Role clarity and psychological contract in temporary exchange relationships in Nigeria

Abstract

Orientation: Role clarity is considered essential in the fulfilment of obligations in temporary employment relationships.
Research purpose: This study aimed to determine employees’ and employers’ experience of role clarity in relation to the psychological contract in temporary employment relationships in the Nigerian service industry.
Motivation for the study: Empirical investigations to examine the relations between role clarity and psychological contract in direct temporary employment relationships from the separate perspectives of employees and employers are lacking.
Research design, approach and method: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design to collect data from a total sample of temporary employees (n = 354) and employers (n = 105) in the direct temporary employment relationship through a self-reported online survey. The data collected were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modelling to establish the structure of the measuring scales and test the stated hypotheses.
Main findings: The findings indicate that a strong relation exists between employees’ and employers’ experience of role clarity and psychological contract in temporary employment relationships.
Practical/managerial implications: Temporary employees and employers would not want to risk the consequence(s) of role ambiguity and unmet expectations in the exchange relationships.
Contribution/value-add: This study differs from extant studies and provides a new conceptual and structural outlook in the employment relations field and empirically establishes that psychological contract has a strong nexus with role clarity for employees and employers, such that the extent of fulfilment of obligations is dependent on the extent of role clarity in a temporary exchange relationship.