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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over the last ten years, the study of commitment has advanced in many different
research and these have offered fresh and significant insights. These recent
commitment and the particular human resource practices intended to increase it.
human resource policy. This assumes that a particular practice, for example offering
flexible working arrangements or more training, will have a significant and beneficial
because there is no single solution. All employees’ wants and needs cannot be
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………3
2. Definition of terms……………………………………………………………………..5
3. Types of commitment………………………………………………………………….9
4. Factors affecting employee commitment……………………………………………..11
5. Benefits of employee commitment…………………………………………………...16
6. Negative effects of low commitment……………………………………………...….17
7. Measuring employee commitment……………………………………………….......18
8. Ways of enhancing employee commitment……………………………………….…18
9. Developing a commitment strategy……………………………………………….....26
10. Recommendations……………………………………………………………………28
11. Summary & conclusion………………………………………………………………29
12. References…………………………………………………………………………....32
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Introduction
determines the success of a company in the modern world since, in the situation of
company needs to have well-qualified and reliable personnel to maintain its position
in the market. At the same time, the effectiveness and productivity of work of
employees still remain the major factors that can contribute to the progress of the
company. On the other hand, nowadays it is obvious that financial stimuli solely can
due to the high commitment of employees they can perform positive results of their
work, increase its effectiveness and productivity, while low commitment leads, as a
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DEFINATION OF TERMS.
COMMITMENT
Meyer & Allen 2001 define commitment as is a stabilizing force that acts to
maintain behavioural direction when expectancy/equity conditions are not met and do
not function.
An obliging force which requires that the person honor the commitment even in the
becomes bound by his action to beliefs that sustain his activities and his own
involvement
Allen & meyer,1990, commitment is a psychological state that binds the individual to
the organization.
EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT
A strong belief in, and acceptance of, the values and goals of the organization
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MODELS OF COMMITMENT
themes.
Affective Commitment
It’s the employees emotional attachment to, identification with and involvement in the
organization.
Continuance Commitment
The individual commits to the organization because he/she perceives high costs of
accruals) and social costs (friendship ties with co-workers) that could be incurred.
The employee remains with the organization because he/she “has to”.
I t refers to an awareness of the costs associated with leaving the organization. The
potential cost of leaving an organization include the threat of wasting the time and
effort spent acquiring non transferable skills, losing attractive benefits, giving up
relationships.
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It also develops as a result of lack of alternative employment opportunities.
NORTMATIVE COMMITMENTS
e.g. paying college tuition. Normative pressures may also make an individual feel that
reciprocate by committing themselves to the organization until the debt has been
paid .
One important point is that not all forms of employee commitment are positively
associated with superior performance (Meyer & Allen, 1997). For example, an
employee who has low affective and normative commitment, but who has high
such an employee remains with an organisation is for the negative reason that the
This model embraces workforce commitment and identification with the organizations
values and goals. The main features of high commitment model are:
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1. Development of career ladders and emphasis on trainability and commitment as
2. A high level of functional flexibility with the abandonment of potentially rigid job
descriptions.
7. New forms of assessment and pay system and more specifically merit pay profit
sharing
organization. For them, commitment takes on three distinct forms, which they labeled
1. Compliance
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2. Identification
3. Internalization
order to gain specific rewards. E.g being very considerate towards people so that
satisfying relationship
attitudes and behaviors’ one is being encouraged to adopt are congruent with
share value e.g. an organization that encourages integrity is likely to win the
TYPES OF COMMITMENT .
O’Malley (2000) contends that a review of the commitment literature produces five
Affiliative Commitment:
An organization’s interests and values are compatible with those of the employee,
and the employee feels accepted by the social environment of the organization.
Associative Commitment:
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Moral Commitment:
Employees perceive the organization to be on their side and the organization evokes
a sense of mutual obligation in which both the organization and the employee feel a
Affective commitment:
Employees derive satisfaction from their work and their colleagues, and their work
environment is supportive of that satisfaction. Some researchers (eg Allen & Meyer,
1991) suggest that this is the most important form of commitment as it has the most
potential benefits for organizations. Employees who have high affective commitment
are those who will go beyond the call of duty for the good of the organization. In
recent literature this form of commitment has also been referred to as ‘engagement’
Structural commitment:
Employees believe they are involved in a fair economic exchange in which they
benefit from the relationship in material ways. There are enticements to enter and
remain in the organization and there are barriers to leaving. This type of commitment
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FACTORS AFFECTING EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT.
Workplace values.
If employees believe that their organization values quality products they will engage
in behaviors’ that will contribute to high quality. If employees are convinced that their
organization values participation they will be more likely to feel as though their
They will thus be motivated and be more willing to seek solutions and make
influence, recognizing and rewarding good performance and not abusing the
vulnerability of others . The extent to which the supervisor displays these behaviors
Job characteristics.
The extent that a job is structured to provide regular feedback and autonomy as well
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An increase in perceived control strengthens emotional bonds with an organization. A
Commitment is low when employees are given repetitive routine tasks to complete.
A job that allows a high degree of autonomy and the absence of close supervision
increases commitment.
Demographics
AGE.
