Self-esteem and Occupational Self-efficacy as Mediators of the Associations between Perceived Organizational Support, Work Engagement and Job Satisfaction among temporary employees and permanent employees

Introduction: Previous research has documented greater vulnerability and exposure to stress among temporary workers due to labor uncertainty, especially in cases where temporary workers are considered peripheral workers in whom employers are unlikely to invest foster long-term organizational commitment and motivation to work (Becker, 1993; Amuedo-Dorantes 2000; De Cuyper & De Nitte, 2005; De Cuyper at al., 2008). Many characteristics of temporary employment adds to the vulnerability of temporary workers: poor job characteristics, highly monotonous work (Hall 2006), lower influence on workplace decisions (Aronsson et al. 2002; Parker et al. 2002), lower job satisfaction and lower organizational support are possible determinants of work stress. Many studies have found a greater work satisfaction in permanent employees (Benavides et al. 2000; Forde & Slater 2006; Merllié & Pascal 2002; Zant & Cooke, 2005) and a correlation between contract duration and organizational engagement (De Jong & Schalk 2005). Consequently, the aim of the present study is to further investigate some variables concerning the relationship between individuals and organizations in a group of temporary employees compared to permanent employees. More specifically, is investigated if perceived organizational support affects work engagement and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the extent to which self-esteem, occupational self-efficacy and work values mediated the link between these variables is investigated. Methods: Data collection is still in progress, however is thought to include 200 workers, divided into two groups according to the employment status (100 temporary and 100 permanent workers). Participants filled in the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS), the job satisfaction scale of the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (R-SES), the Work Values Scale and the Occupational Self-Efficacy (OCCSEF). A series of hierarchical regression analyses were performed to explore the influence of RSES, Work Values and OCCSEF in order to predict the variance of OSI and UWES scores. Results: Our results further investigate the impact of precarious employment on occupational health and safety. Preliminary results indicate that, overall, there is a significant relationship between perceived organizational support, work engagement and job satisfaction. Differences between temporary and permanent employees will be presented in the poster. Moreover the role of self-esteem and occupational self-efficacy will be presented. Conclusion and Implication: Results will be discussed in terms of their implication for future research on the psychological impact of temporary employment.