| Networking behaviors have never been more important to today's employees. Organizational changes resulting from the dismantling of life-long employment contracts, globalization, and technological advancements along with individual shifts towards protean and boundaryless career mindsets have elevated the importance of interpersonal relationships. This study examines internal and external networking behaviors and what association these behaviors may have to career success and work attitudes. Career success measures of salary, bonus pay, promotion, and career satisfaction along with work attitude measures of job satisfaction and organizational commitment are examined. Survey responses of 335 Heath System managers attending a leadership retreat session indicated that internal and external networking behaviors were related to both career success and work attitudes. Hierarchical regression results indicated that internal networking behaviors were positively related with number of promotions, career satisfaction, job satisfaction, affective commitment, and normative commitment. External networking behaviors showed a positive relationship with bonus pay and a marginal relationship with annual salary along with a negative relationship with normative commitment. An unexpected negative relationship between external networking behaviors and number of promotions was also found. Results are explored and implications for managers and directions for future research are discussed. |
