The development and evaluation of a work meaningfulness structural model

Date
2020-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Work Meaningfulness is the degree to which an individual evaluates their job as generally meaningful, valuable and worthwhile. Although important, money motivates employees only to a certain extent. In order to create intrinsic motivation, organisations should focus on providing resources and an environment that cultivate Work Meaningfulness and contribute positively to employees’ lives. The effects of an employee experiencing Work Meaningfulness holds positive consequences for an organisation. When an employee experiences Work Meaningfulness, it can lead to personal engagement which in turn can lead to increased work performance. Even though many scholars have started to develop theories around Work Meaningfulness, it remains a domain which can - and does - lead to confusion and uncertainty. This study focuses on determining which factors contribute towards Work Meaningfulness, and how these factors combine to determine the construct of interest. Based on a review of the literature, the study identified the following organisational and person variables as key antecedents of Work Meaningfulness: Job Characteristics, Job Crafting, Empowering Organisational Culture, a Sense of Calling as Work Belief and Person Environment Fit. This study utilised an ex post facto correlational design to test the relationships between the variables. The target population comprised permanently employed, full time South African employees and a non-probability convenient sample of n = 204 completed the questionnaires. The psychometric properties of the utilised instruments were examined by means of item and factor analysis and were found acceptable as all six scales revealed satisfactory reliability coefficients. To evaluate the validity of the comprehensive structural model, Structural Equation modelling (SEM) was used. Although the close fit null hypothesis was rejected, it was concluded that the model obtained a reasonable fit. Support was found for all the postulated relationships in the structural model except for one. The following variables were found to have significant relationships: Job Characteristics and Work Meaningfulness; Job Crafting and Job Characteristics; Empowering Organisational Culture and Job Crafting; a Sense of Calling as Work Belief and Work Meaningfulness; Person Environment Fit and a Sense of Calling as Work Belief; and Job Crafting and Person Environment Fit. The results did, however, not support the hypothesised relationship between Empowering Organisational Culture and Job Characteristics. With the focus of the study being on the antecedents of Work Meaningfulness, the study contributed to the existing research on Work Meaningfulness thus making it possible for other researchers to build off the findings. Based on the findings of the study, practical recommendations and implications were suggested. The study’s results could potentially be used to enhance employees’ experience of Work Meaningfulness and, in turn, increase employee engagement and decrease intention to quit.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Werk-Betekenisvolheid is die mate waartoe ‘n individu hulle werk as deurgaans sinvol, waardevol en as verdienstelik evalueer. Alhoewel geld belangrik is, motiveer dit werknemers net in ‘n sekere mate. Om innerlike motivering by werknemers aan te spoor, behoort organisasies op die voorsiening van hulpbronne en ‘n omgewing waar Werk-Betekenisvolheid gekweek word, te fokus. Hierdeur maak die organisasie ‘n positiewe bydra tot die lewe van die werknemer. Die gevolg van ‘n werknemer wat Werk-Betekenisvolheid ervaar, hou positiewe uitkomste vir die organisasie in. Wanneer ‘n werknemer Werk-Betekenisvolheid ervaar, kan dit lei tot meer persoonlike werksbetrokkenheid, wat weer kan lei tot toenemende werksprestasie. Alhoewel baie geleerdes begin het om teorieë om Werk-Betekenisvolheid te ontwikkel, bly dit ‘n domein wat tot verwarring en onsekerheid kan lei. Die studie fokus daarop om vas te stel watter faktore tot Werk-Betekenisvolheid bydra en ook hoe hierdie faktore saamwerk om die ‘konstruk van belang’ te bewerkstellig. Gebaseer op ‘n oorsig van die literatuur, het die studie die volgende organisatoriese-en persoonveranderlikes as sleuteldeterminante van Werk-Betekenisvolheid geïdentifiseer: Werkskenmerke, Werkshermodelering, Bemagtigende Organisatoriese Kultuur, ‘n Roepingsgesindheid as Werksoortuiging en Persoon-Omgewingsgepastheid. Die studie het ‘n ex post facto korrelatiewe-ontwerp gebruik om die verwantskappe tussen die veranderlikes te toets. Die teikengroep het bestaan uit Suid-Afrikaanse werknemers met permanente en voltydse aanstellings. ‘n Nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproef van n=204 het die vraelys voltooi. Die psigometriese eienskappe van die aangewende instrumente is ondersoek d.m.v. item-en faktoranalise en is as toereikend bevind deurdat al 6 skale voldoende betroubaarheidskoëffisiënte getoon het. Om die geldigheid van die omvattende strukturele model te evalueer, is Strukturele Vergelyksmodellering (SVM) gebruik. Alhoewel die nulhipotese van benaderde passing nie verwerp kon word nie, is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat redelike modelpassing verkry is. Ondersteuning is gevind vir al die gehipotiseerde verwantskappe in die strukturele model met die uitsondering van een verwantskap. Die volgende veranderlikes het beduidende verwantskappe getoon: Werkskenmerke en Werk-Betekenisvolheid; Werkshermodelering en Werkskenmerke; Bemagtigende Organisatoriese Kultuur en Werkshermodelering; ‘n Roepingsgesindheid as Werksoortuiging en Werk-Betekenisvolheid; Persoon-Omgewingsgepastheid en ‘n Roepingsgesindheid as Werksoortuiging; en Werkshermodelering en Persoon-Omgewingsgepastheid. Die veronderstelde verhouding tussen Bemagtigende Organisatoriese Kultuur en Werkskenmerke is nie deur die resultate ondersteun nie. Met die fokus van die studie op die determinante van Werk-Betekenisvolheid, het die studie bygedra tot bestaande navorsing oor Werk-Betekenisvolheid wat dit dus moontlik maak vir ander navorsers om op die bevindings uit te brei. Gebaseer op die bevindings van die studie, is praktiese aanbevelings en gevolgtrekkings voorgestel. Die studie se resultate kan moontlik gebruik word om werknemers se ervaring van Werk-Betekenisvolheid te verryk en wat dan weer die werknemersbetrokkenheid kan verhoog en die voorneme om te bedank kan verlaag.
Description
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Quality of work life, Vocation -- Psychological aspects, Meaning (Psychology), Structural frames -- Models -- Evaluation, UCTD
Citation