Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The Relationship Between Employee Fit Perceptions, Job Performance, and Retention: Implications of Perceived Fit

  • Published:
Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Meaningful work has become an increasingly important job outcome for individuals in recent years. Studies indicate that many employees lack experienced meaningfulness in their work and that organizations have not done a good job at creating meaningful and emotionally satisfying work experiences for employees. A person–job fit approach to meaningful work and employee retention is described that consists of matching individual self-concept with job tasks and behaviors. It is proposed that this self-concept–job fit will be strongly related to meaningful work. It is also proposed that meaningful work is related to important outcome variables valued by organizations, such as increased worker performance and employee retention. Path analysis supports the proposed relationships. Implications for human resource management activities and future research are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, N., & Meyer, J. (1996). Affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the organization: An examination of construct validity. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 49, 252–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bracken, B. A. (1992). Multidimensional self concept scale. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bracken, B. A. (Ed.). (1996). Handbook of self-concept: Development, social and clinical considerations. New York: Wiley.

  • Byrne, B. M. (1996). Measuring self-concept across the life span: Issues and instrumentation. Washington D.C.: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. D., Assanand, S., & Di Paula, A. (2000). Structural features of the self-concept and adjustment. In A. Tesser, R. B. Felson, & J. M. Suls (Eds.) Psychological perspectives of self and identity (pp. 67–87). Washington D. C.: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. D., Trapnell, P. D., Heine, S. J., Katz, I. M., Lavallee, L. F., & Lehman, D. R. (1996). Self-concept clarity: Measurement, personality correlates, and cultural boundaries. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 141–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caudron, S. (1997). The search for meaning at work. Training and Development, 51(9), 24–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, J. R. (1993). Problems with the use of profile similarity indices in the study of congruence in organizational research. Personnel Psychology, 46, 641–665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gagne, M., Senecal, C. B., & Koestner, R. (1997). Proximal job characteristics, feelings of empowerment, and intrinsic motivation: A multidimensional model. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 1222–1240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hackman, J. R., & Oldham, G. R. (1976). Motivation through the design of work: Test of a theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 16, 250–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heneman III, H. G., & Judge, T. A. (2006). Staffing organizations (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogan, R., & Roberts, B. W. (2000). A socioanalytic perspective on person-environment interaction. In W. B. Walsh, K. H. Craik, & R. H. Price (Eds.) Person-environment psychology: New directions and perspectives ((pp. 1–23)2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoyle, R. H., Kernis, M. H., Leary, M. R., & Baldwin, M. R. (1999). Selfhood: Identity, esteem, regulation. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoyle, R. H., & Panter, A. T. (1995). Writing about structural equation models. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.) Structural equation modeling: Concepts, issues, and applications (pp. 158–176). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaros, S. J. (1995). An assessment of Meyer and Allen’s (1991) three-component model of organizational commitment and turnover intentions. Best Papers Proceedings of the Academy of Management Journal, USA, 317–325.

  • Knoop, R. (1994). Relieving stress through value-rich work. Journal of Social Psychology, 134, 829–836.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraimer, M. L., Seibert, S. E., & Liden, R. C. (1999). Psychological empowerment as a multidimensional construct: A test of construct validity. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 59(1), 127–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristoff, A. L. (1996). Person–organization fit: An integrative review of its conceptualizations, measurement, and implications. Personnel Psychology, 49, 1–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kristof-Brown, A. L., Zimmerman, R. D., & Johnson, E. C. (2005). Consequences of individuals’ fit at work: A meta-analysis of person–job, person–organization, person–group, and person–supervisor fit. Personnel Psychology, 58, 281–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacCallum, R. C., Browne, M. W., & Sugawara, H. M. (1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1(2), 130–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., & Hattie, J. (1996). Theoretical perspectives on the structure of self-concept. In B. A. Bracken (Ed.) Handbook of self-concept: Developmental, social, clinical considerations. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • May, K. E. (1998). Work in the 21st century: The changing role of human resources. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 35(3), 28–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mishra, A. K., & Spreitzer, G. M. (1998). Explaining how survivors respond to downsizing: The roles of trust, empowerment, justice, and work design. Academy of Management Review, 23, 567–588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Offermann, L. R., & Gowing, M. K. (1990). Organizations of the future: Changes and challenges. American Psychologist, 45(2), 95–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, M. G., & Ashworth, B. E. (2003). Fostering meaningfulness in working and at work. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.) Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 309–327). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salincik, G. R., & Pfeffer, J. (1978). A social information processing approach to job attitudes and task design. Administrative Science Quarterly, 23, 224–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, B. (1987). The people make the place. Personnel Psychology, 40, 437–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scroggins, W. A. (2003). Selection, meaningful work, and employee retention: A self-concept based approach to person–job fit. Dissertation Abstracts International, 64 (5), 1754A. (UMI No. 5779007).

  • Scroggins, W. A., & Benson, P. G. (2007). Self-concept–job fit: Expanding the person–job fit construct and implications for retention management. In D. J. Svyantek (Series Ed.) & D. J. Svyantek & E. McChrystal (Vol. Eds.), Research in organizational science: Vol. 2. Refining familiar constructs: Alternative views in OB, HR and I/O (pp. 211–232). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers.

  • Shamir, B. (1991). Meaning, self, and motivation in organizations. Organization Studies, 12, 405–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shavelson, R. J., Hubner, J. J., & Stanton, G. C. (1976). Self-concept: Validation of construct interpretations. Review of Educational Research, 46, 407–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Society for Human Resource Management. (2006a, December). 2006 U.S. job retention poll findings. Alexandria, VA: Author.

  • Society for Human Resource Management (2006b). SHRM workplace forecast: 2006–2007 executive summary. Alexandria, VA: Author.

  • Steel, R. P. (2002). Turnover theory at the empirical interface: Problems of fit and function. Academy of Management Review, 27(3), 346–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swann Jr., W. B. (1983). Self-verification: Bringing social reality into harmony with the self. In J. Suls, & A. G. Greenwald (Eds.) Psychological perspectives on the self (vol. vol. 2, (pp. 33–66)). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swann Jr., W. B. (1990). To be adored or to be known? The interplay of self-enhancement and self-verification. In R. M. Sorrentino, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.) Motivation and cognition (vol. vol. 2, (pp. 408–448)). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tett, R. P., & Meyer, J. P. (1993). Job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intention, and turnover: Path analyses based on meta-analytic findings. Personnel Psychology, 46, 259–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Towers Perrin (2003). Working today: The Towers Perrin 2003 talent report. New York: Author, April.

  • Treadgold, R. (1999). Transcendent vocations: Their relationship to stress, depression, and clarity of self-concept. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 39(1), 81–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waugh, R. F. (2001). Measuring ideal and real self-concept on the same scale, based on a multifaceted, hierarchical model of the self-concept. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 61(1), 85–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrzesniewski, A. (2003). Finding positive meaning in work. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.)Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 296–308). San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wesley A. Scroggins.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Scroggins, W.A. The Relationship Between Employee Fit Perceptions, Job Performance, and Retention: Implications of Perceived Fit. Employ Respons Rights J 20, 57–71 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-007-9060-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-007-9060-0

Key words

Navigation