MGB200 Managing People: POS Theory Application & Analysis

This case study explores the Perceived Organisational Support (POS) theory and its influence on employee performance, drawing from literature and a personal work experience. The literature review defines POS as the perception of employees regarding the extent to which an organization values their contributions and cares for their well-being. The study highlights the mutualistic relationship between employees and organizations, where commitment from both sides is crucial for high motivation and performance. The case study also discusses the Organisational Support Theory (OST) and its antecedents and consequences, supported by meta-analysis studies. A personal example illustrates how a supervisor's lack of support negatively impacted the author's motivation and commitment. Recommendations are provided based on the POS theory, emphasizing the importance of organizational surveys, open communication, and transformational leadership to enhance employee motivation, loyalty, and overall performance. The case study also touches upon the Flamboyant Hotel and Resorts case, suggesting strategies to improve management-employee relations.

Running Head: MANAGING PEOPLE 1
Perceived Organisational Support Theory and Employee Performance
Student’s Name:
Institution of Affiliation:

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Perceived Organisational Support Theory for Enhanced Organisational Performance
Literature Review
Perceived organisational support (POS) is a philosophy leveraged on the belief that the
perceptions of employees have towards the degree at which managers or an organisation places
on their contributions and efforts as well as cares and values their wellbeing impacts on their
performance and commitment (Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, & Sowa, 1986). The theory
assumes that the attitudes of the workforce towards the organisational culture and employment
relations significantly impact on their productivity and performance. Employees perceptions of
the magnitude at which an organisation values their efforts and their wellbeing affect
substantially their motivation and ability to perform their duties (Girorgi, Dubin, & Perez, 2016).
Krishnan and Mary (2012) and Ahmad and Yekta (2010) indicate that the POS theory was
coined following a realisation that just like managers are concerned with the commitment of
employees to an organisation, employees are equally concerned with the commitment of the
organisation to them. This creates a mutualistic relationship between the workforce and the
organisations. Therefore, Rhoades and Eisenberger (2002) posit that an organisation that is
committed to the needs and concerns of the workforce is likely to record high rates of employee
motivation and committeemen translating into high organisational performance.
Colakoglu, Culha, and Atay (2010) posit that keeping employees and maintaining high
commitment and motivation leverages an organisation’s competitive edge and success. To
achieve organisational excellence; satisfied, committed and loyal employees are mandatory. But,
how can that be accomplished? The POS theory was postulated to leverage organisational
productivity and performance through meeting the employee’s needs and wellbeing. According
to Krishnan and Mary (2012) and Stephen and Louis (2016), organisations are a central source of

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socio-emotional and tangible resources for employees. The socio-emotional resources include
but not limited to care and respect while the tangible benefits encompass compensation and
remuneration rates and other associated privileges and benefits. Girorgi, Dubin, and Perez (2016)
referred to the perceptions as the employee welfare which is an “umbrella concept.” It is
composed of various facilities, benefits, and services offered by companies to employees with
the aim of fostering their professional growth and working conditions. The welfare measures are
both subjective and objective where the former refers to socio-emotional resources while the
latter to the tangible benefits. Reynolds and Helfers (2018) on POS found that the magnitude of
support provided departments of police significantly impacted on the police performance.
Similarly, Nayir (2012) founded out that support and incentive provided by school
administration correlated with teacher’s commitment and performance.
The organisational support theory (OST) posit that employees always form a general
perception towards the level at which an organisation cares for their wellbeing and values their
contribution (Worley, Fuqua, & Hellman, 2016; Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, & Sowa,
1986). Therefore, an organisation can use employees’ sensitivities to meet their socioemotional
needs as well as assess the impacts of existing benefits on work commitment and performance
(Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison, & Sowa, 1986). A study by Rhoades and Eisenberger
(2002) that reviewed seventy studies on the general beliefs of employees towards an
organisational commitment to their wellbeing and efforts; the results vindicated a strong
correlation between the organisation’s commitment and employees’ satisfaction and
performance.
Kurtessis et al. (2015) conducted a meta-analysis study which found out that OST
effectively predicted POS antecedents such as working conditions, human resource practices,

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employee– organisation relations, and leadership. OST also effectively predicted POS
consequences such as employee wellbeing and performance as well as the workforce orientation
towards work and the organisation. Kurtessis et al. (2015) study indicated that supervisor
support, co-worker support, and team support significantly impacted POS at p=0.60, ρ = 0.47,
and ρ = 0.34 respectively. Abusive supervision negatively correlated with POS at ρ = –0.34
while coherent leadership positively correlated with POS at ρ = 0.46. Transformational
leadership strongly related with POS at p=0.56 while transactional leadership at p=0.21. In
addition, leader-member exchange characterised by respect and mutual trust significantly
connected to POS at ρ = 0.53. The quality of employee-organisation relationship strongly
correlated with POS where value congruence score was ρ = 0.50, contract fulfilment at ρ =0.42,
and psychological contracts at = –0.67.
Regarding the Flamboyant Hotel and Resorts case study, the company is faced with
management, supervisor, and co-worker support issues that significantly translate to low
employee motivation, satisfaction, and commitment in helping it meet its objective. Sailli, the
hotel’s director notes how the owners and management’s constantly conflicting directives to the
employees stress them thus hampering their ability to work. Basing on the Kurtessis et al. (2015)
studies on managers commitment to employees, the constant conflicts between the management
of the company and the Chinese-Mauritius owners paint a bad perception about the company.
Lack of congruence and coordination between the management and owners stress the employees
hence hotel’s director acknowledged the dire need for an alternative philosophy to enhance
amble employment relations. The management and the owners ought to make a consensus on
how the company must be run and instil trust between each other and strengthen their
coordination. The hotel also lacks coordination between the supervisors as depicted by the chef

