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Journal of Management 1998

The Influence of Eligibility on Employees' Reactions to Voluntary Workforce Reductions

Rocki-Lee DeWitt1; Linda Klebe Treviño1; Kelly A. Mollica2

1 Pennsylvania State University · 2 Wake Forest University

open access

Abstract

This study examined employees' reactions to a voluntary sever ance program (VSP). Results generally supported a model that links perceptions of justice-based attributes (adequacy of outplacement help; consistency, objectivity, and ethicality of procedures) with affective commitment and intentions to leave. We also considered the main and moderating effects of a particular voluntary severance outcome, eligi bility. Eligibility was associated with both commitment and turnover intentions, and moderated the effect of perceived adequacy of outplace ment help on turnover intentions, as well as the effect of perceived procedural fairness on commitment. Control variables representing demographics (age), perceived fairness of a previous early retirement program, and anticipation of future layoffs also significantly influenced both outcomes. Implications for future research and for management are discussed.

DOI
10.1177/014920639802400502
Sources
openalex

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