A range of demographic variables have been found to be related to employee
commitment (Mathieu & Zajac, 1990). For a variety of reasons, age has been found
suggest, the older employees become, the less alternative employment options are
available. As a result, older employees may view their current employment more
favourably. Dunham et al. (1994) suggest older employees may be more committed
because they have a stronger investment and greater history with their organization.
GENDER:
With regard to gender, a number of studies (eg Mathieu & Zajac, 1990) have
reported women as being more committed than men. This is typically explained by
women having to overcome more barriers than men to get to their position in the
organization.
MARITAL STATUS
Marital status has also been shown to relate to commitment, with married employees
usually showing more commitment (Mathieu & Zajac, 1990). However, it is suggested
that the reason for this is because married employees will typically have greater
financial and family responsibilities, which increases their need to remain with the
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organization. Note, however, that this refers to structural commitment (or continuance
commitment) in that the cost associated with leaving the organization increases
Recruitment Procedures
commitment, the organization must have the right sort of employees in the first
instance.
Employees’ feelings of belonging start to develop long before employees join the
commitment
• provide employees with help and support throughout the recruitment and
selection process
• convey the interests and values that the organization shares with employees.
Organizations need to be attractive to the right sort of people; thus the initial contact
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The brand should condense the basic nature of the organization, what its values are
and what it would be like to work there. The principal purpose of the brand is to
relationship. Thus, a good brand should convey both the unique benefits of the
organizational environment and the type of person who is likely to do well in that
setting. The organization must then ensure that it delivers these promises to its
cultural fit.
Met Expectations
Employees will be more committed if there is a good match between what the person
is looking for in a job, and what the job provides . Commitment will be greater when
employees’ experiences on the job match their expectations. Unmet expectations are
a source of low morale and dissatisfaction. Such expectations usually relate to the
type of work employees are given to do and the opportunities they receive for training
and development.
2005.
1. Strategic level
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Supportive business strategies may include activities that increase employee
employees the employees too become commited. Fair human resource policies e.g a
2. Hr policy level
Training increases employees efficiency making them more commited because they
3. Workplace level
Selecting people with the right skills for a job will ensure that the employee remains
Designinh jobs e.g allowing flexi time,job enlargement,job enrichment and job
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iv. Think managers are good in people management (Leadership)
High level of employee commitments means that employees are really enthusiastic
about their job and, their performance will be better as well as the effectiveness and
work. This means that he/she enjoys the job he/she does. Consequently, the level of
employees’ satisfaction will be high if they are really committed to their work.
Employee commitment may be also cost saving since committed employees are
highly motivated that means that they do not need increasing financial rewards for
their work, though it does not necessarily mean that employees should not receive
financial rewards at all, but the expenses of the organization at this point may
decrease.
The performance benefits accrued from increased employee commitment have been
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vi. decreased intention to search for alternative employers (Cohen, 1993)
who have difficulty in retaining and replacing competent employees will find it hard to
optimize performance. There are not only the immediate expenses of the recruitment
process, but other hidden costs such as management time and lost productivity as
2. regular attendance,
3. nominal supervision
Low commitment of employees may lead to negative results and undermine the
disadvantages which deteriorate the work of each employee and the entire
Low commitment leads to the low level of interest of employees in their work.
Consequently, if employees are not sufficiently interested in their work they will
naturally work worse than they can. In other words, the low commitment decreases
the effectiveness and productivity of work for employees are not really interested in
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their work and its outcomes. Naturally, in such a situation, they can hardly be
administered to collect relevant data that management later uses when deciding
strategies include:
The induction programme should be the final step of the recruitment and selection
process. A good induction programme will make new employees more familiar with
and more at ease within the organization. Employees enter the organization with an
This refers to how the quality of the relationship between managers and their
Employees’ commitment reflects their day to day contacts with their line managers
about their job, and the way in which objective targets are set. Effective
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communication on job-related issues is a key ingredient in securing individual
performance. To a great extent, individual line managers are responsible for ensuring
With poor management, the most well developed organizational programme can
commitment, though It is not enough on its own. Unless there is occasion for frequent
and rewarding interaction, stronger feelings of belonging that can bind employees to
the organization are unlikely to emerge. Organizations that want to build high levels
of commitment should look for ways to build this through group activities both in and
out of work
Group Membership
satisfy employees’ social need to affiliate and belong, but must also create a sense of
There are many situational features that contribute to a sense of group membership.
The more exposure that employees have to these features, the more likely they will
be to feel like a part of the group and to incorporate that membership into their
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Organizational Justice and Trust
whether they are fair and reflect a concern on the part of the organization for the well-
being of the employees (Meyer, 1997). Treating employees fairly, communicates the
organizations wanting to foster greater commitment from their employees must first
When there is trust, employees are willing to suspend judgement and defer to the
identifies four areas in which employees’ sense of trust in the employer can be
increased:
ii. Work-Life balance: Most employees would like organizations to allow greater
toward employees.
iv. Health and Safety: Organizations that are committed to protecting employees’
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Promotion
Policies and practices concerning promotion can also affect commitment. . Among
those who are considered for promotion, the outcome of the decision is likely to have
an effect on commitment.