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and procurement officers among other cases where the staff keep accusing each other over job
dissatisfaction and stress. A perceived organisation support theory would help the director and
human resource manager devise essential strategies to help the company prosper.
Personal Example
Two years ago, I worked under supervisor whom I cannot attribute have been the worst
but considerably failed to inspire confidence nor motivate me. As a new entrant at the company,
I was ardent and excited the opportunity of working at the company with full of ideas I believed
would greatly help the company. After induction, I was eager to know what to expect from my
supervisor, so I asked a colleague how he perceived him. He noted that the supervisor was not
that bad, but he was quite a sadist. I did not want to believe that, but it had already imprinted a
relatively lousy picture of the supervisor. In my first month, we worked along well providing me
with as much support as I needed; however, things changed from the second month. As I begun
to make proposes and arguments in departmental meetings, he would dismiss anything I
presented that he did not think it was important. The problem was that the dismissals were not
constructive but somewhat sarcastic. I started to feel like I was trespassing not liked, talkative
and imagining that he probably began to perceive me as a threat to his job.
At one time I approached him in his office with a proposal for improving employee
engagement and discussion by holding small unit meeting rather than the general departmental
meeting. I had realised in that during the departmental meetings; most employees were always
afraid to air out their issues due to intimidation and fear of victimisation. Because most did not
want to lose their jobs, they would murmur and never bring the problems to light hence
continued to suffer in silence. If the department held separate meetings, the employees would
have an opportunity to openly discusses their issues. Before I had finished explaining myself, he

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dismissed me asking if I had enough job or not. I was so frustrated not only because of that day
but many other occasions he had sarcastically dismissed. Most employees used to say that they
are just at the company for the time being, but once they get an alternative job opportunity, they
would seize it with no regrets.
Recommendation
The perceived organisational support is defined by how the employers, supervisors
influence the employees’ obligation and commitment to the organisation achieve and surpass its
objectives. Worley, Fuqua, and Hellman (2016) state that when employees feel highly regarded
by an organisation, it enhances their affiliation, esteem and approval. The POS theory is drawn
from a social exchange and enhancement approach that focuses on the views of the employees
towards an employer’s commitment to them. The social exchange approach implores and equally
forces organisations to adjust their structures, cultures, incentives and commitment to
employees’ wellness (Ahmad & Yekta, 2010; Kirkland, 2017). From my personal story, the
supervisor failed to provide a coherent platform where I could explore my thinking, confidence
and commitment. Employees to do feel affiliated with the department nor the supervisor, the
only motivation is the wages they will receive at the end of the day. Given an alternative, it is
clear they would exit the company. Their discontent affects their performance and that of the
company.
Basing on the POS theory, it is clear that the lack of organisational support significantly
impacts on the loyalty, commitment and performance of employees. In referee to my case and
the case study, the support of the management, supervisors and co-workers is central to
enhancing employee motivation and employment relations. Organisations should conduct regular
surveys to assess the employees’ perceptions of the company, managers and supervisors’

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commitment to their wellbeing, needs and efforts. The polls should also provide an opportunity
for the employees to propose changes of which the organisation can take into consideration. The
organisation can also organise retreat programs where employees through various non-
departmental groups can discuss pertinent issues to their working environment. Also, the
organisation should put in place strategies to foster open and transparent debates especially in
cases where there are fears of victimisation. Reported and investigated supervisors for employee
victimisation and intimidation should be replaced with transformational ones that would
motivate and inspire confidence among the employees.

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References
Ahmad, Z. A., & Yekta, Z. A. (2010). The relationship between perceived organisational
support, leadership behaviour, and job satisfaction: An empirical study in Iran. Intangible
Capital, 6(2), 162-184.
Colakoglu, U., Culha, O., & Atay, H. (2010). The effects of perceived organisational support on
employees' affective outcomes: evidence from the hotel industry. Tourism and hospitality
management, 16(2), 125-150.
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organisational
support. Journal of Applied psychology, 71(3), 500-507.
Giorgi, G., Dubin, D., & Perez, J. F. (2016). Perceived organisational support for enhancing
welfare at work: a regression tree model. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1770-1779.
Kirkland, J. E. (2017). The roles of perceived organisational support and anticipated change in
organisational support in predicting employee affective commitment and well-being
(Doctoral dissertation). Houston, TX: University of Houston.
Krishnan, J., & Mary, V. S. (2012). Perceived organisational support–an overview on its
antecedents and consequences. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(4),
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Książek, D., Rożenek, P., & Warmuz, S. (2016). The impact of perceived organisational support
on trust. A case study of a state university. World Scientific News, 48, 108-118.

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Kurtessis, J. N., Eisenberger, R., Ford, M. T., Buffardi, L. C., Stewart, K. A., & Adis, C. S.
(2017). Perceived organisational support: A meta-analytic evaluation of organisational
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Nayir, F. (2012). The relationship between perceived organisational support and teacher's
organisational commitment. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research (EJER), 12(48),
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Reynolds, P. D., & Helfers, R. C. (2018). Job characteristics and perceived organisational
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literature. Journal of applied psychology, 87(4), 698-714.
Stephen, J., & Louis, A. M. (2016). The effect of perceived organisational support and
motivating language of leaders on job performance, satisfaction and commitment of
employees (Doctoral dissertation). Negeri Perak, Malaysia: University Tunku Abdul
Rahman.
Worley, J. A., Fuqua, D. R., & Hellman, C. M. (2009). The survey of perceived organisational
support: Which measure should we use? SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 35(1), 112-
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