Idiosyncratic Deals and Individualization of Human Resource Management Practices: The Growth of HR Differentiation

Individualized HR arrangements, one of the core examples being i-deals, have recently become increasingly employed in organizations. While the question of “what are the benefits to the recipients of i-deals” has received a degree of research interest to date, scant attention has been paid to the perspectives of co-workers who are excluded from i-deals. This chapter aims to question the extent to which i-deals generate benefits or harm relationships with co-workers based on the role of fairness and organizational culture. In specific terms, this chapter will investigate and develop a model which outlines how co-workers develop (un)fairness perceptions regarding a focal employee’s i-deals and, as a result, develop emotional reactions. In this regard, this chapter integrates and discusses the role of contextual conditions such as friendship and supportive organizational climate as potential moderators impacting on how co-workers react. The chapter closes with the critical evaluation and integration of theoretical perspectives that can inform future research on co-worker emotional reactions to i-deals.