Person-Environment (PE) fit theory, although relatively new has become more well-developed and mature since its inception in 1974 (Caplan 1987). PE fit theory or the idea that finding a "values congruence" between an employee and the organization they work in has been studied for decades to determine to what degree PE fit or other subsidiary concepts and theories can help lessen negative consequences such as high turnover, and worker burnout. Some of the positive aspects for organizations that might use PE fit and other fit theories can include greater employee career prospects, increased worker engagement, and greater job satisfaction.
In 2022, HASC, a non-profit, contractor training organization supporting workers in the energy industry performed a qualitative study on employees’ experiences of being hired and how fit theory may have been applied by the hiring organizations. This study was performed to determine: (a) challenges faced by new employees to organizations among contractors who support the energy industry, (b) how these new employees deal with those challenges over their first three months or work, and (c) how the concepts of "fit" theory apply to these employees, the contracting organizations, and these challenges. The purpose of this research is to explore in what ways industrial contractors are motivated to remain at their organizations after several weeks of work as compared to their expectations about the organization. A secondary purpose is to help determine if the worker's expectations for the hiring organization and their goals for themselves align with the organization’s goals.
The research questions this qualitative case study hoped to answer included:
- How do the participants express their career goals and expectations for their positions within the organizations when hired?
- How do the participants express their lived experiences of working within their new organizations, especially regarding fit theory within their first three months?
This qualitative study followed a case study format, in that the participants were interviewed multiple times over a three-month period. This study included a focus on phenomenology, as this study intends to the explore a phenomenon within a particular context of an employee’s first few months of work, through multiple interviews with a variety of workers as shown in Figure 1.
Visual Representation of the Data
Themes were identified during the research for this article, after the initial interviews and following the first cycle of coding. These themes came about both through understanding expected results, from hearing dierectly from the participants, from a first read through of the transcripts and then again when coding transcripts in NVivo. This process is shown in Figure 2.
While Figure 2 is designed to show the process of theme identification and the increase in identified themes through differtent process moments, the list in Figure 1 is not comprehensivce, specifically in terms of the themes identified while coding in NVivo. Figure 3 and Table 1 both include all of the themes and codes identified during the first cycle of transcript coding.
PO Fit and Job Satisfaction
Chen, et al. (2016) find in their study of 225 employees in 12 different catering organizations that PO fit predicts job satisfaction. They examine how PO fit and supervisor support might affect both job satisfaction and job stress. Lane et al. (2019) review teachers' morale using Bandura's self-efficacy theory as a conceptual framework for their interviews and find loss of confidence, stress, and burnout, and ineffective professional development as challenges to morale and job satisfaction. Similarly, Ellis et al. (2017) research how an accurate or realistic job preview relates to job satisfaction. Shah and Ayub (2021) find the same relationship as Ellis et al. (2017), specifically that PJ fit and PO fit both have a positive significant relationship with job satisfaction. Hoffman and Woehr (2005) and Leung and Chaturvedi (2011) focus on how job satisfaction can be affected both by workers' behaviors and attitudes. Hoffman and Woehr (2005) try to find a link between PO fit and behavioral outcomes such as performance, citizenship, and turnover by building on work by Verquer et al, (2003) that found that PO fit was directly related to an intent to quit, low job satisfaction, and commitment to the organization. However, their results although positive, suggest only a weak relationship between PO fit and behavior outcomes. Leung and Chaturvedi (2011) look to strengthen the links between PO fit and attitudinal outcomes with their study and find that perception influences a workers commitment and satisfaction on the job via both perceived and subjective fit. The studies reviewed above tend to show that when used with other tools, especially those that include supervisor support or leadership support, job satisfaction can be increased and measured via frameworks that rely on PO fit theory.
