The relationship between restrictive human resource practices and salary among working professionals

Purpose: This study forces respondents to tradeoff between invasive human resource practices and salary. Design/methodology/approach: Respondents evaluated 16 calibration profiles to estimate a conjoint model among four categories: pre-employment, employment at the office, employment outside the office, and salary. Each profile included one level from the four categories. Findings: In a study of mostly full-time employees, conditions at work were paramount. Salary was second followed closely by pre-employment monitoring. Monitoring outside of the office was a distance last. Practical implications: In a tight employment market, salary may not be the deciding selection factor for employment. Originality/value: Employee monitoring is advancing dramatically and making human resource activities commonplace and invasive. This study forces respondents to confront these practices and determine whether salary can compensate for their acceptance.