It’s the work climate that keeps me here: the perceived HRM process and emergent factors

In this paper, we extend Bowen and Ostroff’s (2004, 2016) model by identifying organisation-specific emergent factors that support the formation of climate consensus. We explore how the HRM process is perceived, how emergent factors shape these perceptions and how the climate consensus is formed thereby. Previous researchers have provided little knowledge about whether emergent factors override the HRM process and replace it in building climate consensus, or whether the HRM process negates the emergent factors. In this study, we illustrate how the HRM process and emergent factors construct individual perceptions that support or hinder the formation of climate consensus. This approach is relevant, as little is known about the interplay between perceived HRM and emergent factors in the formation of climate consensus. We also take part in the recent HRM performance discussion in which employee perceptions are the centre of attention. We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews in two recently reorganised case organisations operating in the field of IT services and collected material, including information about their HRM systems. We also recorded out observations whilst visiting the organisations. Our results reveal that certain emergent factors can override the HRM process; further, these emergent factors shape the perceptions of the HRM process.