But, for some, the perception of fairness in the decision-making process might be
even more important. This suggests that organizations should communicate clearly
how their decisions were made and why those who did not succeed were not
suitable.
Work-Life Balance
which employees perceive they are able to achieve the right balance between home
and work. Organizations are beginning to recognize this, and are making more
burdens. These include initiative such as: flexible work arrangements; child care;
time off policies; elderly care; healthcare; information and counseling; and
Job Satisfaction
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i. It has intrinsically enjoyable features: Mathieu & Zajac (1990) found that the
iii. It makes employees feel effective in their roles (that they can positively
are constraints against leaving and incentives for staying. It is important for
organizations to structure the economics of the relationship in a way that will not
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT
1. The degree to which their own expectations of what the organization will
provide to them and what they owe the organization in return matches what the
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2. The nature of what is actually to be exchanged e.g. money in exchange for
time at work , social need satisfaction and security in exchange for hard work and
loyalty
encompasses on one hand the actions employees belief are expected of them and
what response they expect in return from their employer and on the other hand the
favorable aspects of a job in a realistic job preview.- This will enable the
and thus avoid setting very high expectations that the organization is
performance
3. Issue and update employee hand books and intranet entries which
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4. Develop performance management process plans which spell out how
managed learning
6. Ensure thorough manager and team leader training that managers and
which affect them employees know what is happening and the impact it
consistently.
10. Develop and communicate personnel policies covering the major areas
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DEVELOPING HR PRACTICES THAT ENHANCE COMMITMENT.
According to Armstrong 2005 the following ten (10) practice contribute to increase of
employee commitment.
honest with people, treating them fairly justly and consistently, keeping its
made by employees
rely on consensus and cooperation rather than control and coercion and
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6. Recommend and take part in the achievement of single status for all
sharing).
10. Develop job engagement: identification of employees with the job they are
doing through job design process that aim to create higher levels of job
satisfaction.
1. Developing ownership.
I t involves involving employees in those decisions that affect them so that they feel
they own, i.e. Create a feeling of ownership among employees, listening to their
ideas. Employees should feel they are genuinely accepted by the management.
2. Communication programmes
Commitment can only be gained if people understand what they are expected to
commit to. Thus in sufficient attention should be paid when delivering messages so
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that right information is passed. Proper use of newsletters, briefing groups videos
3. Leadership development.
Commitment is enhanced if managers can gain the confidence and respect of their
their teams.
thus give their staff the scope to use their skills and abilities and design jobs which
They help employee develop caters related skills and recognize the developmental
need they posses. If used effectively if creates commitments it send the signal that
the employer cares about the employee career success and thus deserves employee
commitment.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
Having examined the concept of employee commitment our group gave the following
workplace.
Fair profit shairing based on an established policy that seeks to make employees feel
that the management is commited to them, regular team building activities and
designing jobs so that there is flexi time for those employees who may not be in a
Providing such incentives e.g. Medical scheme, housing scheme, car loans, furniture
loans, pension scheme and increasing the number of year’s employees can work in
an organization even after reaching the retirement age sends the message that the
organization is committed to its employees and so the employees in turn will seek to
since the interviewee will be leaving the organization it is believed that they will
reveal loopholes in the management or job design that contribute to low morale
among employees. The management can then use the information to put necessary
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The following values should also be practiced.
1. Fairness
2. Trust
employers wish to develop and maintain trust they should do what they say
decisions that affect their work, allow people to make mistakes without fear or
Today’s employees have a strong sense of self worth- they recognize their
8.0 Summary
This paper has presented a review of the current thinking about defining and creating
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impacts on an organization through its effects on employee performance, turnover
and absence, and via its influence on customer attitudes to the bottom line.
Commitment can be divided into five components, each of which are created by
Affiliative: The compatibility of the employee’s and the organization’s interests and
values.
Moral: The sense of mutual obligation between the employee and the organization.
employee.
Structural: The belief that the employee is engaged in a fair economic exchange.
perceived as equivalent to it. Commitment has more positive outcomes for the
opportunities and making provisions for staff to assist them in balancing their work
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Once established, commitment has to be maintained by ensuring staff have clear
especially in times of change. The role of line managers should be recognized and
employee commitment.
9.0 Conclusion
the opposite outcomes. At the same time it is necessary to maintain high level of
supervision.
increased job insecurity, increased stress, decreased trust and job redesign. Since
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References
Allen, N.J., & Meyer, J.P. 1990. The measurement and antecedents of
affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the organization. Journal of
Occupational Psychology. 63(1). 1-18.
Caldwell, D.F. & O’Reilly, C.A. 1990. Measuring person-job fit within a profile
comparison process. Journal of Applied Psychology. (75). 648-657.
Gary,d (2005) Human resource management (10th ed. Prentice hall publishers-
New jersey.
Gleitman. H. 1981. Psychology. New York: Norton.
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Meyer, J.P. & Allen, N.J. 1997. Commitment in the workplace: Theory, research, and
application. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Sage Publishing, Inc.
Troy K (1998), Managing the corporate brand, The Conference Board, New York
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