Job insecurity, organisational commitment and job satisfaction of engineers in a parastatal

Abstract

Fierce competition and re-allocation of firms on a global scale, including processes of substantial downsizing have come to the forefront of attention. The concern is that the global scale of actions cannot be controlled on a local level and may therefore pose a threat to a wide variety of workers. Many of the changes taking place in the economies and labour markets of the industrialised countries may have increased structural job insecurity. Cutbacks and dismissals give rise to feelings of job insecurity. More often employees experience a sense that their jobs are a fragile, threatened privilege, which can be taken away at any time. Employee perception of management efforts to maintain employment security is based on past downsizing thus raising the potential that continued downsizing will increase insecurity and therefore, will decrease both employee desire to participate in decision-making as well as employee satisfaction and commitment to the organisation. Previous research found a consistent negative relationship between perceived job insecurity and both employee satisfaction and commitment. The empirical objective of this study was to determine the relationship between job insecurity, organisational commitment and job satisfaction. A survey design was used to test research hypotheses and to determine the relationship between job insecurity, organisational commitment and job satisfaction. Data from the total population of engineers in a parastatal (N = 60) were gathered. The Job lnsecurity Survey Questionnaire (JISQ), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (short version) (MSQ) were administered. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SAS programme. The statistical methods utilised consisted of descriptive statistics, Cronbach Alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations, and Pearson-product moment correlations. Results indicated that engineers do not experience high levels of job insecurity. Furthermore, engineers don't experience low levels of organisational commitment and job satisfaction. Research findings indicated that the Job lnsecurity Survey Questionnaire (JISQ), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) are valid and reliable measuring instruments. The findings suggested that a relationship exist between job insecurity, organisational commitment and total job satisfaction. Recommendations for future research were made.