Organizational Changes and Job Satisfaction among Support Staff

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to identify job satisfaction amongst support staff employed by a nonprofit company undergoing organizational changes. The Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) scale was used to measure overall job satisfaction and was conducted among 38 workers and the data was analyzed using content analysis. The findings indicate that workers were satisfied with some sections of their job but also dissatisfied with some others, scoring an average job satisfaction amongst the participating groups. Factors such as good relations with colleagues, training opportunities, and work flexibility were identified to assist with increasing worker satisfaction. Further suggestions for enhancing employees’ job satisfaction are provided.     

职业变动中的下岗女工

在当代中国社会的转型过程中,处于职业变动中的下岗女工是一个尤其值得关注的社会弱势群体。从职业变动的视角出发,围绕下岗这一职业变动的重要事件对下岗女工进行了新的探讨,包括女工下岗的原因、下岗对女工心理和生活的影响、下岗女工再就业的情况等。在此基础上,提出了帮助下岗女工从容应对职业变动、努力实现再就业的相关对策建议,期望有助于引领下岗女工进行积极的职业变动。     

On the psychological and motivational processes linking job characteristics to employee functioning: Insights from self-determination theory

The aim of this study was to provide insight into the differential relationships between job characteristics (job demands and resources) and employee functioning by examining the psychological and motivational processes involved. Drawing on self-determination theory, we tested a model in which job demands are positively related to negative manifestations of employee functioning (psychological distress and psychosomatic complaints) through psychological need frustration and low-quality work motivation (controlled motivation), whereas job resources are positively related to positive manifestations of employee functioning (work engagement and job performance) through need satisfaction and high-quality work motivation (autonomous motivation). Data were collected from 699 Canadian nurses. Structural equation modelling (SEM) results support the proposed model: psychological needs and work motivation partially mediated the relationship between job characteristics and employee functioning. Specifically, job demands negatively predicted employee functioning (high distress and psychosomatic complaints, low engagement and performance) through need frustration and controlled motivation. In contrast, while positively predicting need satisfaction and negatively predicting need frustration, job resources fostered optimal work motivation (more autonomous and less controlled motivation) and employee functioning. The implications for self-determination theory (SDT) and research on occupational health and stress are discussed.     

Drivers of job satisfaction in midwifery—A work design approach

BackgroundIdentifying common factors that influence job satisfaction for midwives working in diverse work settings is challenging. Applying a work design model developed in organisational behaviour to the midwifery context may help identify key antecedents of midwives job satisfaction.AimTo investigate three job characteristics – decision-making autonomy, empowerment, and professional recognition as antecedents of job satisfaction in New Zealand (NZ) midwives.MethodsLatent multiple regressions were performed on data from Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwives n = 327, employed midwives n = 255, and midwives working in ‘mixed-roles’ n = 123.FindingsWe found that professional recognition is positively linked to job satisfaction for midwives in all three work settings. At the same time, decision-making autonomy and empowerment were shown to influence job satisfaction for midwives working as LMCs only.DiscussionOur main finding suggests that the esteem generated from being acknowledged as an expert and valuable contributor by maternity health colleagues is satisfying across all work contexts. Professional recognition encompasses the social dimension of midwifery work and influences midwives job satisfaction. Decision-making autonomy and empowerment are task and relational job characteristics that may not be similarly experienced by all midwives to noticeably influence job satisfaction.ConclusionGiven that job satisfaction contributes to recruitment, retention, and sustainability, our findings show that drivers of job satisfaction differ by midwifery work context. We present evidence to support tailored efforts to bolster midwives job satisfaction, especially where resources are limited.     

Factors associated with midwives’ job satisfaction and experience of work: a cross-sectional survey of midwives in a tertiary maternity hospital in Melbourne,Australia

