UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF JOB REDESIGN Psychological contract violations and turnover intentions among full-time and reduced-hours MDs and LPNs

Researchers and practitioners have cited the advantage of such flexible work scheduling options as flex-time, compressed workweeks, job sharing, and reduced hours for employees. The assumption underlying these options has been that more flexible schedules allow employees to meet their family requirements and still work a sufficient number of hours to advance in their careers. In this paper we focus on the unintended consequences of such job-design modifications. In particular, we explore the impact of reduced-hours career options for women in the healthcare sector. One potential consequence of reduced hours concerns the effects of violations of psychological contracts, or the beliefs that employers and employees hold regarding their mutual obligations. We test two hypotheses that state that professionals and reduced-hours employees are more likely to express an intention to turn over when such contracts are violated. We test these hypotheses in a random sample of 178 Boston-area married female healthcare workers who are in dual-earner couples, who have at least one child under high-school age, and who vary in professional status and in work schedule. The results support both hypotheses and suggest that reduced-hours employment can have unintended consequences for employees and their organizations.