An evaluation of the effects involuntary furloughs have on federal government employees in the areas of organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior

As the U.S. congress searches for ways to remain proficient while cutting expenditures in an effort to decrease the federal deficit, federal government employee furloughs could become more widely implemented. In order to sustain productivity within the U.S. federal government while implementing furloughs, scholars and practitioners could benefit from a better understanding of how furloughs effect the organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior of U.S. federal government employees. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect federally mandated furloughs have on the organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior of U.S. federal government employees. A non-experimental survey study was conducted on a sample of U.S. federal government civilian employees and active duty military employees to determine the effect furloughs had on employee organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior. The results of the study revealed that furloughs have a statistically significant negative effect on the organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior of U.S. federal government employees. By identifying the negative effect furloughs have on the organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior of U.S. federal government employees scholars can use the knowledge gained from this study to further the understanding of furloughs implemented within the U.S. federal government. Practitioners can use the information gained from this study in the development of managerial practices to offset the negative impacts of furloughs implemented within U.S. federal government agencies.