The Impact of Psychological Contract Breach, Psychological Contract Fulfilment, and Employee Well-being

What is the purpose of this research?

This study is part of a PhD project by Geethani Mahalekamge and aims to better understand how employees' well-being is impacted when workplace promises are either kept or broken. These promises, known as psychological contracts, refer to the unwritten expectations between employers and employees, such as being treated fairly, receiving support, or having access to development opportunities. As someone who is currently employed in Australia, your insights are valuable. By taking part, you are contributing to research that can lead to more supportive and fairer workplaces.

Are you looking for people like me?

You are eligible to participate in the study if you:

• are 18 years of age and over
• are employed either full-time, part-time, casual or on a contract basis
• have not worked in the existing organisation for the last 6 months.

What will you ask me to do?

Participation will involve completing a questionnaire with Likert-scale responses, which will take approximately 10-15 minutes of your time. This survey invites you to answer questions about your regular work experience.

Questions will include:

• Almost all the promises made by my employer during recruitment have been kept so far.
• I feel that my employer has come through in fulfilling the promises made to me when I was hired.
• My employer has broken many of its promises to me, even though I've upheld my side of the deal.

This study involves two online surveys. In Wave 1, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire containing research questions. At the end of survey 1, you will have the option to participate in Wave 2. If you choose to do so, you will be directed to a separate Qualtrics form where you can provide your email address to be contacted for the second survey.

Your email address will be stored separately from your survey responses and will be used only to send you the Wave 2 survey invitation. Your email address is used solely to send you this survey invitation and will not be linked to your survey responses.

One month after completing Wave 1, you will receive an email invitation to complete the Wave 2 survey.

Your participation in this research project is entirely voluntary. If you agree to participate, you do not have to complete any questions that cause you discomfort. Your decision to participate or not participate will in no way impact upon your current or future relationship with the organisation, QUT or the researchers. If you do agree to participate, you can withdraw from the research project during your participation without comment or penalty. However, as the study does not request any personal identifying information, once it has been submitted, it will not be possible to withdraw.

Are there any risks for me in taking part?

There are no risks beyond normal day-to-day living associated with your participation in this research project. The content of this study is unlikely to cause distress; however, if you feel uncomfortable or upset at any point, support is available. You can contact Lifeline for free and confidential support 24 hours a day by calling 13 11 14. Lifeline also provides access to online and face-to-face services.

While this survey does not intentionally ask you to recall distressing experiences, some questions may prompt memories or emotional responses. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, you may skip any question or withdraw from the survey without penalty. If participation raises any concerns or distress, you are encouraged to contact an appropriate support service. Contact details for support services are provided above.

Are there any benefits for me in taking part?

It is expected that this research project will not directly benefit you. The outcomes of the research, however, may benefit organisations in improving employee well-being. You can request a brief summary of the outcomes of the study by sending an email to Geethani Mahalekamge.

Will I be compensated for my time?

To recognise your contribution, participants who complete both surveys will have the option to enter a prize draw to win one of two $50 gift cards.

I am interested - what should I do next?

To participate in this project, complete the online survey.