Exploring the lived experiences of black employees regarding psychological contracting within the context of African knowledge systems

Abstract

Purpose of the study: The general aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African black employees (male and female) about psychological contracting within the context of African knowledge systems. The research study revealed how black employees perceived their cultural values to influence their lived experiences regarding their psychological contracting. Design/methodology/approach: The research was exploratory and, therefore, qualitative, and philosophical in its interpretive methodological posture. An interpretivist qualitative approach with semi-structured, open-ended interviews for data collection was followed. The sampling strategy consisted of a purposive sampling (N=16) process. The sample consisted of eight permanent African black managerial employees and eight permanent African black non-managerial employees between the ages of 18 and 65. The study was conducted in a South African private sector organisation where African black employees were invited to share their lived experiences on psychological contracting from the context of African knowledge systems. Participants were chosen from managerial and non-managerial level employees to understand their different perceptions and lived experiences about the psychological contract, and how they perceived their experiences to reflect on their work engagement and turnover intention. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings: African black managerial and non-managerial employees perceived their lived experiences regarding the psychological contract to be affected by their race, traditions and culture. The key findings indicated that experiences related to their cultural values lead to misunderstandings and marginalisation. Perceptions of racial discrimination were evident, as were feelings of being disrespected and unappreciated. Participants experienced broken promises and unfulfilled expectations, a lack of recognition and career growth opportunities, demotivated and disengaged. Participants regarded these lived experiences to negatively influenced their perceptions of their psychological contract. Unique African characteristics (e.g., the spirit of ubuntu, traditional callings, and funerals and church customs) necessitate a different management approach. Recommendations/value: Organisational practices that promote and respect African black employees’ cultural values should be maintained where possible. This may increase African black employees’ perceptions of feeling respected and appreciated, and may lead to increased engagement levels, and lower turnover intentions. Such an approach may assist in effectively managing the lived experiences of African black employees about their psychological contracting as experienced from the context of African indigenous knowledge systems. Managerial implications: African knowledge systems’ (cultures and traditions) consciousness and sensitivity should be developed to ensure the effective evaluation of human resource strategies and policies aimed at accommodating African black employees in the workplace. An organisational culture that acknowledges and respects the various indigenous cultures is imperative.

Doel van die studie: Die algemene oogmerk van hierdie studie was om die geleefde ervarings van swart Afrika-werknemers (manlik en vroulik) met ’n agtergrond van Afrika-kennisstelsels in die konteks van die sielkundige kontrak in die werkplek te verken. Die navorsing het bepaal hoe swart Afrika-werknemers se kulturele waardes hul geleefde ervarings ten opsigte van hierdie kwessies beïnvloed het. Ontwerp/metodologie/benadering: Die navorsing was verkennend, en dus kwalitatief en filosofies in die interpretatiewe metodologiese ingesteldheid daarvan. ’n Interpretatiewe kwalitatiewe benadering met semi-gestruktureerde, oop-einde-onderhoude vir data-insameling is gevolg. Die steekproefstrategie het uit ’n doelgerigte steekproefproses bestaan (N=16). Die steekproef het uit agt permanente swart Afrika-werknemers in nie-bestuursposte en agt permanente swart Afrika-werknemers in bestuursposte tussen die ouderdom van 18 en 65 bestaan. Die studie is in ’n privaatsektororganisasie in Suid-Afrika uitgevoer. Swart Afrika-werknemers is uitgenooi om hulle geleefde ervarings met betrekking tot die sielkundige kontrak vanuit die konteks van ’n inheemse-kennisresponsiwiteit te deel. Deelnemers is uit ’n bestuursvlak asook ’n niebestuursvlak gekies om verskillende persepsies en geleefde ervarings oor hul sielkundige kontrak beter te verstaan, en ook om te reflekteer op hulle persepsies ten opsigte van hoe hulle ervarings werksbetrokkenheid en omsetbedoeling beïnvloed het. Tematiese analise is gebruik om die data te ontleed. Bevindings: Swart Afrika bestuurs- en nie-bestuurswerknemers het waargeneem dat hul geleefde ervarings rakende die sielkundige kontrak deur hul ras, tradisies en kultuur beïnvloed word. Die sleutelbevindinge het aangedui dat ervarings wat met hul kulturele waardes verband hou, tot misverstande en marginalisering lei. Persepsies van rassediskriminasie was duidelik, asook gevoelens van disrespek en onwaardeerdheid is ervaar. Deelnemers het gebroke beloftes en onvervulde verwagtinge, 'n gebrek aan erkenning en loopbaangroeigeleenthede, gedemotiveerd en onbetrokkenheid ervaar. Deelnemers beleef dat hierdie geleefde ervarings hul persepsies van hul sielkundige kontrak negatief beïnvloed. Unieke Afrika-eienskappe (bv. die gees van ubuntu, tradisionele roepings, en begrafnisse en kerkgebruike) noodsaak 'n aangepaste bestuursbenadering. Aanbevelings/waarde: Organisatoriese praktyke wat swart Afrika werknemers se kulturele waardes bevorder en respekteer, moet waar moontlik gehandhaaf word. Dit kan swart Afrika werknemers se persepsies verhoog om gerespekteer en waardeer te voel, en kan lei tot verhoogde betrokkenheidsvlakke en laer omsetvoornemens. So 'n benadering kan help om die geleefde ervarings van swart Afrika werknemers oor hul sielkundige kontraktering soos ervaar vanuit die konteks van Afrika-inheemse kennisstelsels, effektief te bestuur. Bestuursimplikasies: Bewustheid van en sensitiwiteit jeens inheemse Afrika-kennis moet ontwikkel word om die effektiewe evaluering van menslikehulpbronstrategieë en -beleide te verseker, wat daarop gerig is om swart Afrika-werknemers in die werkplek te akkommodeer. ’n Organisatoriese kultuur wat die onderskeie inheemse kulture erken en respekteer, is noodsaaklik.

