2017 Insights Lecture

20 June 2017

As an employee, manager, or employer, we all have had experience with formal employment contracts.  But what about the invisible ones?  Psychological contracts represent the unwritten mutual expectations between employees and employers and can be even more influential in how employees behave.  In today's competitive global economy, understanding the nature of these psychological contracts is increasingly important for effectiveness.

Based on her latest research, world-renowned international researcher Prof Jacqueline Coyle-Shapiro will discuss the difference between formal contracts and informal psychological contracts.  Join us to learn the answers to these important questions in the changing world of work: How are psychological contracts formed? Why are they so important? How do they influence employees’ satisfaction, well-being, and effectiveness? What happens when psychological contracts are breached?

Prof Coyle-Shapiro is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the London School of Economics.  She is a member of CWeX, the Innovation Co-Creation Lab and the Radical Innovation, Team Processes and Leadership Project.  For more than 20 years, Professor Coyle-Shapiro has presented and conducted research around the world on justice in organisations, psychological contracts, citizenship behaviour, and organisational change.

The Changing Nature of Work: Invisible Employee Contracts

Professor Jackie Coyle-Shapiro