Realistic job previews (RJP) is an area of employee recruitment that has been the beneficiary of significant and extensive interest and research, over many decades (Breaugh, 1983; Breaugh & Starke, 2000; Saks, Wiesner, & Summers, 1994; Wanous, 1973). RJP are designed to provide an applicant with pertinent positive, negative or neutral information relating to the job being applied for (Buckley, Fedor, Carraher, Frink, & Marvin, 1997), with the intention of affecting positive outcomes for increased job satisfaction, performance and commitment while reducing voluntary turnover and associated hiring attrition costs (Phillips, 1998; Morse & Popovich, 2009); achieving mutual gain for both individual and organisation (Baur, Buckley, Bagdasarov, &
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Forewarning employees of potential on-the-job stresses affords them scope to anticipate these potentially difficult situations and be proactively prepared with prehearsed coping strategies (Breaugh, 1983). Buckley, et al. (2002) concur with this hypothesis given stressors occur in any work situation and knowledge of their anticipation propels an individual to proactively reduce their negative impact through use of coping techniques. However, in later research reported by Breaugh (2008), an applicant’s ability to cope with situations in the future, where they have little experience, is questioned. Despite an employer providing accurate information in the RJP, an employee is not able to accurately predict their future reactions to that situation and therefore, are less able to invoke appropriate coping mechanisms. Hom, et al. (1998) elucidate further on this research, observing that some applicants who had received an RJP, worried more about anticipated stressing situations even though they did not …show more content…
When recruiting, most organisations focus on their positive attributes that will attract prospective applicants. Presentation of these aspects without willingness to balance attractiveness with less positive or neutral information, can contribute to an employee’s sense of disillusion with their employer when expecations are not met once employment has commenced, leading to lower satisfaction and poorer retention (Buckley et al., 1997). By contrast, an employee who perceives they have been treated with honesty and trust through administration of an RJP, may consider their employer as concerned for their well-being and reciprocate with organisational commitment, reducing intention to leave (Dugoni & Ilgen, 1981). Wanous (1973) states that an RJP is most effective when administered to applicants prior to employment acceptance. This statement supports the notion of an employer treating an applicant with honesty as the applicant then has a greater sense of choice in regard to their employment choice, hence garnering increased organisation commitment and retention (Breaugh,
Forewarning employees of potential on-the-job stresses affords them scope to anticipate these potentially difficult situations and be proactively prepared with prehearsed coping strategies (Breaugh, 1983). Buckley, et al. (2002) concur with this hypothesis given stressors occur in any work situation and knowledge of their anticipation propels an individual to proactively reduce their negative impact through use of coping techniques. However, in later research reported by Breaugh (2008), an applicant’s ability to cope with situations in the future, where they have little experience, is questioned. Despite an employer providing accurate information in the RJP, an employee is not able to accurately predict their future reactions to that situation and therefore, are less able to invoke appropriate coping mechanisms. Hom, et al. (1998) elucidate further on this research, observing that some applicants who had received an RJP, worried more about anticipated stressing situations even though they did not …show more content…
When recruiting, most organisations focus on their positive attributes that will attract prospective applicants. Presentation of these aspects without willingness to balance attractiveness with less positive or neutral information, can contribute to an employee’s sense of disillusion with their employer when expecations are not met once employment has commenced, leading to lower satisfaction and poorer retention (Buckley et al., 1997). By contrast, an employee who perceives they have been treated with honesty and trust through administration of an RJP, may consider their employer as concerned for their well-being and reciprocate with organisational commitment, reducing intention to leave (Dugoni & Ilgen, 1981). Wanous (1973) states that an RJP is most effective when administered to applicants prior to employment acceptance. This statement supports the notion of an employer treating an applicant with honesty as the applicant then has a greater sense of choice in regard to their employment choice, hence garnering increased organisation commitment and retention (Breaugh,