CONFLICT MANAGEMENT The Psychology of conflict and conflict ...

338 OLSON-BUCHANAN AND BOSWELL
ratings, high absenteeism, and high turnover (e.g., Boroff & Lewin, 1997;
Klaas & DeNisi, 1989; Lewin, 1987; Lewin & Peterson, 1999). The general
conclusion from this research is that employees are “punished” for filing
a complaint, as reflected by postdispute outcomes.
A recent study by Boswell and Olson-Buchanan (2004) suggested ODR
systems play a more neutral role in individual outcomes and simply
experiencing the dispute could account for the outcomes noted in prior
research. Specifically, Boswell and Olson-Buchanan compared individuals
who experienced a dispute but did not use a formal ODR system with
individuals who experienced a dispute and did use a formal ODR system.
They found that, as a whole, individuals who experienced a dispute
reported similarly high employee work withdrawal behaviors and turnover
intent, regardless of whether a grievance was filed. This suggested
the negative outcomes attributed to ODR usage in previous research, in
fact, could stem from the original dispute, rather than the ODR system
that was used to resolve the dispute.
Interestingly, research conducted in a laboratory setting (Olson-Buchanan,
1996) suggested that grievance systems can have favorable consequences.
Olson-Buchanan found that participants who experienced unfair treatment
and filed a grievance had higher job performance (measured in quality
and quantity) and lower turnover intent relative to other participants
who experienced mistreatment but did not file a grievance. That is, Olson-
Buchanan showed that a laboratory-based grievance system had the potential
to mitigate some of the generally negative effects of being involved in
a dispute.
Research at the individual level of analysis has generally focused on
consequences of using an organization’s multilevel appeal system (or
grievance system) with much fewer studies examining the consequences
of using other ODR systems. One exception was Olson-Buchanan and
Boswell’s (2002) study on the effect of the “formality” of the voice mechanism
used on retention-related constructs. They found that use of more
informal voice mechanisms (e.g., communicating directly with the other
party directly or seeking the assistance of a neutral third party) associated
with lower intent to quit and less job search activity compared with more
formal voice mechanisms (e.g., filing a grievance or seeking assistance
from an outside agency or attorney). Interestingly, employees who used an
informal voice method were no more likely to job search or intend to leave
the organization than those who reported mistreatment yet chose not to
voice through any means (informal or formal). This latter finding suggests
that utilizing more informal ODR methods has no effect on promoting
employee retention than if the employee simply did nothing (e.g., “suffered
in silence,” Boroff & Lewin, 1997) in response to feeling discontent.
Taken together, research at the organizational and individual level
indicates that while firms adopting ODR procedures are likely to experience
positive outcomes (e.g., lower turnover rates), there is at least some
evidence that actually using an organization’s ODR system (grievance