Results and Discussion
Job Security
Participants generally described job security in terms of consistency in their work life to include, regular paychecks and a sense of stability in their job. Knowing that they will have a job the next day and for the foreseeable future. In his first interview, Participant 1 stated: "So while I'm at home, it's not so stressful because I know I have that job security and can provide and take care of my family." However, there have been no other clear statements regarding job security alone, in some cases it corresponds with personal life. Participant 2 and 3, who held similar positions at the same company, both enjoyed the stability of their new jobs. Although Participants 4, 5 and 6 all left their positions, it was not the lack of job security that drove them away, but rather the travel demands and the demands that placed on their family and personal life.
In terms of direct reference to the phrase “job security,” Participant 1 said, “it's a plus because I bet now I'm able to provide for my family how I want to, but then also just giving me job security” and “while I'm at home, it's not so stressful because I know I have that job security debate and provide and take care of my family.”
Although job security was an identified code during the first cycle of coding, there were other codes that the researcher identified as being tangential to job security and that might affect job security to the participants. These codes are displayed in Table 2.
Financial Motivation
Two of the participants, Participants 1 and 4 discussed or mentioned financial motivation in terms of their jobs in their interviews. Financial motivations can have a specific and intense effect on job security. If the organization does not meet the needs of the employee in terms of their finances, it can undermine the job security for that employee in remarkable ways. Participant 1 stated, “I'm very excited about it, but for one it it is lucrative” and “I'm kind of leaning more towards that now, just 'cause I'm kind of loving the industry and the lucrative and the freedom and the opportunity and the growth there.” Paticipant 4 said, “And you know I'm doing all the hard work that but you know, I'm mostly getting paid pretty well too.”
Values
Another code that the researcher feels is tangential to the theme of job security is the code of “values.” Values fit is central to this research, and having a good “values fit” with an organization can play a key part of an employee feeling that their job is secure. This code, especially when meniotned in a positive way, came up in the third interview with Participant 1. Participant 1 said, “I got hired on at one position and then these guys called me and this was a better fit” and “Just like I've told everyone continue to think about what made it the perfect fit for you, because that's what this is focused on is how do we make sure it's a perfect fit for more people?”
Analytic Commentary
Of the four primary themes identified (a) pay, (b) career development, (c) job security, and (d) family and personal life, job security seemed to have the most bearing for those participants who stayed with their organizations throughout the entire scope of the case study. Both Participant 1 and 4 remained with their positions after three months and both had positive mentions of job security which could mean they valued job security to the same degree as the organization valued the retention of employees. Additionally, both Participants 1 and 4 mentioend positive values fit in their interivews meaning that when they were recruited, they considered aligning their values with those of the organization before being hired.
References
Caplan, R. D. (1987). Person-environment fit theory and organizations: Commensurate dimensions, time perspectives, and mechanisms. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 31(3), 248–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/0001-8791(87)90042-x
Chen, P., Sparrow, P., & Cooper, C. (2016). The relationship between person-organization fit and job satisfaction. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 31(5), 946–959. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmp-08-2014-0236
Ellis, C., Skidmore, S., & Combs, J. (2017). The hiring process matters: The role of person–job and person–organization fit in teacher satisfaction. Educational Administration Quarterly. 053. 448-474. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X16687007
Hoffman, B. J., & Woehr, D. J. (2006). A quantitative review of the relationship between person-organization fit and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 68(3), 389-399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2005.08.003
Lane, L. J., Jones, D., & Penny, G. R. (2019). Qualitative case study of teachers’ morale in a turnaround school. Eric.ed.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2022, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1233111.pdf
Leung, A., & Chaturvedi, S. (2011). Linking the Fits, fitting the links: Connecting different types of po fit to attitudinal outcomes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(2), 391-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.02.007
Shah, S., & Ayub, M. (2021). The impact of person-job fit, person-organization fit on job satisfaction. Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management, and Innovation, 3(1), 57–76. https://doi.org/10.52633/jemi.v3i1.51
Verquer, M. L., Beehr, T. A., & Wagner, S. H. (2003). A meta-analysis of relations between person-organization fit and work attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 63(3), 473-89. https://er.lib.k-state.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/meta-analysis-relations-between-person/docview/62176727/se-2
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