| Abstract: | The effort‐reward imbalance (ERI) model in the workplace (Siegrist, 1996 ) suggests that inequity of rewards contributes to a degradation of mental health through a process of devaluation. The objective of our study is to test this hypothesis empirically. Data were collected from 659 agents in three call centres located in the province of Quebec. A bootstrap mediation test show that perceived inequity with respect to rewards (recognition, promotion, job security) affects the level of psychological distress through the perception of being valued by the organization. Perceived inequity affects mental health because it signals to workers the extent to which they are valued by their organization. Our correlational study provides evidence of the internal validity of the ERI model. Copyright © 2017 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
