Although research on downsizing shows inconsistent outcomes between downsizing and employee performance, organizations still use downsizing as a cost-saving strategy. This quantitative cross-sectional study explored the relationship between the perceived threat of Ghana's public sector downsizing and the performance of nonmanagement employees through the theoretical framework of Lazarus and Folkman's coping theory. Three hundred and fifty employees in 2 of Ghana's public service agencies were surveyed on their perceptions of employee productivity, absenteeism, and turnover intentions. Randomly-selected participants completed in-person questionnaires on Endicott's Work Productivity Scale, Stanford Presenteeism Scale, Janofsky's Perceived Job Alternative and Thought of Quitting Scale, and a customized survey used to assess the perceived threat of downsizing. Data were analyzed using a Pearson correlation test and multiple linear regression techniques. The results showed statistically significant relationships between the perceived threat of downsizing and employee absenteeism (p < .01) and employee productivity (p .05). As the perceived threat of downsizing increases, employee absenteeism decreases and employee productivity increases; there was, however, no statistically significant relationship with employee turnover intentions. Positive social change implications include informing public agency managers, policy makers, and scholar-practitioners about the importance of effective and efficient performance of nonmanagement employees, and the resulting public sector service delivery in Ghana.
展开▼
