Employees’ work engagement in a railway organisation: A perspective of ethical work climate and leadership behaviour

Abstract: Orientation: Understanding the factors that influence employee performance and well-being is a crucial issue because it can not only create a positive working environment but also promote competitive advantage for the organisation. Research purpose: To investigate the effect of ethical work climate and ethical leadership behaviour on work engagement of employees. Motivation for the study: Organisations are facing difficulties in improving organisational performance and workers’ well-being because of unethical behaviour and lack of accountability. This study aims to provide insight into suggested factors that might positively affect employee performance and well-being..

The effects of ethical context and behaviour on job retention and performance-related factors

The purpose of the study was to develop an ethical context and behaviour model by investigating the relationship between individuals’ ethical context and behaviour variables and their job retention and performance related-factors, which has been under-researched in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s working environment. A quantitative cross-sectional survey approach was followed in this study. The population consisted predominantly of a non–probability sample of (N=839) permanently employed employees in an organisation in this country. The results revealed significant relationships between the construct variables. Structural equation modelling indicated a good fit of the data with the canonical correlations-derived measurement model. The main findings are reported and interpreted in terms of an empirically-based ethical context and behaviour model. These findings may provide new knowledge for the design of retention and performance practices which add to the body of knowledge in relation to ethical context and behaviour, job retention and performanceIndustrial and Organisational PsychologyD. Admin. (Industrial & Organisational Psychology

The relationship between leadership style, employee participation and positive psychology functioning in a manufacturing company in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the perceived leadership style, employee participation, and positive psychology functioning. Such functioning includes a sense of coherence, engagement in work and avoiding burnout. The Leader Behavior Descriptive Questionnaire, the Employee Participation Survey, the Orientation to Life Questionnaire the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey and Maslash Burnout Inventory General Survey were applied to a sample of 200 permanent employees of the manufacturing. The results indicate significant relationships between all the variables and the way in which employee participation is predicted by perceived leadership style, sense of coherence, and work engagement. Significant differences were found between perceived leadership style and educational levels, and functional department; employee participation and educational level, and functional department; sense of coherence and educational level; work engagement and age, and educational level; burnout and age, and educational level.The study has contributed valuable new knowledge that may be used to inform human resources practitioners and psychologist in the development and coaching of leaders and employees in manufacturing companies.Industrial and Organisational PsychologyM. Admin (Industrial & Organisational Psychology

Employees’ work engagement in a railway organisation: A perspective of ethical work climate and leadership behaviour

Orientation: Understanding the factors that influence employee performance and well-being is a crucial issue because it can not only create a positive working environment but also promote competitive advantage for the organisation. Research purpose: To investigate the effect of ethical work climate and ethical leadership behaviour on work engagement of employees. Motivation for the study: Organisations are facing difficulties in improving organisational performance and workers’ well-being because of unethical behaviour and lack of accountability. This study aims to provide insight into suggested factors that might positively affect employee performance and well-being. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative research design following a cross-sectional research design was employed. A sample of 839 employees in a railway organisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo completed the Ethical Climate Questionnaire, the Ethical Leadership Work Questionnaire and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Hierarchical regression was applied to identify the effect of ethical work climate and ethical leadership behaviour on the level of work engagement of employees. Main findings: The findings indicate that ethical work climate and ethical leadership behaviour positively and significantly predict the level of employees’ work engagement. Practical/managerial implications: Developing ethical leaders and finding creative ways to teach and enforce ethical conduct and policies to facilitate workplace fairness will improve the well-being of employees. Contributions/value-add: The study contributes to employee engagement theory by suggesting that experiences and perceptions of a positive ethical work climate and ethical leadership behaviour contribute to a high level of psychological attachment and well-being of employees

Emotional labour among women leaders within the South African consulting industry : a hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry

Abstract: The opinion that the workplace should be viewed as a rational environment is being swiftly dismantled by acknowledging and harnessing the power of emotions in favour of individual and organisational outcomes. This study explored the lived experiences of emotional labour among women leaders in the consulting industry in South Africa. A qualitative study was conducted and informed by the hermeneutic phenomenological perspective. Data were gathered through in-depth, unstructured interviews with eight women leaders resident in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. The data gathered were analysed by applying a hermeneutic phenomenological analysis, and interpreted from a work- and personally related emotional labour stance. The empirical findings suggest that these women leaders enjoy very little work-life balance, which is accepted as common practice in this industry. Role complexity and personal life obligations result in role conflict. Their emotional wellbeing is adversely affected, which manifests in guilt, loneliness, loss of identity, alienation, shame and the emotional exhaustion they experience. Furthermore, it seems that adequate organisational support is not experienced by women leaders in this volatile, highly pressured emotional context. This study contributes to the field of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, the literature on emotional labour, as well as human resource practices such as talent management, retention strategies and the career management of women leaders..

Human Resource practices as predictors of engineering staff's organisational commitment.

