I examined job insecurity's effect on employee outcomes (job performance, affective commitment and mental health) as mediated by organization-based self-esteem, based on self-consistency motivational theory, after controlling for the effect of perceived psychological contract breach, based on social exchange theory. I also proposed and tested perceived supervisor support as a moderator of the relationship between job insecurity and organization-based self-esteem. In a sample of 176 subordinate-supervisor dyads from China, results supported the unique mediating effect of organization-based self-esteem supporting self-consistency motivational theory explanation. Perceived supervisor support was found to mitigate the negative effect of job insecurity on organization-based self-esteem.