Deepika Pandita

The poem delves deeper into the aspect of sums and figures that lies a human element, such as hopes, dreams and the toil of individuals. In essence, this

Purpose: The current study intends to assess how relational psychological contracts are linked to psychological safety, as well as the role of psychological safety in mitigating relational contract breaches and workplace conflicts. Design/methodology/approach: Data collection was based on a cross-sectional design involving 266 service sector professionals from the Indian cities of Pune and Mumbai. Data were analysed by employing the partial least squares structural equation modeling technique with the help of SmartPLS 4.0 software. Findings: The results outline that relational psychological contracts and relational contract breaches are positively and negatively associated with psychological safety, respectively. Furthermore, relational contract breaches are positively linked to relationship as well as task conflicts, and the mediating role of relationship conflict between relational contract breaches and task conflicts has also been evidenced. Research limitations/implications: Although studies have assessed how workplace conflicts may cause psychological contract breaches, this study is one of the pioneering studies taking into consideration how relational contract breaches may progress into relationship as well as task conflicts. Thus, this study offers several theoretical implications by unveiling critical variables that trigger workplace conflicts. Originality/value: Through a holistic understanding of psychological contract breaches, organisations can focus on fostering open and transparent communication channels by attempting to align employees’ expectations with organisational commitments. Additionally, although the literature on conflicts has explored the co-occurrence of task and relationship conflicts, this study sheds light on the nuances of psychological contracts and workplace conflicts by exploring the mediating role of relationship conflicts between relational contract breaches and task conflicts.

In May 2021, Diamond Glass Works, an established glass manufacturing company located in Mumbai, India, faced challenges in informal communication due to a strong emphasis on promoting a professional culture among the employees. Misinterpretations during lockdowns due to the usage of e-mails and other official tools created tensions. Failure to communicate informally led to misunderstandings, escalated tensions during lockdown periods and the realization that the current communication structure did not meet the company’s needs. This problem was noticed earlier in 2018 when Husain identified that people are not engaged much in informal communication due to overemphasized task performance. Understanding that stronger internal connections and engagement are required, Husain created the Internal Communication and Engagement (ICE) programme. As a part of the ICE programme, ‘GlassyConnect’ was established as an intranet social media platform through which employees could freely communicate, collaborate and socially interact. Despite these possibilities, the programme faced many challenges in its implementation. The employees complained that switching between the different platforms was complex, and they could not understand why there was a need for GlassyConnect when alternatives such as e-mail were available. By early 2019, the use of the programme had begun to decrease. When the pandemic aggravated the communication issues in 2021, Husain considered bringing back the ICE programme. He considered that GlassyConnect could now play a crucial role in enhancing interconnectedness. However, he was curious to know the factors that led to the programme’s failure in the first place. In response to these challenges, Husain pondered how to bridge the widening communication divide, relaunch the ICE programme or opt for other possibilities to boost employee engagement at Diamond Glass Works.