Uncovering curvilinearity in the organizational tenure-job performance relationship : A moderated mediation model of continuance commitment and motivational job characteristics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to posit a curvilinear relationship between organizational tenure and various facets of job performance. So far, theoretical explanations of such curvilinearity have been inconclusive and ambiguous. The current study draws from literature on organizational commitment to present an additional psychoeconomic explanation for curvilinearity. Further, it brings together job design, job stage, and conservation resource models to investigate moderation effects of motivational job characteristics on the organizational tenure-job performance relationship. Design/methodology/approach It is a longitudinal field study at two time periods using a sample of employees ( n =679) in 19 job profiles from 13 different public sector organizations. Findings The current study found a mediated curvilinear relationship between organizational tenure and job performance from continuance commitment. The data show moderation effects of motivational job characteristics on the mediated curvilinear organizational tenure-job performance relationship. Originality/value Prior research based on industrial and business organizations provides substantial evidence to expect a curvilinear relationship between organizational tenure and job performance. That is, after an employee has spent a considerable amount of time in an organization and learned virtually all aspects of the job, further organizational tenure may cease to produce additional job performance improvements. However, scholars predicting curvilinear relationship have focused predominately on empirical verification with inconclusive and ambiguous theoretical explications. Therefore, the aim of the present study is twofold. First, it attempts to describe the ambiguous relationship between organizational tenure and job performance by examining the mechanism behind curvilinearity. Second, it examines motivational job characteristics as possible moderators that may affect the relationship.