Jarlath Duffy - Change from Within

Inadvertent violation occurs when both parties are willing and able to keep their part of the bargain, but conflicting interpretations lead one party to act in a manner at odds with the understanding of the other.

It is the interpretation of the cause or source of these types of violation which influences how the violation is experienced and consequently how the victims behave in response. Without discounting the potential importance of contract violation, many workers may have poor contracts, both formal employment contracts and psychological contracts, from the outset and it is the content of these rather than any violation of promises made that is the major source of dissatisfaction with the contract process.

Most employees feel that their psychological contracts have been violated in some way by their employer at some time. Violations are most commonly concerned with training and development, pay and benefits, and promotion opportunities. When employees feel that their employer has violated their psychological contract they are, not surprisingly, inclined to feel less sense of obligation and less commitment to their employing organisation. An employer's failure to fulfil their obligations can have a long-term impact on subsequent employee citizenship behaviour. Because contracts are continually being created and sustained, organisations and employees make accommodations for many inadvertent violations. Misunderstandings may be ignored and some remedied by rationalisation.

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