Towards the Behavioral Implications of Idiosyncratic Deals

Abstract

Idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) are being recently advocated as effective human resource strategies to derive favorable employee job behaviors. Despite the rapid advancement of i-deals in practice, less scholarly attention is given to their role in stimulating employee voice behaviors. In this spirit, this study, with the underlying mechanism of social identity theory, presents an integrated model of employee i-deals influencing two types of employee voice: promotive and prohibitive voice. In doing so, with an application of the taxonomy prescribed by the group engagement model, it introduces an intermitting mechanism called organizational identification, through which employee i-deals invigorate voice behaviors. Furthermore, it is suggested that an i-deal opportunity for coworkers moderates the effects induced by employee i-deals. The model draws upon survey data collected from 282 supervisor-subordinate dyads working across multiple industries of Pakistan. Results of structural equation modeling manifest that employee i-deals encourage both types of employee voice. There is also evidence of complementary mediation of organizational identification in the relationship of employee i-deals and voice behaviors. Moreover, the relationship of employee i-deals with organizational identification is significantly moderated by an ideal opportunity for coworkers. Nevertheless, an i-deal opportunity for coworkers does not moderate the relationship of employee i-deals with voice behaviors. Consequently, the study renders concrete, theoretical contributions and practical implications to advance both researchers’ and practitioners’ knowledge.