JOB SATISFACTION AMONGST EMPLOYEES AT A PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTION IN THE WESTERN CAPE NEZAAM LUDDY Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Magister Commercii in the Department of Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Economic and Management Science, University of the Western Cape. SUPERVISOR: RUKHSANA JANO NOVEMBER 2005 ABSTRACT Job satisfaction among public sector employees within South Africa, specifically the health environment is becoming an area of major concern as highlighted by recent research studies and media reports. An exodus of professional staff and a lack of resources have exacerbated the current problem impeding on effective and efficient service delivery. Literature validates that factors such as poor working conditions, staff shortages, below competitive salaries, a lack of promotional opportunities are some of the major factors contributing to employee dissatisfaction within the sector (Ellickson & Logsdon, 2002; Herman, 2005; Ting, 1997).
As the ultimate goal in the health environment is service delivery, it is imperative that employees perform optimally and maintain acceptable levels of job satisfaction, hence, contributing to the vision and mission of providing better care and health to individuals (Department of Health Provincial Government: Western Cape’s annual report, 2003/2004). The primary objective of this study is to ascertain the levels of job satisfaction experienced amongst employees at a public health institution in the Western Cape region. For the purpose of this study a quantitative, non-probability convenience sampling design was used to assess job satisfaction. The sample group (N = 203) consisted of permanent and contract male and female staff members on salary levels 2 to 13, extending across the following occupational classes: Pharmacist, Pharmacist Assistant, Auxiliary Service Officer, Administrative Clerk, Director, Personnel Officer, Administrative Officer, State Accountant and Personnel Practitioner.
A i biographical questionnaire and the Job Descriptive Index questionnaire (JDI) were administered to gather the data. The JDI measures job satisfaction on five job facets, namely, pay, promotions, supervision, co-workers and the work itself. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results indicate that employees at the public health institution in the Western Cape expressed satisfaction with their co-workers, followed by the nature of the work and the supervision they receive.
Opportunities for promotion and pay emerged as major sources of dissatisfaction. With the exception of marital status, the relationship between occupational class, race, gender, educational level, tenure, age, income and job status with job satisfaction was found to be significant. Although the research indicates that job satisfaction is significantly related to variables such as work, remuneration, supervision, promotion, and co-workers, ongoing research is required in this domain. However, the role of other potentially confounding extraneous variables on job satisfaction needs to be contemplated for future research.
Lastly, due to the composition of the sample, results of this study cannot be inferred to other similar occupational classes in other public institutions. Therefore, it is recommended that a proportionate stratified random sample be utilised for future research. ii Key words: Job satisfaction Occupational classes Public health institution Job Descriptive Index Organisational factors associated with job satisfaction Satisfaction with pay Promotion opportunities Supervision Relationship with co-workers Satisfaction with nature of work iii DECLARATION I hereby declare that “Job satisfaction amongst employees at a public health institution in the Western Cape” is my own work, that it has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other institution of higher learning, and that all references have, to the best of my knowledge, been correctly reported. It is being submitted for the degree of Magister Commercii at the University of the Western Cape.
Full Name: Nezaam Luddy Date: 15 November 2005 Signed: …………………… iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS “Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.” - Prophet Muhammad First and foremost I thank the Almighty Allah for granting me the strength, health, courage and inspiration to prosper in this endeavour and thus enriching my knowledge. “Verily, God does not change [a] people’s condition unless they change their own inner selves.” HE is indeed the unseen force behind making this study a success. I thank the lecturing staff of the University of the Western Cape (Industrial Psychology Department), whose tutelage over the two years provided me with the necessary background skills to undertake and complete this study. To my colleagues without whose interest and co-operation I could not have produced this study.
I wish to thank them for supporting this initiative and affording me their time and sharing their experiences. A special thank you to my supervisor, Rukhsana Jano, for her guidance, insight and encouragement in the writing and compilation of this thesis. Your invaluable support and patience throughout this journey has been unreal and is appreciated from the bottom of my heart. v I wish to thank Karl Heslop for providing statistical support.
Your assistance and insight is highly valued and appreciated. A note of thanks to Gerda Theron from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport: Directorate Libraries for providing me with valuable text books and articles over the research period. I thank my mother Fatima Luddy and father Abdulrazaak Luddy, for instilling in me unquestionable values and morals, thank you for your love, guidance and for always believing in me throughout the years. My sincere gratitude goes out to my friends Misha Morar, Leigh Angy Zwaan, Sakena Parker, Nadine Sha, Janine Oosthuizen, Courtney Kruger and Warren Charles.
I am humbled by your friendship. Thank you for your support and for continuously enquiring about my progress for the duration of the study. A special thanks to my supervisor at work, advocate Peter Burgers for his constant inspiration and guidance during the past two years. My request for three months special leave that you have supported, to enable me to complete the research, is indeed appreciated.
To my loving and understanding wife, Najwa. You are the star that gives light to this project. Your patience, love, encouragement and tolerance warrant you to have co- authorship in this endeavour. I also wish to thank my teenage son, Yaeesh for his sacrifices and support.
