Os meus, os teus e os nossos: gerir e motivar trabalhadores em relações triangulares de emprego

Translated title of the contribution: Mine, yours and ours: managing and motivating workers in triangular employment relationships

Research output: Types of ThesisDoctoral Thesis

Abstract

The present thesis explores the perceptions of the human resources practices (HRP) as a method of communication between companies and contingent workers in triangular employment relations, namely temporary agency workers (TAW) and outsourcing workers (OW). The studies examined the influence of different variability factors, such as: generations, motivations, sector and contingent work formats, on the workers’ perceptions of the HRP and their exchange relationship, both with the contractor and the client company. The first study developed and assessed the psychometric properties of an HRP system measure for contingent workers and cross-validated it with workers’ affective commitment towards both companies that are involved in this employment relation. The measure was administered to 4451 Portuguese TAW. The Messick’s validation framework (1995) was used and two sectors were compared (i.e., services and industry). This measure was a central variable of the following three studies. The second study explored a moderated mediation model that accounts for contingent workers affective commitment (toward the agency and the client company) and generation (Baby Boomers, 1943-1965; Generation X, 1966-1980; and Generation Y, 1981-1995) in the relationship HRP perceptions and overall perceived performance. By considering, simultaneously, the growth of the new work arrangements and the rising of a multigenerational workforce, this study incorporates the changes in the labor market and advances literature by studying the generational diversity inside the contingent work. The hypotheses were tested with a sample of 3786 TAW. Results suggested that generations moderate the relationships herein studied. Regarding the third study, it created a motivation profile typology, capable of broadly capture the workers' autonomous and extrinsic reasons for being in their current work situation. Five distinct motivation profiles were found on a sample of 3766 TAW. Moreover, by using the profiles as a variability factor, it was possible to understand that they differed in their affective commitment to the agency and to the client-company, and in the perception of the HRP. Finally the fourth study replied part of the analysis done in the previous study, but this time adding two other variability factors: sector and contingent work format. Therefore, the last study built a motivation profile typology of contingent workers in the contact center and compared OW and TAW profiles, and its relation with HRP perceptions and affective 10 commitment toward the contractor. The hypotheses were tested in a sample of 2078 Portuguese contingent workers. Six profiles were identified. As expected, being OW or TAW can influence workers motivations. However, the contingent employment format did not moderate the relationship between motivation, HRP perceptions and affective commitment. Through this study, it was also possible to explore the specifics of the contact center sector.
Translated title of the contributionMine, yours and ours: managing and motivating workers in triangular employment relationships
Original languagePortuguese
QualificationMaster of Philosophy
Awarding Institution
  • University of Lisbon
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Chambel, Maria José, Supervisor, External person
  • Castanheira, Filipa, Co-supervisor, External person
Award date3 Dec 2015
Publication statusPublished - 3 Dec 2015
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Contingent work
  • Human resource practices perceptions
  • Affective commitment
  • Generations
  • Motivation profiles

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