Signaling and social influence: the impact of corporate volunteer programs
Journal of Managerial Psychology
ISSN: 0268-3946
Article publication date: 4 March 2021
Issue publication date: 6 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide insight on how work–life initiatives impact employees. Using corporate volunteer programs as an example, the authors examine the role of coworker social influence in shaping the reactions of both employee participants and non-participants of the program. The paper further identifies several factors that may moderate these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors surveyed employees before and after the implementation of a new corporate work–life initiative. 99 employees provided data pre and post. OLS regression and hierarchical linear modeling were used to test hypothesized relationships.
Findings
Even in the context of low participation, work–life initiatives engendered positive organization-related perceptions among employees. These positive outcomes were due in part to coworkers' sharing of their volunteer experiences and were most prominent for employees in positions that afforded flexibility, and employees who reported close ties with coworkers.
Practical implications
The study deepens our understanding of employee reactions to work–life programs and underlines the importance of these programs even when employee participation is low. The role of coworker influence as a determinant of employee reactions suggests there may be value in purposefully fostering participants' sharing of volunteer experiences in the workplace.
Originality/value
This study takes a unique approach to examining the role of coworker influence in shaping employee reactions to corporate initiatives.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The research team would like to thank the editor Dr. Carrie Bulger and two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful and constructive feedback in the review process. In addition, the authors thank Diane Bartus, Mark Burdsall, Kelly Gilliam, John Levine, David Lebel and Trevor Young-Hyman for their helpful advice and input in the early stages of this research. The team is also extremely grateful for the generous participation from the research site and its employees in making this research possible.
Citation
Cao, Y., Pil, F.K. and Lawson, B. (2021), "Signaling and social influence: the impact of corporate volunteer programs", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-06-2020-0332
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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