Matching individuals and organizations: Evidence from the Greek public sector

Abstract

Purpose - Realizing the importance of value congruence between employees and organizations, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of person-organization (P-O) fit on employee behavior through the exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect typology within the Greek public sector. Furthermore, it tests the mediating role of job satisfaction on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach - The study took place in all three public hospitals located in a major Greek city, where 125 usable questionnaires are gathered. The statistical analyses include descriptive statistics and stepwise regression analyses. Findings - Evidence from the private sector in the field of P-O is transferable, at least to some extent, to the public sector, as the level of P-O fit increases loyalty and reduces neglect. However, job satisfaction mediates the relationship only between P-O fit and loyalty. Practical implications - In an era that a major goal for both private and public organizations is to maximize performance ensuring a compatible workforce is an imperative. It is thus highly important that human resource management policies and practices are decentralized, to allow public organizations meet economic and social challenges. Originality/value - The added value of the present paper lies in the fact that the factors related to the setting and the individual are decisive for the impact that P-O fit has on employee responses. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.