Benefits of Normative Commitment for Organizations

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BenefitsofNormativeCommitmentforOrganizations
PostedByadminOn1deSeptember,2011@1:30pmInEdition38,HumanResources|No
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ByNormaBetanzosDíaz(1),andFranciscoPazRodríguez(2)
Organizational commitment is an issue that has become increasingly important for human
resources experts, because it is crucial for a company’s employees to “wear the team colors,”
meaning they love their company and do their jobs well (Arciniega, 2002). It is therefore
importanttounderstandthenature,developmentandimplicationsofemployeecommitment.
Weknowthattherearedifferenttypesofcommitment(affective,continuanceandnormative),
andthateachofthesehasadifferenteffectonemployeebehaviorandattitudes.
Whathappenswhenacompanyencountershardtimes?Whenit has the wrong leaders? When
the climate makes it difficult to work? When employee bonuses cannot be paid, or economic
crisis makes wages less appealing to workers? The company needs committed employees to
obtaincompetitiveadvantages,butitoftenintroduceschangesintheguiseofefficiency(layoffs,
restructuring,mergers,flextime,etc.).
All of this can often weaken the commitment of a company’s employees, diminishing or even
destroyingtheiraffectionforthecompanyandloweringtheirproductivitylevels.Theymayfindit
more attractive to change jobs in search of better conditions, and the commitment ends. The
employeeisreadytoleavethecompany;nothingisholdingthemback.
To prevent employees from abandoning their commitment to the company, it is important to
builduptheirtiestotheorganization.Oneoptionistoestablishastrongnormativecommitment
(whichhas been little studied to date).This commitment strengthens employee retention even
when the organization faces adverse circumstances. In extreme cases, for example, when the
companyisfacingbankruptcy,employeesmaysacrificetheir revenuesand benefitsandstayon
tothebitter end because,asWiener(1982) putsit,“theybelievethat itistheright and moral
thing to do”. This creates a stabilizing force that can keep employee behavior on course when
organizationalconditionschange.
Thisbehaviorisdifferentfromaffectivecommitment(anemotionalbondwiththecompany)and
continuitycommitment(basedoneconomicgains).Employeesgainasenseofobligationthrough
their experiences with the organization. In some cultures, intense feelings of normative
commitmentsare encouraged.InJapan,forexample, employeesformalongtermcommitment
totheircompany and remainwithitin good timesandinbad, because theircommitmentdoes
notdependoncircumstances,butratheronapersonaldecisiontheyhavemade.
Individualsincollectivistcultures(likeBrazil)seetheirobligationsassomethingtheywanttodo,
rather than an imposed duty, and they feel satisfied and successful in their jobs, while
individualist cultures (like United States) inculcate the moral duty of doing one’s job. So
obligationsareexperienced indifferentwaysfrom countrytocountry,and therefore,theyhave
differentimplicationsfortheworker’sjobperformanceandyield.

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In Mexico, we conducted qualitative research with focus groups made up of 25 workers from
various companies, in order to describe ideas about what they think about normative
commitment. We found two categories of this commitment: a) normative commitment and b)
moralcommitment(RodriguezandBetanzos,2011).
Thenormativecomponentofcommitmentisexperiencedasthedutytoobeyorganizationalrules
and policies regarding the job but employee must do. This commitment is assumed out of
conviction and free will, not obligation. It is assumed as an important value and is the
responsibilityofeach individual,independentofthe organization,becauseitis avalueacquired
andnurturedinthefamilyhomeandbecomespartoftheindividual’spersonality.Respectingthis
commitmentisapersonalneed.
Workersthatdo notconformtoestablished policiesanddutiesmay becomesubjecttoexternal
sanctionsagainstthem. Theymayalsoface internalsanctions–likevaluejudgments abouttheir
performanceinthecompany–thatmakethemfeelbadly.
“Thereisnoharsherjudgethantheoneweallhaveinside,meaningwhenyouknowyou’re
failingandyoufeelremorse[…],becauseyouarefailingyourself…”
Unlike normative commitment, with moral commitment, workers understand that, besides the
opportunity to work, they obtain benefits from their organization that binds them to it morally
and that, as such, they must reciprocate and return these benefits. On the other hand, this
reciprocity and retribution could be negative if workers feel they are not receiving a fair
treatment or that the labor relationship is not an equitable one, which causes them to behave
negativelytowardtheirjobsortobedisloyaltotheorganization.
Inaddition, workershavecertainexpectationsthatthecompany willcompensatethemfortheir
work and efforts. Trusting in this relationship, workers strive to repay the company for the
benefitsreceived,sothattheydonotfeelindebted.Finally,thismoralbondbetweentheworker
and the organization is expressed as loyalty and permanence, even if there are better
opportunitieselsewhere.
1Dra.enPsicología.UniversidadAutónomadelEstadodeMorelos.México.
2Dr.enPsicología.InstitutoNacionaldeNeurologíayNeurocirugía“ManuelVelascoSuárez”.
México.
“Thisbondthat,onapersonallevel,Iformedwiththisinstitution[…],thisloyaltyis[…],in
someway,a repayment foreverythingithas given me[and]otherthings that […]forme
areevenmorevaluablethanmoney.”
Loyalty is also expressed as a concern for the company’s wellbeing and protection of its
interests.
“Theywerepeoplethatputin for [worked] fifteen minutes and they were paidforhalfan
hour.Fifteen minutesyou’dloseinchangingclothes,neatening up,goingtothebathroom,
andwhenyou’renotgenerating,Imean,you’rejeopardizingallofthis[thecompany].”
Normative commitment, on the other hand, seems to be more a characteristic or value that
employees acquire in the social group where they were formed (family, schools, friends) and
whichinspiresthemtokeeptheircommitments.InMexicanculture,thisiswhatcomescloserto
theconceptofjobresponsibility.ForaMexicanemployee,responsibilityanddutyareaninterest
inand concernforothers,apersonal quality,likevirtueandconscience. Mexicansconsideritto
beabasicdimensionofsocialrelations,andtherefore,responsibilityisconsideredapositivetrait
fortheindividual(DíazGuerreroandSzalay,1993).
In their recent review of this variable, Meyer and Parfyonova (2010) find employees with a
strongnormativeandaffectivecommitmentaremorelikelytoexpressadesiretodotheright
thingaccordingtotheirmoralstandards,whichinthelongrunproducespositiveeffects,bothfor
the employee and for the organization (intention of staying with the company, support for
change,andthewellbeing ofworkers).Asolidnormativeandcontinuance commitmentreveals
howemployeesbehavewithregardtotheirobligationtorepayadebt(todosomethingtoavoid
thesocialcosts).

