Quality of work life as predictor of employees’ mental health
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bester, C. L. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Kotze, M. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Markham, Lyle Grant | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-01-13T09:24:33Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-01-13T09:24:33Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2009 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2009 | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | English: QWL is a major issue for employees, and how organizations deal with this issue is of both academic and practical significance. QWL and its relationships with employees’ mental health and performance became an explicit objective for many of the human resource policies in modern organizations. Although there is no formal definition of QWL, industrial psychologists and management scholars agree in general that QWL is a construct that deals with the well-being of employees and that QWL differs from job satisfaction. QWL variables are excellent indicators of whether or not employees are coping well with the stressors they are confronted with. Employees in the workplace should experience and exhibit high levels of mental health in order to ensure they cope effectively with the stressors they are being exposed to. According to the literature, QWL can produce a favourable work environment which is beneficial for developing and maintaining a good mental health. If this is the case, it could be assumed that QWL could be an important determinant and predictor of mental health. It would be of value to investigate which QWL variables play a significant role in determining mental health especially in service organizations where demands are high. The aim of the research was to determine whether QWL variables are predictors of employees’ mental health in a service organization in the Free State. For the purpose of this study, one-hundred and forty two (142) employees working in a service organization in the Free State were selected. QWL was measured by the Leiden Quality of Work Life Questionnaire while mental health was measured by Warr’s Mental Health Measures, the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), the Satisfaction with Life Questionnaire and the Affectometer 2, which is a measure of general happiness. The multiple stepwise regression was used to predict which QWL variables affect employees’ mental health in a service organization in the Free State. Due to the fact that non-probability sampling and more specifically accidental sampling was used, the results of this study could not be generalized. The sample of respondents consisted of more white respondents of which 58% were male respondents, which were married and having at least a matriculation qualification. The respondents exhibited a very high level of QWL except for work and time pressure, physical exertion, job insecurity and lack of meaningfulness. A high level of mental health was also exhibited by the respondents. The level of general health in terms of all the dimensions varied from low to very low. Furthermore, the respondents displayed a low level of satisfaction with life especially with material wealth. The respondents’ level of general happiness (all the respective dimensions) was very low. Lack of meaningfulness, role ambiguity, social support (supervisor), work and time pressure, social support (colleague), skill discretion, hazardous exposure, job insecurity, physical exertion and decision latitude were identified as valid predictors of employees’ mental health in the service organization. Further research regarding QWL as a predictor of mental health should be conducted since there were very few studies done in this regard. Based on the study a clear idea can be obtained as to which QWL variables are predictors of employees’ mental health. The importance of acknowledging these factors aimed at improving employees’ QWL and mental health in service organizations becomes apparent. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Gehalte van werkslewe is ’n belangrike kwessie vir werknemers en die wyse waarvolgens organisasies hierdie kwessie hanteer, is van akademiese en praktiese belang. Gehalte van werkslewe sowel as die invloed daarvan op werknemers se geestesgesondheid en prestasie het ‘n belangrike doelwit van menige menslike hulpbronbeleide in moderne organisasies geraak. Alhoewel daar geen formele definisie vir gehalte van werkslewe bestaan nie, is bedryfsielkundiges en bestuurskundiges dit eens dat gehalte van werkslewe ‘n konstruk is wat fokus op die welsyn van wernemers en dat dit verskil van werkstevredenheid. Gehalte van werkslewe veranderlikes is uitstekende indikators van of werknemers die stressors waarmee hulle gekonfronteer word goed hanteer, al dan nie. Werknemers in die werksplek moet hoë vlakke van geestesgesondheid ervaar en toon, ten einde te verseker dat hulle die stressors waaraan hulle blootgestel word, effektief hanteer. Volgens die literatuur kan gehalte van werkslewe ‘n gunstige werksomgewing skep wat voordelig is vir die ontwikkeling en instandhouding van ‘n goeie geestesgesondheid. Indien dit die geval is, kan aangeneem word dat gehalte van werkslewe ‘n belangrike determinant en voorspeller van geestesgesondheid is. Dit sal van waarde wees om ondersoek in te stel aangaande watter gehalte van werkslewe veranderlikes ‘n beduidende rol speel in die bepaling van werknemers se geestesgesondheid in spesifiek diensorganisasies, waar die eise hoog is. Die doelwit van die navorsing was om te bepaal of gehalte van werkslewe veranderlikes voorspellers is van werknemers se geestesgesondheid in ‘n diensorganisasies in die Vrystaat. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is honderd-tweeen- veertig (142) werknemers wat werksaam was in ‘n diensorganisasie in die Vrystaat, geselekteer. Gehalte van werkslewe is gemeet deur die Leiden Gehalte van Werkslewe-Vraelys terwyl geestesgesondheid gemeet is deur Warr se Geestesgesondheidsvraelys, die Algemene Gesondheidsvraelys-28, die Werkstevredenheidsvraelys en die Affektometer 2 wat ‘n meting van algemene geluk verskaf. Meervoudige stapsgewyse regressie is gebruik om te voorspel watter gehalte van werkslewe veranderlikes werknemers in ‘n diensorganisasie in die Vrystaat se geestesgesondheid beïnvloed. Aangesien nie-waarskynlikheid steekproeftrekking, en spesifiek toevallige steekproeftrekking, gebruik is, kon die resultate van die studie nie veralgemeen word nie. Die meerderheid van die steekproef het bestaan uit wit manlike respondente (58%) wat getroud was en oor minstens ‘n graad 12-kwalifikasie beskik het. Behalwe vir werks- en tydsdruk, fisiese inspanning, werksonsekerheid en ‘n verlies aan betekenisvolheid, het die respondente ‘n baie hoë vlak van gehalte van werkslewe getoon. Verder het die respondente ook oor ‘n hoë vlak van geestesgesondheid beskik. Die vlak van algemene gesondheid in terme van al die dimensies het gevarieer van laag tot baie laag. Verder het die respondente ‘n lae vlak van lewenstevredenheid getoon en spesifiek ten opsigte van materiële rykdom. Die respondente se vlakke van algemene geluk (met betrekking tot al die dimensies) was baie laag. ‘n Verlies aan betekenisvolheid, roldubbelsinnigheid, sosiale ondersteuning (toesighouer), werks- en tydsdruk, sosiale ondersteuning (kollegas), oordeelkundige benutting van vaardighede, blootstelling aan gevare, werksonsekerheid, fisiese inspanning en vryheid ten opsigte van besluitneming is as waardevolle voorspellers van werknemers se geestesgesondheid in die diensorganisasie geïdentifiseer. Verdere navorsing aangaande gehalte van werkslewe as ‘n voorspeller van geestesgesondheid moet uitgevoer word aangesien daar baie min studies in die verband bestaan. Vanuit die studie kan ‘n duidelike beeld verkry word aangaande watter gehalte van werkslewe veranderlikes voorspellers van werknemers se geestesgesondheid is. Die belangrikheid om hierdie faktore in ag te neem wanneer gefokus word op die verbetering van werknemers se gehalte van werkslewe en geestesgesondheid binne diensorganisasies, kom duidelik na vore. | af |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Research Committee of the Faculty of Economic and Management Science | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2181 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Quality of work life -- South Africa -- Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Employees -- Mental health -- South Africa -- Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Psychology, Industrial | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Working conditions | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Quality of work life as predictor of employees’ mental health | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |