Professionalism in a changing work environment: Exploring the development and implications of academics' psychological contracts.

While research has indicated that psychological contracts can have a considerable impact upon workplace relations and employee work performance, research on the development, detail and impact of the psychological contracts formed by university academics has been limited and variable in terms of findings. This paper discusses findings from exploratory research that aimed to partially redress this relative lack of knowledge about the formation, content and effects of psychological contracts formed by academics. We argue that in the current university environment, the formation and content of psychological contracts are of increasing importance with regard to levels of employee trust, satisfaction, commitment, motivation, and teaching and research outcomes. Further, our research indicates that many of the potentially detrimental effects of psychological contract violation can be ameliorated, and even avoided, by ensuring that employer and employee perceptions of 'obligations' are congruent.