Commitment to change: Profiles of commitment and in‐role performance

Organisational commitment is a desired outcome of human resource management (HRM) strategies given its links to positive attitudes and behaviour in the pursuit of change. The organisation, however, is just one of several foci for employee commitment and this paper explores the links between multiple commitments and employee behaviour. Cluster analysis of data from public accountants identified four main commitment profiles. Private sector accountants also showed profiles 1 and 4 together with a cluster showing commitment to the work group only and a cluster showing commitment to the supervisor only. Profiles explained variation in behaviour aimed at task achievement and innovation for public but not private accountants. Behaviour was highest for profile 1. HRM strategies need to look beyond organisational commitment and engender commitment to other foci in order to win the behaviour required to support successful change programmes.