The Impact of Human Resource Practices on Low-income Workers in the Context of a Natural Disaster

Abstract

A team of four researchers interviewed fifty-two displaced employees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita about the human resource practices of their organizations before and after the hurricanes, attitudes toward their employers, as well as their perceptions of organizational justice, trust and commitment. Using traditional qualitative analytic methods, a team of four researchers found strong, consistent relationships between variables. Findings suggest that organizations may benefit from treating all employees, including low-income employees, as valuable human capital so that employees may feel more committed to helping the organization rebuild after a disaster.