`Objective' vs `Subjective' Job Insecurity: Consequences of Temporary Work for Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment in Four European Countries

Abstract

This contribution analyses whether temporary work and (the subjective perception of) job insecurity are associated with a reduction in job satisfaction and organizational commitment, as proposed in the literature. An interaction between temporary work and job insecurity is also tested. Data from four European countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden) are used to test the robustness of the hypotheses. The results show that temporary work is not associated with a reduction in job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Job insecurity is associated with a lower score on both outcome variables, as hypothesized. In two countries, an interaction was found: job insecurity was only associated with a reduction in job satisfaction and organizational commitment among workers with a permanent contract, suggesting that the psychological contract was violated for this category of workers.