Ndivho ya ngudo: Ndivho nyangaredzi ya ngudo heyi ho vha u wanulusa vhutshilo ho tshenzhelwaho nga vhashumi vha vharema vha Afrika vhane vha vha na vhubvo ha sisiṱeme dza nḓivho ya Afrika kha thendelano i songo tou ṅwalwaho, nzudzanyo ya mushumo, u ḓiimisela u litsha mushumo mushumoni. Ṱhoḓisiso yo ta arali na uri vhadzheneleli vho ṱuṱuwedzwa hani murafho na mvelele u ṱuṱuwedza tshenzhemo dze vha dzi tshila kha mafhungo hayo. Ndivho ya ngudo ya zwino ho vha u ta uri vharema vha Afrika vha re na ndivho ya vhongwaniwapo u fhindula tshenzhemo ya masiandaitwa a thendelano i songo tou ṅwalwaho kha nzudzanyo ya mushumo na u ḓiimisela u litsha mushumo mushumoni kha sekithara ya phuraivethe mushumoni. Nyolo/ngona/ kuitele: Ṱhoḓisiso yo vha ya u wanulusa na, nga zwenezwo, khwaḽithethivi na fiḽosifikhala kha vhuvha ha ṱhalutshedzo ya ngona. Kuitele kwa khwaḽithathivi kwa ṱhalutshedzo na inthaviwu dzi songo tou dzudzanywaho na dzine dza ṱoḓa ṱhalutshedzo kha u kuvhanganya data dzo tevhedzwa. Tshiṱirathedzhi tsha kuitele kwa tsumbonanguludzwa tsho bveledzwa nga vhuṱumbulitshayakhonadzeo na tsumbonanguludzwa ho sedzwa khonadzeo (N=16). Tsumbonanguludzwa dzo bveledzwa nga vhashumi vha ndangulo ya vharema vha Afrika vha tshoṱhe vha malo vhukati ha miṅwaha ya 18 na 65. Ngudo yo itwa kha tshiimiswa tsha sekithara ya phuraivethe tsha Afrika Tshipembe. Vhadzheneli vho nangwa u bva kha vhuimo ha ndangulo na vhuimo hu si ha ndangulo u vhona arali vha na kuhumbulele kwo fhambanaho nga ha thendelano i songo tou ṅwalwaho na masiandaitwa ayo kha u ḓidzhenisa mushumoni na u ḓiimisela u litsha mushumo. Ho shumiswa musaukanyo wa ḽiṅwalwa u saukanya data. Mawanwa: Vhashumi vha vhurangaphanda na vha si vha vhuranga phanda kha mawanwa a ndeme o sumbedza uri kuvhonele na tshenzhemo zwa vhashumi vha vharema vha Afrika vha re kha ndangulo na vha siho kha ndangulo zwi tshi ya kha thendelano i songo tou ṅwalwaho; u ḓidzhenisa mushumoni na u ḓiimisela u litsha mushumo zwi ṱuṱuwedzwa nga murafho, sialala na mvelele. Mawanwa mahulu o sumbeza uri tshedzhemo i tutshelana na mvelo i disa phambano kha ku pfesesele na khethululo. Ku pfesesele kwa khethululo kwo vhonala kha u di vhu dipfa ha u sa thonifhiwa na u sa takalelwa. Vhzheneleli vhari usa fulufhedzea na thembiso ya muhiri, u sa vhonwa na u huliswa mushumoni, u fhela nungo na u sa di zhenisa mushumoni zwo shela mulezhe kha mawanwa a ya. Vhazheneleli vhari, tshezhemo ya kutshilele kwo kwama ndila yavho nga dila isi ya vhudi kha ku pfesesele kwa thendelano i songo tou ṅwalwaho. Zwiṱaluli zwo fhambanaho zwa Afrika (sa tsumbo, muya wa vhuthu, minyanya, mbidzo dza vhuṅanga, mbulungo na maitele a kereke) zwo fhambana na izwo zwa vhashumi vha Vhukovhela na u ṱoḓa kuitele kwo fhambanaho kwa ndaulo. Themendelo/ndeme: Mvelele ine ya ṱanganya tshiimiswa na u livhuwa u fhambana na tshiṱirathedzhi tsha ndangulo zwi fanela u ṱahulelwa u dzhiela nṱha mirafho na mvelele dzoṱhe, hu tshi katelwa avho vhashumi vha vharema vha Afrika. Maitele a tshiimiswa ane a katela vhashumi vha mvelele dzo fhambanaho zwi fanela u dzudzwa nga hune zwa konadzea. Nga maanḓa, u dzhiela nṱha nḓivho ya vhongwaniwapo i ḓo bveledziswa u khwinisa tshenzhemo dzo tshilwaho nga vhashumi vha vharema vha Afrika zwi tshi ḓa kha thendelano i songo tou ṅwalwaho, u ḓidzhenisa mushumoni na u ḓiimisela u litsha mushumo. Tshumiso dza ndangulo: U dzhiela nṱha na u pfesesa nḓivho ya vhongwaniwapo vha Afrika zwi fanela u bveledziswa u vhona u khwaṱhisedza u ṱola ho teaho ha zwiṱirathedzhi zwa zwiko zwa vhashumi na mbekanyamaitele dzo livhiswaho kha u katela vhashumi vha vharema vha Afrika mushumoni. Mvelele ya tshiimiswa ine ya dzhiela nṱha na u ṱhonifha ndaela dzo fhambanaho dza ndaela dza vhongwaniwapo.