Exploring the interaction of work attitudes and the role of mechanisms in a crisis situation

Abstract

This study examines, through a critical literature review and an empirical study, the effect on employee engagement of work-related attitudes as these develop in a crisis situation. Using as case study the Greek financial crisis and its effect on business life & organizational behaviour, the study identifies four work related attitudes - person-organisation fit, affective commitment, psychological climate and ethical leadership- examines their interaction with employee engagement, and, adopting a crisis management (CM) theoretical framework perspective, it also examines employee engagement and ethical leadership as useful and efficient mechanisms to cope with the crisis. Through a quantitative analysis of selected empirical data from a heterogeneous sample of Greek private sector employees, the study indicates that employee engagement has positive relations with person-organisation fit, affective commitment, psychological climate and ethical leadership under an economic crisis. These research findings have important implications to organizations and its decision makers dealing with a crisis. The paper concludes with implications for further research.