Organisational climate for temporariness: Exploring employees’ shared perceptions within intra-organisational temporary forms

Several studies highlight that organisational climate can influence the impact of temporary forms within permanent organisations on employee well-being and performance. Therefore, a better understanding of employees’ shared perceptions about temporariness is critical. This article introduces a model of organisational climate for temporariness, conceptualised as employees’ shared perceptions regarding the practices, procedures, and kinds of behaviours that are valued, rewarded, and supported when temporariness is adopted within permanent organisations. It draws on a qualitative study based on focus groups conducted in an advanced medium-sized manufacturing company applying projects and other temporary arrangements. The findings highlight how employees make sense of temporariness in four main areas. These include their perceptions of the coherence between organisational values and external requests for temporariness, how the increased coordination complexity is managed, how role changes and skill development are supported, and how the organisation responds to the psychosocial strains of temporariness ensuring job security and social support. This study contributes to project management literature by recognising the central role of employee perceptions in temporary organising. It provides a structured framework that enables project managers to understand, monitor, and manage these perceptions, thus supporting both well-being and performance in temporary organisations and project-based contexts within permanent organisations.