Estimating the Subjective Nature of Job Perceptions

2010 SIOP Presentation

Ronald F. Piccolo, Rollins CollegeManuela Priesemuth, University of Central Florida

Adam Grant, University of Pennsylvania

Leadership and Job Perceptions

Transformational leadership is related to employee perceptions of job characteristics. Piccolo and Colquitt (2006) Purvanova, Bono, and Dzieweczynski

(2006)

Thus, recent studies have reported effects of Leadership on subjective Job Perceptions, but failed to control for the job’s objective nature.

Research Purpose

To examine the influence of leadership on employees’ job perceptions, controlling for objective measures of job characteristics.

This research extends previous work by Piccolo, Greenbaum, Den Hartog, & Folger (2010)

Transformational LeadershipTransformational leaders…

“concentrate their efforts on long term goals,”

“place emphasis and value on developing a vision,”

“Inspire followers to pursue the vision”, “change or align systems to accommodate

their vision rather than work within existing systems,” and

“coach followers to take greater responsibility toward their own development .”B

B Howell & Avolio (1993)

Transformational LeadershipSensemaking and A Social Information Processing Perspective

Followers rely on cues from the environment to form judgments about work.A

As central in the work context, leaders foster job perceptions by sharing relevant info, role modeling, and directing follower attention to relevant information. B

Often, judgment about work (i.e., job perceptions) diverge from the actual reality of work conditions Subjective Perceptions ≠ Objective Reality

A Salancik & Pfeffer (1978); B Griffin (1981)

Objective vs. Subjective Influence

This research is on Leadership and on Job Perceptions

In the Job Design literature, there is subtle yet important distinction between objective properties of the job – and subjective perceptions. Objective ≠ Subjective

Leaders have an influence on both!

Theoretical Model

LeadershipEmployee

Job Perceptions

Employee Outcomes

Objective Job Characteristics

(Control)

To what extent do these leaders shape the subjective perception of jobs beyond objective properties?

TransformationalLeadership

JCTAutonomy & Significance

PerformanceTask & OCB

Three StudiesStudy 1 (JOB) Study 2

(SIOP)Study 3

(ongoing)

Leadership Focal Focal Coworker

Job Characteristics

Objective Assessment

Co-Worker Co-Worker O*Net

Subjective Assessment

Focal Focal

Effort Focal Focal Focal

Performance & OCB Co-Worker Supervisor Supervisor

n 181 126 155Snowball Sampling Design: Working undergrad and graduate students (with a coworker) were recruited to participate.

Methods: Study 2

Measures Transformational Leadership was assessed using the

MLQ (Bass & Avolio, 1995).▪ “ My supervisor talks enthusiastically about what needs to be done.”

Task Significance was assessed using Grant’s (2008) measure of Prosocial Impact.▪ “ My job frequently improves the lives of other people.”

Job Autonomy was measured using Morgeson and Humphrey’s (2006) measure.▪ “ This job gives me considerable opportunity for independence and

freedom in how I do the work.”

Objective job characteristics▪ Coworkers rated the task significance and job autonomy of the focal

employee.

Measures cont’d Dependent variables (Supervisor Rated)

▪ Taking Charge (Morrison & Phelps, 1999) “This employee often tries to change how his/her job is

executed in order to be more effective.”

▪ Voice (van Dyne & LePine,1998) “This employee speaks up in this department with

ideas for new projects or changes in procedures.”

▪ Organization Member Proficiency (Griffin, Neal, & Parker, 2007)

“ This employee talks about the organization in positive ways.”

Correlations Study 21 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

TFL (.96)

Autonomy .31**

(.91)

Task Significance .30**

.44**

(.95)

Autonomy (c) .35**

.51**

.23**

(.91)

Task Significance (c)

.35**

.31**

.47**

.45**

(.96)

Taking Charge .20**

.23**

.23**

.22* .26**

(.93)

Voice .24**

.35**

.29**

.27**

.27**

.72**

(.89)

Org. Member Proficiency

.23**

.38**

.34**

.36**

.38**

.48**

.61**

(.87)*p ≤ .05. **p ≤ .01

SEM Results (Study 2)

Transformational

Leadership

TAKING CHARGESUP

ORG MEMBER PROFICIENCYSUP

AUTONOMY

TASK SIGNIFICANCE

n = 126. *p ≤ .05. †p ≤ .10

.20*

.14 †

.22*

.35*

.42*

Task SignCOW

AutonomyCO

W

.52*

.25*

.19*

Leaders shaped subjective job perceptions, even when controlling for an objective

measure.

VOICESUP

.35**

.21*

Study 3 (working paper)

Assessing the influence of leadership on an individual’s job perceptions controlling for objective measures of the job (O*Net)

Study 3

Measures Ethical leadership (Brown, Trevino, &

Harrison, 2005) Task Significance and Job Autonomy

(Morgeson & Humphrey, 2006) O*Net data

Study 3: O*Net vs. JCT

JCT ~ Autonomy The job gives me a chance to use my personal initiative and judgment in carrying out

the work The job gives me considerable opportunity for independence and freedom in how I do

the workO*Net ~ Structure versus Unstructured Work To what extent does this job allow the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? r = .19*

JCT ~ Task Significance The job itself is very significant and important in the broader scheme of things This job is one where a lot of other people can be affected by how well the work gets

doneO*Net ~ Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company

Results How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or

the company? r = .22*

Correlations, Study 3 (O*Net Ratings)

1 2 3 4

1. Ethical Leadership

--

2. Autonomy .18* --

3. Structured* .21* . 19* --

4. Task Significance

.37* .33* .21*

5. Impact* .27* .08 .40* .22*

n = 155. *p ≤ .05.

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?

Structured versus Unstructured Work — To what extent does this job allow the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Regression Results (Study 3)

n = 159. *p ≤ .05.

.28*

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP

AUTONOMY

TASK SIGNIFICANCE

.06

.29*

Task SignO*Net

AutonomyO*Net

.40*

Implications and Conclusion

Leaders help shape meaning of peoples’ jobs.

Here, we found a unique effect of leadership on subjective job assessments, controlling for objective features of the job.

Employees rely on informational and behavioral cues in the environment to construct their work.

Implications and Conclusion (cont’d)

In all, managers in organizations can enhance job perceptions of employees through persuasion, communication or behavioral patterns.

This research created new insights for the job and work design literature as well as the leader’s role in shaping one’s work experience.