Exploring the new psychological contract at work for engineers and technical professionals

The psychological contract consists of mutual expectations employers and employees have of each other. Even though these expectations may never be spoken, they do exist and have a tangible impact on the relationship between employees and their firms. When the expectations of either side are not fulfilled, the contract is nullified, and resentment results. Psychological contracts differ from legal contracts because they focus on the dynamic relationship of employee-employer. The actions of both parties mutually influence this social covenant. If perceived violations are not addressed, years of trust, loyalty and commitment can be destroyed. Therefore, it is essential that the existence of the psychological contract be recognized, and that both parties maintain an active dialog as conditions change. In this paper we describe our work with a firm that hires mostly engineers and other technical professionals. The leadership of this firm has recognized that major factors influencing its ability to grow and succeed is the recruitment, development, retention, and bonding of its valuable professionals. In response to their request for help, we explored the concept of the psychological contract with members of the organization, developed an explicit contract with the help of the firm´s twenty person leadership group, and then conducted a dialog with the organization´s members. We describe our findings and how the firm is making use of them