Idiosyncratic deals: Testing propositions on timing, content, and the employment relationship

This study tests propositions regarding idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) in a sample of N = 265 hospital employees using structural equation modeling. Timing and content of idiosyncratic employment arrangements are postulated to have differential consequences for the nature of the employment relationship. Results confirm that i-deals made after hire have greater impact on the employment relationship than those made ex ante. Developmental i-deals are positively related to perceiving employment as a social exchange rather than an economic exchange, whereas work hour i-deals show the opposite pattern. Implications for research and practice are discussed.