Perceived Organizational Support Scale
Also known as: POSS, POS Scale, Eisenberger Organizational Support
The Perceived Organizational Support Scale (POSS) measures employees' beliefs about the degree to which their employing organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being. Developed by Eisenberger and colleagues in 1986, it is a foundational construct in organizational psychology that predicts employee engagement, commitment, and performance. The scale is grounded in social exchange theory and reciprocity norms.
Key highlights
- Strong theoretical grounding in social exchange theory and reciprocity, with consistent support across 35+ years of research.
- Excellent predictive validity for employee outcomes: organizational commitment, job satisfaction, performance, and reduced turnover.
- Widely adopted across industries and cultures, with validated translations in 20+ languages.
- Both comprehensive (36-item) and brief (8-item) versions available, enabling flexible deployment in research and practice.
- High internal consistency (Cronbach α typically 0.90–0.97) and test-retest reliability.
Intuition
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How it works
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When to use it
The POSS is invaluable for organizational surveys, employee engagement assessments, and human resources research. Use it to evaluate the effectiveness of support programs, predict turnover risk, or understand employee commitment. It is especially useful when organizational change, policy modification, or management transitions may affect how supported employees feel. The 8-item version is preferable in high-volume surveys where respondent burden is a concern.
Strengths & limitations
- Strong theoretical grounding in social exchange theory and reciprocity, with consistent support across 35+ years of research.
- Excellent predictive validity for employee outcomes: organizational commitment, job satisfaction, performance, and reduced turnover.
- Widely adopted across industries and cultures, with validated translations in 20+ languages.
- Both comprehensive (36-item) and brief (8-item) versions available, enabling flexible deployment in research and practice.
- High internal consistency (Cronbach α typically 0.90–0.97) and test-retest reliability.
- Self-report format is vulnerable to common method bias and social desirability; employees may overstate or understate perceptions based on recent events.
- Does not distinguish between forms of support (emotional, instrumental, informational), potentially obscuring which organizational behaviors matter most.
- Temporal stability varies; perceptions can shift rapidly following negative or positive organizational events (layoffs, bonuses, leadership changes).
- Cultural differences in expectations of organizational care mean cutoffs and interpretations are not universally equivalent.
Common pitfalls
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Applications
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Frequently asked
What is the difference between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction?
Job satisfaction measures contentment with the work itself, supervisors, and pay. Perceived organizational support is broader, reflecting beliefs about whether the organization as a whole cares about employee well-being. An employee can be satisfied with their job but perceive low organizational support if the company appears indifferent to broader workforce issues.
Should we use the 36-item or 8-item version?
The 8-item version (POSS-8) is highly correlated with the full scale and is recommended for routine organizational surveys or time-constrained settings. Use the 36-item version for research focused specifically on organizational support, when depth and nuance are prioritized over brevity.
What organizational score indicates 'healthy' perceived support?
Organizations averaging >65% of the maximum scale score (e.g., >130 on a 36-item 1–5 scale) typically report high engagement and retention. Scores below 50% often precede turnover and engagement decline. However, score interpretation should account for industry norms and comparison peer groups.
Can POS be measured at the department level, or must it be organization-wide?
The POSS is sensitive to both organizational and departmental context. Departments with the same company can show substantially different POS scores reflecting local management quality and resource allocation. Measuring by department reveals variation that organization-level aggregates would mask.
Is the POSS proprietary, or can we use it freely?
The POSS is published in a peer-reviewed journal and is not proprietary. You may administer it freely in research and organizational settings. Citation of Eisenberger et al. (1986) or Rhoades & Eisenberger (2002) is required.
Sources
- 1.Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3), 500–507.
- 2.Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 698–714.
- 3.Caesens, G., & Stinglhamber, F. (2014). The relationship between perceived organizational support and work engagement: The role of self-efficacy and its outcomes. European Review of Applied Psychology, 64(5), 259–267.
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Cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Perceived Organizational Support Scale. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/organizational-behavior/perceived-organizational-support