Changes in unit-level work attitudes after a strategic intervention: a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

First published: April 29, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2523

Commentary

A meta-analysis investigated how cost-oriented and people-oriented strategic interventions affect temporal dynamic changes in unit-level work attitudes in an organization.

The analysis was based on 573 effect sizes across 137 longitudinal studies involving unit-level changes in job attitudes over three time periods (before, during, and after the change).

The results showed that unit-level job attitudes were.

(a) declined during cost-oriented changes (e.g., restructuring) and remained at low levels after the changes.

(b) increase during people-oriented changes (HRM investments) and remain at higher levels after the intervention.

(c) The combination of cost-oriented and people-oriented interventions does not change over time. Tests of the process model further revealed that cost-oriented interventions affect work attitudes at the unit level by reducing (increasing) perceived support.

While the pattern of findings suggests that strategic interventions can be expected to result in long-term changes in unit-level job attitudes, some of the negative effects of cost reduction can be mitigated by maintaining perceived support.