Organizational Justice: A Review of the Literature
Organizational justice, or the perceived fairness of a workplace, is a critical determinant of employee well-being, organizational commitment, and job performance. This review of the literature examines the concept of organizational justice and its three main components: distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Additionally, the influence of organizational justice on employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, turnover intention, and performance is discussed. Finally, potential implications for practitioners and areas for future research are discussed.
Introduction
Organizational justice, or the perceived fairness of an organization, is a critical factor in employee well-being. Research indicates that employees who perceive their workplace as just and fair are more likely to be satisfied with their job and remain committed to their organization (Colquitt, Conlon, Wesson, Porter, & Ng, 2001). Additionally, organizational justice has been found to be associated with increased job performance (Leventhal, 1980). Given the importance of organizational justice, it is essential to review the literature to gain a comprehensive understanding of the concept and its implications for practitioners.
Organizational Justice
Organizational justice is the perception of fairness in the workplace. It is a multi-faceted concept that includes several components: distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice (Colquitt et al., 2001).
Distributive Justice
Distributive justice is the perception of fairness in the outcomes people receive from their organization. It is the belief that rewards are allocated equitably and that people receive what they deserve according to their effort and performance (Greenberg, 1993).
Procedural Justice
Procedural justice is the perception of fairness in the processes used to make decisions. It is the belief that decisions are made using fair and transparent processes (Greenberg, 1993).
Interactional Justice
Interactional justice is the perception of fairness in the interactions between people. It is the belief that these interactions are respectful and that people are treated with dignity (Greenberg, 1993).
Influence of Organizational Justice on Employee Outcomes
Organizational justice has been linked to a number of employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, turnover intention, and performance.
Job Satisfaction
Organizational justice has been found to be positively associated with job satisfaction (Colquitt et al., 2001). Employees who perceive their workplace as just and fair are more likely to be satisfied with their job.
Turnover Intention
Organizational justice has been found to be inversely associated with turnover intention (Colquitt et al., 2001). Employees who perceive their workplace as just and fair are less likely to have the intention to leave their organization.
Performance
Organizational justice has been found to be positively associated with performance (Leventhal, 1980). Employees who perceive their workplace as just and fair are more likely to be motivated to perform at a high level.
Implications for Practitioners
Organizational justice is a critical factor in employee well-being. Practitioners should strive to ensure that their workplace is perceived as just and fair. This can be accomplished by focusing on the three components of organizational justice: distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Additionally, practitioners should consider the influence of organizational justice on employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, turnover intention, and performance.
Conclusion
Organizational justice is a critical factor in employee well-being and job performance. This review of the literature examined the concept of organizational justice and its three main components: distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Additionally, the influence of organizational justice on employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, turnover intention, and performance was discussed. Practitioners should strive to ensure that their workplace is perceived as just and fair in order to promote employee well-being and performance. Future research should explore the influence of organizational justice on other employee outcomes such as engagement and motivation.
References
Colquitt, J. A., Conlon, D. E., Wesson, M. J., Porter, C. O. L. H., & Ng, K. Y. (2001). Justice at the millennium: A meta-analytic review of 25 years of organizational justice research. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 425- 445.
Greenberg, J. (1993). The social side of fairness: Interpersonal and informational classes of organizational justice. In R. Cropanzano (Ed.), Justice in the workplace: Approaching fairness in human resource management (pp. 79-103). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Leventhal, G. S. (1980). What should be done with equity theory? New approaches to the study of fairness in social relationships. In K. Gergen, M. Greenberg, & R. Willis (Eds.), Social exchange: Advances in theory and research (pp. 27-55). New York, NY: Plenum.