Outsourcing transitions and the employment relationship implications

Drawing on three longitudinal case studies involving the outsourcing of public leisure services, this paper explores the work transitions of staff as they transfer from one organisation to another using a three-phase analytical framework. The obtained findings confirm the idea that outsourcing can be a difficult transition to go through, with losses occurring in relation to terms and conditions of employment. However, they also show how such changes can occur alongside the development of seemingly positive employment relationships with the new employer that challenge the view that the employment effects of public service outsourcing are invariably perceived in a negative light by employees. In doing so, the study’s findings are seen to point towards the value of exploring outsourcing related work transitions longitudinally and through the lens of the adopted analytical framework. They are also seen to have implications for how such transitions are theorised and managed, including in relation to the role of line managers, and for future research.

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Mitchell, I., and James, P. (2017) Outsourcing transitions and the employment relationship implications. Human Resource Management Journal, 27: 614–629. doi: 10.1111/1748-8583.12146, which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12146. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

Special Issue: Employer Engagement