While there is extensive literature on the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employees, limited research takes an "inside-out" approach to explore employees' internal perspectives that shape their expectations of CSR. Based on psychological contract theory, this study examines employee expectations of employee-centred corporate social responsibility practices within the Nigerian oil industry. Twenty-five employees were interviewed across four public and private oil companies employees using semi-structured interviews within an interpretive paradigm. Thematic analysis revealed seven key categories of expectations: training, career progression, healthcare, infrastructure, employee involvement, employment security, and work-life balance. Unique context-specific expectations emerged, such as preferences for informal training driven by the African Ubuntu tradition. Public sector employees expressed greater infrastructure deprivations, while private sector counterparts sought ergonomic improvements. Despite assumptions about high power distance cultures, all employees articulated an interest in involvement in decision-making. Disparities were evident regarding employment security and gender-specific work-life balance expectations. Diverse factors shaped expectations, including peer benchmarking and individual exigencies like employability and healthcare. The study provides managers with critical insights into employees' localised expectations to enhance commitment and retention. It contributes novel empirical and theoretical insights into EC-CSR practices from an underrepresented African context.
