The role of time in the relation between perceived job insecurity and perceived job performance

BACKGROUND: Insufficient evidence exists that can explain two conflicting views (i.e. positive and negative relationship) regarding the effect of job insecurity on job performance.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the importance of time in explaining these ambiguous views. A positive association was expected cross-sectionally and a negative relationship longitudinally. I hypothesized that available coping resources may delay the negative effect on job performance until being exhausted.METHODS: Longitudinal self-reported data of 928 participants were used. Job performance was operationalized as core task performance and productivity loss. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations were analyzed using linear and logistic regressions. Duration analyses were performed using the two-year duration of job insecurity.RESULTS: Short-term and long-term, job insecurity was only related with increased productivity loss. No evidence was found for core task performance. The duration of job insecurity, and chronic job insecurity in particular, did not predict core task performance or productivity loss two years later.CONCLUSIONS: The factor time, operationalized as the time of follow-up and the duration of exposure to job insecurity, did not clarify the conflicting views. Managers should be more aware of the adverse effects of using job insecurity as a motivational strategy to increase job performance.