Orientation: Human resource practices are an important means of retaining professionally qualified employees and improving and increasing their future level of organisational performance in today’s turbulent and perpetually competitive world of business. Research purpose: This study examined whether human resource practices (as a core aspect of organisational culture) positively predict organisational commitment. Motivation for the study: In South Africa, high voluntary turnover and skills shortages of professionally qualified people such as engineers are a major obstacle to economic growth and job creation. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey and quantitative design were used with a non-probability purposive sample of 284 early career professionally qualified engineers from a South African engineering organisation. Correlational statistical techniques were employed to achieve the research objective. Main findings: Job satisfaction, training and development and rewards and remuneration positively predicted affective commitment. Leadership, rewards and remuneration and training and development also positively predicted normative commitment. Human resources policies and procedures positively predicted continuance commitment. Practical/managerial implications: Managers and human resource practitioners need to take a proactive approach in facilitating an organisational culture that reflects the practices embodied by the variables measured in this study in order to increase organisational commitment. Contribution: The findings add new knowledge that may be used to help managers and human resource practitioners understand how these human resource practices may guide retention strategies in the engineering environmentIndustrial and Organisational Psycholog

Job satisfaction and its relationship with organisational commitment: A Democratic Republic of Congo organisational perspective

Orientation: The modern workplace, which is characterised by increasing turbulence and debilitating uncertainty, has led to renewed focus on whether employees experience satisfaction and how they commit themselves to the organisation. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to measure the nature of the relationship between employees’ levels of job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) in a public railway organisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Motivation for the study: Although previous researchers have found evidence of the relationship between JS and OC in Western countries, there seems to be a paucity of research on the relationship between JS and OC in a developing country context such as that of the DRC. The results could make a valuable contribution to the current literature debate on these two constructs (JS and OC) and possibly employees’ intention to stay in their present organisation. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used employing the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Organisational Commitment Scale. The sample (n = 839) comprised permanently employed staff. Correlations and regression analyses were conducted. The results indicated that employees’ JS related positively to their level of OC and that JS predicted OC. Practical and managerial implications: The results should also have interesting implications for top management and human resource practitioners. They could use this information to study how organisational psychological attachment is fostered in order to potentially master other organisational dynamics. The information could also be used to create positive working conditions with a view to reinforcing OC. JS manifested as a critical driver of OC, which could result in superior business performance. Management could use the results to create a working environment that actively fosters satisfaction and boosts employees’ level of commitment. Contribution or value-add: The results should contribute to the body of knowledge on the relationship between JS and OC in the context of a developing economy and highlight the practical implications for line managers and behavioural and wellness practitioners

Transformational leadership influences on organisational justice and employee commitment in a customer service organisation

Orientation: Organisations are facing several challenges pertaining to effective leadership, fairness and loyalty of employees. The moderating influence of transformational leadership (TL) on the relationship between justice and employee commitment is still largely unknown and needs to be explored further, especially within the customer service industry. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between organisational justice and employee commitment and to examine the moderating effect of TL on the relationship between organisational justice and employee commitment in a customer service organisation. Motivation for the study: The research setting of this study is a customer service organisation. This organisation calls for a role model leadership approach, such as TL, to create a just, fair workplace and ultimately increase the level of employee commitment. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the data from a sample of 111 permanently employed staff in a South African customer service organisation. Main findings: The findings indicate that TL had a significant positive relationship with organisational justice and employee commitment. Furthermore, the results indicate that TL moderated the relationship between organisational justice and employee commitment. Practical/managerial implications: The findings showed that TL could be vital as an effective leadership approach that can enhance justice perceptions and psychological attachment in the workplace. Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the theoretical debate on TL, workplace fairness and psychological attachment by providing empirical support on the effect of TL on the relationship between justice and commitment perceptions

Work ethics climate in relation to nurses’ commitment in a South African hospital

Orientation: Commitment, well-being and employer loyalty affect nurse retention. Literature shows that nurses are leaving the workforce at an alarming rate and that various factors are causing them to leave their employers. Research purpose: The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the ethical work climate in the organisation on nurses’ commitment. Motivation for the study: The health sector is essential in promoting mental, physical and emotional health but faces a shortage of skilled workers. The work ethics climate (WEC) can play a crucial role in retaining skills. Research approach/design and method: A quantitative research approach was adopted in a non-probability convenience sample of 208 permanent nurses from a South African public hospital. Participants completed self-assessments on an ethical climate questionnaire and an organisational commitment scale (OCS), and regression analysis was used to analyse the data. Main findings: Work ethics climate correlated with nurses’ affective, continuance and normative commitment. In addition, the results indicated that WEC predicted nurses’ commitment. Practical/managerial implications: Public hospitals in South Africa should create policies, laws and procedures that encourage ethical behaviour characterised by honesty, justice and dignity to boost nurse commitment. Thus, the South African hospital should foster an ethical workplace and implement an ethical code. Contribution/value add: This study contributes to the theory of ethical work climate and ethical behaviour by suggesting that nurses who positively perceive policies, rules and hospitals that have clear regulations are more likely to engage

Sense of Coherence, Burnout, and Work Engagement: The Moderating Effect of Coping in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Research on coping, sense of coherence, burnout, and work engagement is well documented in western countries. However, a void of studies exists on how coping mechanisms can moderate the relationship among sense of coherence, burnout, and work engagement in a manufacturing company in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The objective of this research was to examine the moderating effect of coping (COP) in the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC), burnout (BO), and work engagement (WE). The study employed a quantitative research approach, while participants were recruited through convenience sampling. A total of 197 employees (n = 197; females 40%) who are permanently employed in a manufacturing organisation in the DRC participated in the study voluntarily. The results indicate that coping related positively to a sense of coherence. Moreover, the results indicate that sense of coherence and work engagement related negatively to burnout. Furthermore, the results show that coping acted as a moderator in the relationships between variables. The study adds value to the WE theory by suggesting that an employee who has a high level of COP, high SOC, low level of BO, will positively engage, perform, and be productive