The motivations for and outcomes of employee referrals

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Winter 2004

Publication Title

Journal of Business and Psychology

Volume

19

Issue

2

First page number:

271

Last page number:

283

Abstract

Research on employee referrals demonstrates positive outcomes for the recruited individual and the organization. However, little research addressed employees who make employment referrals, also known as employee recommenders. To address this gap in knowledge, we developed a conceptual model and present the theoretical basis for addressing the motivation of, and organizational outcomes associated with, employees who make employment recommendations. The model is based on the theories of word-of-mouth communication, cognitive dissonance, self-perception, and attitude change through self-persuasion. Partial support for the model was found in an experimental design simulating an employee referral situation. Results showed an increase in normative commitment of recommenders.

Keywords

Attitudinal advocacy; Employee referrals; Employees—Recruiting; Job satisfaction--Psychological aspects; Persuasion (Psychology; Word-of-mouth communication

Disciplines

Community-Based Research | Counseling Psychology | Psychology | Work, Economy and Organizations

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or use interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the article. Publisher copyright policy allows author to archive post-print (author’s final manuscript). When post-print is available or publisher policy changes, the article will be deposited

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