Voluntary helpful organizational behavior: Recognition of individual attributes

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine employee-helpful behavior that is voluntary and given freely without anticipation of reward or recognition. The authors have labeled this voluntary behavior in all its forms as v-hob, or voluntary helpful organizational behavior. They seek to define and explain the behavior and attempt to discern measures that will help to discover individual’s predispositions to offer v-hob.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine current theory/constructs and offer a detailed empirical study in identifying measures that may provide some means for assessing employee predisposition toward helpful, voluntary behavior on the job. The format of the work is reflective of a typical research study with hypotheses.

Findings

The authors learned that, within limits, it is possible and practical to identify direct measures to discover one’s predisposition toward v-hob. They also have identified regression equations that use several variables to help predict one’s predispositions toward this valued behavior.

Practical implications

This study brings to the manager and/or human resource (HR) practitioner the substance of contextual performance, that is, behavior that goes beyond task performance in the support of individual and organizational goal attainment. This research demonstrates several means by which trainers, managers and HR professionals may assess an employee’s or a recruit’s predisposition to offer voluntary, helpful behavior.

Originality/value

This research, unlike most of the empirical, academic research in the domain of contextual performance, speaks directly to practitioners. The authors' definitions, explanations and study clearly demonstrate the practical features of contextual performance.

Citation

P. Bandura, R., Johnson, R. and R. Lyons, P. (2014), "Voluntary helpful organizational behavior: Recognition of individual attributes", European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 38 No. 7, pp. 610-627. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-08-2013-0088