I acknowledge that it was not always easy sacrificing your weekends and holidays while I was busy with the study. Thanks to the both of you for your infinite love and support during trying times. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NO. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION CONTENT 1.2 Motivation for the study 3 1.6 Delimitations of the study 13 1.7 Definition of terms 14 1.5 Co-worker 16 vii 1.8 Summary of the chapter 16 1.9 Overview of the study 16 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.2 The concept of job satisfaction 20 2.1 Definitions of job satisfaction 20 2.1 Maslow’s needs hierarchy theory 24 2.2 Herzberg’s two factor theory 26 2.3 McClelland’s need for achievement theory 30 2.1 Vroom’s expectancy theory 31 2.3 Goal setting theory 34 viii 2.4 The antecedents of job satisfaction 35 2.1 The work itself 44 2.5 The consequences of job satisfaction 51 2.2 Physical and psychological health 52 2.6 Summary of the chapter 54 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Job Descriptive Index (JDI) 60 3.1 Nature and Composition of the JDI 60 3.2 Reliability of the JDI 61 3.3 Validity of the JDI 63 3.4 Rationale for inclusion of the JDI 64 3.1 The Pearson Product Moment Correlation 66 Coefficient 3.2 Multiple Regression Analysis 67 3.3 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 67 3.4 Scheffe’s Multiple Comparison Method 68 3.3 Summary of the chapter 69 CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 4.2 Demographic information in terms of the sample 70 4.3 Descriptive statistics of the Job Descriptive Index 80 Questionnaire 4.1 Correlations for the biographical data and 82 job satisfaction 4.2 Correlations for the dimensions of job satisfaction 84 xi 4.3 Multiple Regression Analysis 86 4.4 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 90 4.5 Scheffe’s Multiple Comparison Method 99 4.5 Summary of the chapter 100 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Demographic information about the sample 101 5.2 Descriptive statistics for the dimensions of 102 job satisfaction 5.1 Correlation analysis for the biographical data 103 and job satisfaction 5.2 Correlation analysis for the dimensions of 104 job satisfaction 5.3 Multiple Regression Analysis 105 xii 5.4 Differences in job satisfaction based on 106 biographical characteristics - Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 5.9 Scheffe’s Multiple Comparison 115 5.4 Recommendations 118 Reference List 121 Appendices: Appendix A Letter of request to complete questionnaire Appendix B Biographical questionnaire Appendix C Job Descriptive Index (JDI) questionnaire xiii LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO.1: Annual turnover rates by salary band for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 5 Table 1.2: Major reasons why personnel are leaving the department 6 Table 1.3: Sick leave - 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2003 7 Table 1.4: Misconduct addressed at disciplinary hearings 8 Table 1.5: Grievances lodged for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 9 Table 1.6: Disputes lodged with Councils for the period 1 April 2003 to March 2004 10 Table 4.1: Descriptive statistics for the dimensions of job satisfaction 80 Table 4.2: Correlations for the biographical data and job satisfaction 82 xiv Table 4.3: Pearson correlation matrix for the dimensions of job satisfaction 84 Table 4.4: Results of multiple regression analysis 88 Table 4.5: Occupational class and job satisfaction 90 Table 4.6: Race and job satisfaction 91 Table 4.7: Gender and job satisfaction 92 Table 4.8: Educational level and job satisfaction 93 Table 4.9: Years of service and job satisfaction 94 Table 4.10: Age and job satisfaction 95 Table 4.11: Marital status and job satisfaction 96 Table 4.12: Income and job satisfaction 97 Table 4.13: Job status and job satisfaction 98 xv LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NO.1: Herzberg’s theory: Factors affecting job satisfaction 28 Figure 2.2: Vrooms’s expectancy theory 32 Figure 2.3: Equity theory 33 Figure 4.1: Occupational classifications 71 Figure 4.2: Racial distribution 72 Figure 4.3: Gender distribution 73 Figure 4.4: Educational level 74 Figure 4.5: Length of service 75 Figure 4.6: Age in years 76 Figure 4.7: Marital status 77 Figure 4.8: Income distribution 78 Figure 4.9: Job status 79 xvi CHAPTER 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION According to Meyer (1999), most South African employees experience a lack of job satisfaction resulting in a low level of employee commitment that, in turn, impacts on performance and the achievement of organisational goals.
The symptoms of these problems result in low productivity, high absenteeism, labour unrest, industrial action and high labour turnover. The current situation in the public sector in South Africa is not dissimilar. Public sector employees are faced with a multitude of factors that impact on effective and efficient service delivery. Herman (2005) reports that the Western Cape Department of Health is working extensively on improving employment conditions of employees within the health sector as the province has been experiencing an exodus of professional employees over the years in this sector.
Herman attributes the exodus of employees in the health sector to factors such as better salary prospects being offered overseas resulting in employee shortages and placing additional demands on remaining employees. Cullinan (2005) concurs that statistics indicated that by 2001 more than 23 000 South African-born health employees were working abroad in countries such as Britian, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The reseacher states that “the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces, the two better resourced provinces, have seen 1 substantial declines in public sector personnel, as has Kwazulu-Natal” (p. Not only are poor salaries blamed for the dilemma within the public sector, but other factors such as the work environment and poor management are shown to contribute towards and exacerbate job satisfaction (Cullinan, 2005).
Ting (1997) states that empirical evidence consistently indicates that job characteristics such as pay satisfaction, opportunities for promotion, task clarity and relationships with co-workers and supervisors have significant effects on job satisfaction of government employees. In support, a study conducted by Ellickson and Logsdon (2002) reflected that job satisfaction of public sector employees was significantly influenced by perceptions of employee satisfaction in terms of pay, promotional opportunities, relationships with supervisors, employees’performance management systems and fringe benefits. Similarly, Barrows and Watson (n.