Multiple commitments at work and extrarole behavior during three stages of organizational tenure

This study examines the relationships among multiple commitments at work and extrarole behavior during three stages of organizational tenure. Initially, factor analysis identified four facets of commitment: top management, supervisors, coworkers, and customers. Utilizing these four facets of commitment and the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, regression analysis found that neither organizational commitment nor any facet of commitment was significantly related to extrarole behavior for respondents with 2 or less years of organizational tenure. In contrast, commitment to proximal supervisors and organizational commitment exhibited significant positive relationships with extrarole behavior for those with between 2 and 8 years of organizational tenure. Finally, commitment to immediate supervisors was a positive correlate of extrarole behavior for respondents with the highest organizational tenure (more than 8 years); however, commitment to top management was a negative correlate of extrarole behavior for this high tenure group. Implications of these results are discussed.