Attenuating the relationship between job insecurity and job satisfaction: An examination of the role of organizational learning climate in three countries

Abstract

Research indicates job insecurity (JI) is related to lower job satisfaction, partially mediated by psychological contract breach (PCB; a perceived breaking of the implicit exchange relationship between employer and employee). The authors investigated the extent to which providing a positive organizational learning climate (OLC) might attenuate the relationships between (a) qualitative JI and PCB and (b) PCB and job satisfaction. Using cross-sectional survey data from higher education industry employees within the US ( N = 372), South Africa ( N = 1096), and Croatia ( N = 719), the study found consistent results across all three settings. Qualitative JI was negatively associated with job satisfaction both directly and indirectly via PCB. Although a positive OLC did not attenuate the relationship between JI and PCB, it did buffer the relationship between PCB and job satisfaction. The findings are discussed in light of Conservation of Resources theory and the need to identify practical organizational interventions to alleviate the adverse effects of qualitative JI.