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Personal values and principles are vitally important for normative commitment, because they
guaranteethatworkerswilldotheirjobthoroughly,inkeepingwiththeorganizationalstandards
andguidelines,withouttheneedforconstantsupervision.
On the other hand, it seems that when workers receive benefits or facilities from their
organizationsthatarenot stipulated inthecontract,theytendto correspond bychangingtheir
behavioron the job and making agreater effort to avoid betraying thetrust the company has
placed in them. This creates a virtually unbreakable bond with the organization and stronger
even than the economic benefits or the affective bond. It goes back to the reciprocity that is
latentin all spheres of social interaction and, as such,is universal. It is a standard that is not
imposed,but whichdeterminestheactionsthatwillbetakeninrecompenseforcertain benefits
received.Trustalso playsacrucialrole, sincewithoutit,this relationshipwouldnotbe possible
(RodriguezandBetanzos,2001).
Thecompanyshowsitstrustintheworkerbycommunicatingmaterialinformationthatmakesit
vulnerable. Employees’ normative commitment is what makes then behave with loyalty,
discretionandconfidentiality,toavoidactingthedetrimentoftheirorganization.Thisloyaltyalso
facilitatesrelationshipsinworkgroups,sincetheemployeewillsupportdecisionsthatbenefitthe
company,butalsothepeoplethatworkthere.
In this exercise of understanding, we believe there is enough evidence to sustain that the
normativecommitmentscanbeinterpretedasstemmingfromamatureacceptanceofapractical
dailybelief,notintellectuallyelaborated,thatwearewhatwedo.Wedothingswell,evenbetter
thanwhatisrequiredofus, not to be exemplary employees, butrathertofeelgoodaboutthe
performanceofthetasksentrustedto usandsatisfiedathavingfulfilledourresponsibilitiesand
duties.
We know that commitment is multidimensional, as is the contractual relationship and daily
interactionsinthecompany.Ifweexaminedthesedimensionsfromtheperspectiveofnormative
commitment,theyareintertwinedinasinglediscourse.
León (2009) explains that experiencing one’s ties to the organization as a moral contract that
bindstheemployeealsocreatestheconditionsforcriticalattitudetowardthecompanywhenthe
employeedoes notfeelithaskeptupitsend ofthedeal.Normativecommitment alsotakeson
thedimensionofresponsibility toward what we do,inotherwords,todo the job right, without
defects.Therefore,normative commitment createsadditionalmotivationforproducing a quality
product,andthereisnomoreimportantgoalforworkers.Iftheyfail,iftheresultsdonotcome
out as expected, they feel guilt and shame. In short, we find a commitment based on shared
beliefs of what makes a “good worker,” a “responsible worker.” Thus, normative commitment
bringssignificantbenefitstoanorganization,butalsoimpliesthattherelationshipmustbemore
balanced in order to maintain this reciprocity between the company and the workers, in which
bothhavesomethingtogain.♦
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18/4/2016 Dirección Estratégica » Benefits of Normative Commitment for Organizations » Print
http://direccionestrategica.itam.mx/en/beneficios-del-compromiso-normativo-para-las-organizaciones/print/ 4/4
ArticleprintedfromDirecciónEstratégica:http://direccionestrategica.itam.mx/en
URLtoarticle:http://direccionestrategica.itam.mx/en/beneficiosdelcompromiso
normativoparalasorganizaciones/
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