BackgroundSignificant factors affecting the Australian maternity care context include an ageing, predominantly part-time midwifery workforce, increasingly medicalised maternity care, and women with more complex health/social needs. This results in challenges for the maternity care system. There is a lack of understanding of midwives’ experiences and job satisfaction in this context.AimTo explore factors affecting Australian midwives’ job satisfaction and experience of work.MethodsIn 2017 an online cross-sectional questionnaire was used to survey midwives employed in a tertiary hospital. Data collected included characteristics, work roles, hours, midwives’ views and experiences of their job. The Midwifery Process Questionnaire was used to measure midwives’ satisfaction in four domains: Professional Satisfaction, Professional Support, Client Interaction and Professional Development. Data were analysed as a whole, then univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses conducted to explore any associations between each domain, participant characteristics and other relevant factors.FindingsThe overall survey response rate was 73% (302/411), with 96% (255/266) of permanently employed midwives responding. About half (53%) had a negative attitude about their Professional Support and Client Interaction (49%), and 21% felt negatively about Professional Development. The majority felt positively regarding Professional Satisfaction (85%). The main factors that impacted midwives’ satisfaction was inadequate acknowledgment from the organisation and needing more support to fulfil their current role.ConclusionFocus on leadership and mentorship around appropriate acknowledgement and support may impact positively on midwives’ satisfaction and experiences of work. A larger study could explore how widespread these findings are in the Australian maternity care setting.     

A conceptual framework for the study of work and mental health

Abstract

The key features which influence mental health both in jobs and unemployment are brought together within a single perspective. Three principal axes of affective well-being are identified as warranting investigation, and it is suggested that nine environmental features are of primary importance. The impact of these features on mental health is viewed as analogous to the influence of vitamins on physical health, with an explicit non-linearity in the relationship. This ‘vitamin model’ is extended to permit examination of individual differences (for example, in terms of baseline values and specific matching characteristics), and empirical evidence is summarized. It is concluded from previous research that job features do not interact synergistically in relation to employee well-being, although this possibility may not yet have been adequately tested. The framework is suggested to be adequately comprehensive, but, as is the case with other models, it requires development in respect of the specific mechanisms operating between environmental features and mental health.     

Relations between stressors and group perceptions: Main and mediating effects

Most orgnizations these days utilize groups for the performance of at least some tasks. There is therefore a need to examine the relationthip between job stressors and group functioning. Until now it has been proposed that employees who perceive high levels of stress in their jobs will have negative perceptions of the groups in which they work, in the form of reduced altruism and collective efficacy. They may also have higher levels of psychological strain. This study examined relations between job-related stressors and group perceptions (collective efficacy 3rd the prevalence of altruistic behaviour) in a sample of 2403 mililitary personnel, comprising 31 companies in two US Anny combat brigades. We also examined whether group perceptions mediated the relationship between stressors and both job satisfaction and subjective well-being. Results indicated that stressors were negatively associated with measures of group perceptions, and both job satisfiction and well-being. Furthermore, mediated regression analyses suggested that relations between interpersonal conflict and both job satitfaction and well-being were partially mediated by both group perception measures. These finding suggest that work-related stressors may negatively impact on group functioning, which may lead to employee strains. Implications of these finding are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research.     

The Job Demands-Job Control Model and absence behaviour: results of a 3-year longitudinal study

Empirical results of earlier studies only marginally supported the relevance of Karasek's Job Demands-Job Control Model for absence behaviour. Since longitudinal studies with respect to these relations were largely lacking, a four-wave panel study was carried out using data from 1755 male employees of a technical maintenance firm in the public sector. Job demands, job control, physical working conditions, and the employee's age, education, and health were measured in one year and absenteeism in the same year and in the next 3 years. Data were analysed with linear regression and Poisson regression techniques. The Poisson regression technique was superior to the linear regression technique in explaining absence. Age, health and prior absence were the best predictors of later absence behaviour. With respect to the Job Demands-Job Control Model, the main findings of the study were (1) that job control was significantly associated with a low number of simultaneous and later absence days, and (2) that, contrary to expectations, job demands were also related to a low number of simultaneous and later absence days. These results hold when age, health, education, prior absence, and working conditions are controlled for. Job control and job demands did not predict later absence frequency. In the discussion it is suggested that a high level of job demands may not only be harmful for the well-being of employees but also work as 'a pressure to attend'.     

An L1-type estimator of multivariate location and shape

The main goal of the paper is to specify a suitable multivariate multilevel model for polytomous responses with a non-ignorable missing data mechanism in order to determine the factors which influence the way of acquisition of the skills of the graduates and to evaluate the degree programmes on the basis of the adequacy of the skills they give to their graduates. The application is based on data gathered by a telephone survey conducted, about two years after the degree, on the graduates of year 2000 of the University of Florence. A multilevel multinomial logit model for the response of interest is fitted simultaneously with a multilevel logit model for the selection mechanism by means of maximum likelihood with adaptive Gaussian quadrature. In the application the multilevel structure has a crucial role, while selection bias results negligible. The analysis of the empirical Bayes residuals allows to detect some extreme degree programmes to be further inspected.