The Impact of Specific Job Stressors on Psychological Contract Breach and Violation

Abstract

This study investigated whether environmental stressors predict perceptions of psychological contract breach and associated feelings of violation in employees from a large manufacturing organization. It was proposed that increasing levels of job stress as a result of changes in the employment context may account for the rising incidence of perceived contract breach. The results suggest that breach and violation are more likely when employees are experiencing role conflict, perceive a lack of career progression, and perceive a lack of control over work. Further, control was found to moderate the relationship between stress and breach. This study has important practical implications, suggesting ways in which organizations may be able to reduce the likelihood of psychological contract breach and violation.