Abstract
Purpose
In recognising the weakness of trade unions and the lack of an institutional framework designed to enforce employee rights in an African context, this study examines the extent to which HR practitioners are perceived by key stakeholders to be playing the role of employee advocate.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative data set is derived from a sample of 305 respondents (95 HR practitioners, 121 line managers, and 89 employees) from Malawi.
Findings
Despite the challenges of the context, HR practitioners are perceived by key stakeholders (including line managers and employees) to be playing the role of employee advocate. Standard multiple regression results indicate that the main factor contributing to the perception that HR practitioners are playing this role is their contribution to ‘motivating employees’.
Research limitations/implications
The study was conducted in Malawi. Further research is necessary to explore the generalizability of the findings to other contexts.
Originality/value
The findings provide an empirical base for future studies which explore perceptions of the employee advocacy role undertaken by HR practitioners in Africa
In recognising the weakness of trade unions and the lack of an institutional framework designed to enforce employee rights in an African context, this study examines the extent to which HR practitioners are perceived by key stakeholders to be playing the role of employee advocate.
Design/methodology/approach
The quantitative data set is derived from a sample of 305 respondents (95 HR practitioners, 121 line managers, and 89 employees) from Malawi.
Findings
Despite the challenges of the context, HR practitioners are perceived by key stakeholders (including line managers and employees) to be playing the role of employee advocate. Standard multiple regression results indicate that the main factor contributing to the perception that HR practitioners are playing this role is their contribution to ‘motivating employees’.
Research limitations/implications
The study was conducted in Malawi. Further research is necessary to explore the generalizability of the findings to other contexts.
Originality/value
The findings provide an empirical base for future studies which explore perceptions of the employee advocacy role undertaken by HR practitioners in Africa
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2-15 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Employee Relations |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 7 Jan 2019 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 |
Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms
- Global Development Institute
