Organisational commitment, work engagement and meaning of work of nursing staff in hospitals
Orientation: Nursing is a noble profession but not always an easy job. Work overload, few resources, limited promotion and development opportunities have a negative impact on the sustainability of the profession. Research purpose: The primary objective of this research was to investigate the relatio...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2013-11-01
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| Series: | SA Journal of Industrial Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajip.co.za/index.php/sajip/article/view/1144 |
| Summary: | Orientation: Nursing is a noble profession but not always an easy job. Work overload, few resources, limited promotion and development opportunities have a negative impact on the sustainability of the profession.
Research purpose: The primary objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between organisational commitment, work engagement and meaning of work amongst nursing staff at various hospitals.
Motivation for study: It is important to understand how to optimise the work experience of nursing staff in order to ensure a committed and engaged workforce.
Research design, approach and method: A survey design with a cluster sample (n = 199) was used. The Organisational Commitment Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Work-Life Questionnaire and a biographical questionnaire were administered.
Main findings: The majority of the scales showed acceptable reliability. Results indicated that the majority of nursing staff view their work as either a job or a calling. This impacts the organisation in the sense that viewing work as a calling predicts 19% of the variance in organisational commitment and 30% of the variance in work engagement.
Practical/managerial implications: Viewing work as a calling will accompany higher levels of engagement and commitment to the organisation. Nurses who feel that they make a meaningful contribution to the hospital are more inclined to stay in the organisation.
Contribution/value-add: Strategies can be put in place to focus on experiencing work as a calling, rather than a job. Enhancing this experience and creating awareness could lead to higher levels of organisational commitment and work engagement. |
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| ISSN: | 0258-5200 2071-0763 |