Role stress and job satisfaction: their supervisory antecedents and their influence on organizational commitment

Abstract

Despite the more extensive use of other resources such as modern technology, the optimal utilization of human resources will remain a daunting challenge to all managers during the 1990's and beyond. The absence of em- ployees from work, both temporarily and permanently, however, renders the realization of this objective near impossible. Ensuring that employees want to be and are at work, and stay there, thus become important secondary objectives. Both absenteeism and turnover have been shown to undermine optimal employee performance. Some argue that the willingness to be at work will depend on the degree to which employees identify with the organization's goals, objectives, and values (commitment to the organization). This study investigated this contention, and whether the behaviour and actions of supervisors can influence the organizational commitment of employees. A structural equation modelling approach was used to assess whether job stress and job satisfaction serve as intervening variables in the supervision-organizational commitment relationship. The empirical results revealed that intrinsic job satisfaction exerts a significant positive influence on organizational commitment, and role conflict, a negative influence. A management style which can be described as participative is likely to limit the harmful influence of role conflict while enhancing feelings of intrinsic job satisfaction among employees.

Opsomming
Nieteenstaande die toenemende gebruik van tegnologie in ondernemings, is die optimale benutting van menslike hulpbronne steeds onmisbaar en van deurslaggewende belang. Die doeltreffende gebruik van menslike hulpbronne kan egter belemmer word deur 'n hoe arbeidsomset en afwesigheidsyfer. Daar word aanvaar dat die bereidwilligheid om by die werk te wees in 'n groot mate beinvloed word deur die mate waartoe werknemers hulleself vereenselwig met die onderneming se waardestelsels en doelstellings. Hierdie verskynsel staan bekend as organisatoriese toewyding (organizational commitment). Die studie stel empirics ondersoek in na die verband tussen organisatoriese toewyding en arbeidsomset en afwesigheid. 'n Poging is ook aangewend om te bepaal tot watter mate bestuursoptrede organisatoriese toewyding kan be-invloed. Stmkturele modeUering (structural equation modelling) is gebruik om vas te stel of rolstres en werkstevredenheid tussenveranderlikes (intervening variables) is in die verwantskap tussen bestuursoptrede en organisatoriese toewyding. Die empiriese resultate dui daarop dat intrinsieke werkstevredenheid 'n sterk positiewe invloed op organisatoriese toewyding uitoefen, terwyl rolkonflik 'n negatiewe invloed het. 'n Bestuurstyl wat werknemers deelname gee in besluitneming in die organisasie, kan rolkonflik onder werknemers verminder, terwyl dit terselfdertyd werkstevredenheid verhoog.