Walking the tightrope of talent management: differential employee reactions and justice perceptions.

Implementing a talent management program is like walking a tightrope, one needs to find a balance in striving for positive reactions among the élite group of 'high potentials' (i.e. employees identified as making extraordinary organization-level contributions) while at the same time avoiding negative reactions among the rest of the workforce. This is not an easy task as employees who are not poart of the 'lucky few' might not perceive the talent management practices as fair and therefore show negative attitudes and behaviors. Using seven empirical studies (e.g. surveys, experiment, and vignette study), this dissertation focuses on high potentials' and non-high potnetials' differential justice perceptions and reactions. In doing so, we deal with the reoccuring guestions: 'Do talent management practices generate desired employee outcomes?' and 'How should we implement talent management practices to increase fairness and create overall beneficial outcomes?'. In particular, via in-depth and focus group interviews with HR practitioners, we noticed that talent management procedures are often not well-thought through and that organizations withhold information and are afraid to openly communicate about their talent management practices. This dissertation amplifies the importance of implementing fair procedures that are, for instance, consistent and free of bias (i.e. procedural justice) and the importance of providing adequate and open communication (i.e. informational justice) in the context of talent management.Chapter I. Introduction Chapter II. Perceived organizational justice in talent management : Employees' differential reactions Paper 1. The role of perceived organizational justice in shaping talent management outcomes: A research agenda Paper 2. Talent management and organizational justice: Employee reactions to high potential identification Paper 3. Workforce differentiation and perceived justice: The role of communication in shaping star and non-star employees' morale Chapter III. Perceived organizational justice in varying talent management approaches Paper 4. Distributive justice perceptions of inclusive versus exclusive talent management: The moderating role of self-assessed talent Chapter IV. The overall impact of being favorably treated : Employees' differential reactions Paper 5. Affective commitment of employees designated as talent: Signalling perceived organizational support Chapter V. Discussion Vitanrpages: 198status: publishe

Affective commitment of employees designated as talent: Signalling perceived organisational support

We examined how perceived organisational support affects the relationship between being designated as talent and affective commitment. Two studies were conducted in two different ‘talent’ populations. In study one, a questionnaire was distributed within one large company among employees who were designated as high potential, and a control group which was not (N=203). In study two, the same questionnaire was distributed within a different company among employees who were designated as management trainee, and a control group which was not (N=195). The results from both studies showed that perceptions of organisational support were significantly stronger for employees that were designated as talent. Moreover, perceived organisational support mediated the relationship between an employee’s designation as talent and affective commitment in both studies. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.status: publishe

Talent management and organizational justice: Employee reactions to high potential identification

We examined how perceived distributive and procedural justice affected the relationship between an employee’s identification as a high potential (drawn from archival data), job satisfaction, and work effort. A questionnaire was distributed within one large company among employees who were and employees who were not identified as a high potential (N=203). The results indicated that perceptions of distributive justice were significantly higher for employees identified as a high potential. Moreover, perceived distributive justice fully mediated the relationship between an employee’s identification and his or her level of job satisfaction. The results also revealed that perceptions of procedural justice moderated the relationship between perceived distributive justice and work effort. Theoretical and practical consequences of these findings are discussed.status: publishe