Peer Coworker Relationships

Overview: y We spend more time with our peer coworkers than anyone else at work or in our families. (Comer 1991) Definition of Peer Coworker Relationships: relationship between employees at the same hierarchical level who have no formal authority over one another. (Sias, Pg. 58, 2009) Originally peer communication was seen as a necessary evil only used in work place relationships when absolutely necessary. (Fayol 1949) The Hawthorne studies created a paradigm shift in how peer to peer relationships were viewed. The studies found that people enjoy peer interaction and that peer interaction is the most important influence over employee behavior and performance. (Roethlisburger and Dickinson 1939)

y y

Functions of Peer Relationships: Mentoring: The traditional mentor relationship between an employee and management is a rare and special occurrence. Kram and Issabella (1985) argue that relationships between peers can provide similar benefits and are easier to develop than the traditional mentor relationship. Three Primary Types of Peer Relationships y y y Informational Collegial Special High Diversity

Having many different types of relationships at work creates multidimensional mentoring. Multidimensional Mentoring Through Developmental Networks (M.C. Higgins and Kram 2001) Developmental Network Definition: The set of people and employee names as taking active interest in and action to advance the protegee's career by providing developmental assistance.
L o w S t r e n g t h H i g h S t r e n g t h

Opportunistic

Entrepreneurial

Network

1. Using the the card provided list the peer relationships that you have (or have had) in the workplace that make up your developmental network. 2. Beside each name list the gender and title of the person 3. Using the diagram characterize your network and its strength Individual Factors and Work Context 1. What individual factors affect your network? a. Gender b. Heirarchy 2. What work context factors affect your network? a. Physicial Proximity b. Technology

Receptive

Traditional

Low Diversity

Outcomes and Consequences of Peer Relationships The nature and quality of peer relationships is consequential for the relationship partners as well the organization in which the relationship is embedded. (p. 74) Individual outcomes include indicators of employee adjustment: y y y Satisfaction Commitment Stress

Organizational outcomes: y y y Employee performance Citizenship Turnover

Employee Adjustment: Peer relationships are linked to employee attitudes, experiences, and behavior. The more satisfied employees are with their peer relationships: y y y The more motivated they are. The more satisfied they are with their professional development and growth. Positive relationships are associated with employee selfesteem. Kirsch (2000)

Discussion Question: But, could a peer relationship be a source of stress? Could it be a cause of turnover in an organization?

Conclusion: The relationships an employee has with his or her peers can make an organization pleasant or miserable. (p.76)

Outcomes and Consequences of Peer Relationships at Work Typically we understand that positive relationships at work yield higher employee satisfaction, esteem, professional development and growth. However, we will discuss the troublesome peers (as the book calls them) and take a critical perspective of workplace bullying and how this particular phenomenon impacts the victim, the bully, and organization. Discussion y The troublesome peers y Bullyingthe workplace cancer.  Bullying is a process.  Perceived reasons for bullying  Types of bullying  Social impacts of bullying  Physical impacts of bullying  Review of ways workplace bullying become reified.  Effects on the organization y Practicing Theory/Further Discussion Quote: Supportive relations at work may be critical to the maintenance of psychological well-being and physical health (Lin, T.).

Postpositivist Perspective Definition: Postpositivists assume reality exists outside our direct perceptions, and tend to examine observable indicators of reality such as self-report assessments, observations of communication, and the like (p.81) Peer relationship studies also often explicitly conceptualize employees as physical objects and examine how the individuals physical characteristics impact their relationships. Discussion Question: One of these characteristics is gender; do you think this characteristic could impact on peer relationships?

Structuration Theory Structuration Theory Definition: Continually reproduced human action creates socially structured processes and procedures that are continued by others subconciously. (also known as the process of reifiecation) 1. What structures guide information exchange, mentoring, and social support among peers? 2. How do employees become knoweldgeable about peer relationship structures? 3. How do peer relationships structures become instituionalized across time and space? Types of Workplace Structures Intranet Impact On Peer Relationships A place where people gain information about the company, learn who their peers are, hear from their CEO, communicate with colleagues via message boards, etc... Behaviour Learned Through Orientation What Peer Relationship Phase Informational

References Einarsen, S. (1999). The nature and causes of bulling at work. International Journal of Manpower, 20, 16-27. Fulmer, I., Gerhart, B., & Scott, K. (Winter 2003). Are the 100 best better? An empirical investigation of the relationship between being a great place to work and firm performance. Personnel Psychology. 56, 965-993). Lin, T. (1987). Social Support: Its relationship to observe communication with peers and superiors. Academy of Management Journal, 30, 138-151. Poilpot-Rocaboy, G. (2006). Bullying in the Workplace: A Proposed Model for Understanding the Psychological Harassment Process, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 14(2), 1-17.