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Qualitative Job Insecurity and Informal Learning: A Longitudinal Test of Occupational Self-Efficacy and Psychological Contract Breach as Mediators

Author

Listed:
  • Anahí Van Hootegem

    (Research group for Work, Organisational, and Personnel Psychology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Hans De Witte

    (Research group for Work, Organisational, and Personnel Psychology, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
    Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark 1900, South Africa)

Abstract

Current work life has become increasingly turbulent, which has sparked employees’ concern about the loss of valued job features, coined as qualitative job insecurity. No prior research has investigated the relationship between this type of job insecurity and informal learning. However, informal learning might be particularly relevant for qualitatively job-insecure employees, as it might aid them to deal with the incessant changes in their work environment. This study examined whether qualitative job insecurity is associated with lower levels of three types of informal learning activities: information-seeking, feedback-seeking, and help-seeking behavior, and whether these relationships are mediated by a decline in occupational self-efficacy and an increase in psychological contract breach. We employed a three-wave panel design to survey 1433 Belgian employees. Results, by means of cross-lagged structural equation modelling, demonstrated that occupational self-efficacy mediates the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and information-seeking, feedback-seeking from colleagues, and feedback-seeking from one’s supervisor, while psychological contract breach only mediated the relationship between qualitative job insecurity and feedback-seeking from one’s supervisor. Both mediators were not significantly related to help-seeking behavior. This study demonstrates that qualitatively job-insecure employees are less likely to engage in informal learning via a decrease in occupational self-efficacy and an increase in psychological contract breach, thereby becoming even more vulnerable in an increasingly volatile work environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Anahí Van Hootegem & Hans De Witte, 2019. "Qualitative Job Insecurity and Informal Learning: A Longitudinal Test of Occupational Self-Efficacy and Psychological Contract Breach as Mediators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-24, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:10:p:1847-:d:234092
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jean-Pierre Neveu & Stevan E. Hobfoll & Jonathon Halbesleben & M Westman, 2018. "Conservation of resources in the organizational context : the reality of resources and their consequences," Post-Print hal-02472360, HAL.
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    3. Hans De Witte & Nele De Cuyper & Yasmin Handaja & Magnus Sverke & Katharina Näswall & Johnny Hellgren, 2010. "Associations Between Quantitative and Qualitative Job Insecurity and Well-Being," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(1), pages 40-56, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sonia Nawrocka & Hans De Witte & Margherita Brondino & Margherita Pasini, 2021. "On the Reciprocal Relationship between Quantitative and Qualitative Job Insecurity and Outcomes. Testing a Cross-Lagged Longitudinal Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-28, June.
    2. Anna Rogozińska-Pawełczyk & Katarzyna Gadomska-Lila, 2022. "The Mediating Role of Organisational Identification between Psychological Contract and Work Results: An Individual Level Investigation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Wenlong Liu & Changqing He & Yi Jiang & Rongrong Ji & Xuesong Zhai, 2020. "Effect of Gig Workers’ Psychological Contract Fulfillment on Their Task Performance in a Sharing Economy—A Perspective from the Mediation of Organizational Identification and the Moderation of Length ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Lara Christina Roll & Oi-ling Siu & Simon Y.W. Li & Hans De Witte, 2019. "Human Error: The Impact of Job Insecurity on Attention-Related Cognitive Errors and Error Detection," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-61, July.
    5. Zubair Akram & Yan Li & Umair Akram, 2019. "When Employees are Emotionally Exhausted Due to Abusive Supervision. A Conservation-of-Resources Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.

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