Occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health of employees at a higher education institution in South Africa

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess the indicators and moderators of occupational stress at a higher education institution in South Africa, as well as differences based on language and years of experience at the institution. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The participants included academic and support staff at a higher education institution (N = 372). An Organisational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Workload, control, work-relationships and pay and benefits were the major occupational stressors in the institution. Compared to the international norm, participants reported higher levels of physical and psychological ill-health and perceived lack of commitment from the organisation. Analysis of variance revealed differences in occupational stress levels for all the biographical variables tested. Organisational commitment moderated the effect of occupational stress on ill-health.<p> <strong>Opsomming</strong> <br>Die doelstellings van hierdie studie was om die aanwysers en verligtende faktore van beroepstres in ’n hoëronderwysinstansie in Suid-Afrika te identifiseer, asook moontlike verskille gebaseer op taal en jare ervaring by die instansie te bepaal. ’n Dwarsdeursnee-opnameontwerp is gebruik. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit akademiese en ondersteuningspersoneel verbonde aan ’n hoëronderwysinstansie (N = 372). ’n Organisasiestresgraderingsinstrument (ASSET) en ’n biografiese vraelys is afgeneem. Oorlading, kontrole, werksverhoudinge en salaris en byvoordele was die vernaamste stressore in die instelling. Vergeleke met die internasionale norm, het deelnemers hoër vlakke van fisieke en psigologiese ongesondheid gerapporteer, en ook ’n gebrek aan verbondenheid komende van die werkgewer ervaar. Variansieanalise het verskille in werkstresvlakke uitgewys vir al die biografiese veranderlikes wat getoets is. Organisasieverbondenheid het die effek van beroepstres op ongesondheid gematig

Work stress, -Burnout and Organizational Politics: Perceptions and Experience of Senior Managers in the South African Government Sector

“…Barkhuizen and Rothmann [17] found in their study among tertiary institutions in South Africa, that academics are experiencing high levels of academic stress related to remuneration, fringe benefits, work overload and work-life balance. These results are similar to those of Coetzee and Rothmann [18] who reported that work overload is a major source of stress for higher education staff in South Africa. The latter which leads to low morale is one of the burning issues in the current South African government and all these factors will be investigated in hypothesis 1.…”

Effort–reward imbalance and overcommitment in UK academics: implications for mental health, satisfaction and retention

“…Catano et al, 2010;Coetzee & Rothmann, 2005;Kinman, Jones & Kinman, 2006;Tytherleigh, Webb, Cooper, & Ricketts, 2005;Winefield, Boyd, Saebel, & Pignata, 2008). Research that has tracked the work-related wellbeing of academics working in the United Kingdom (UK) over several years (from 2008 to 2014) suggests that the demands experienced by academics have increased over time and the resources that have traditionally protected them from work-related stress, such as autonomy, support and role clarity, have eroded (Kinman & Wray, 2015).…”

Occupational Stress of Academic Staff in South African Higher Education Institutions

“…Similarly, Meyer and Allen (1997) also suggested that the organisation's support of academics explained their emotional commitment towards their universities. Interestingly, Coetzee and Rothmann (2005) found that while university staff members were committed to their institutions, they perceived a lack of commitment from their employer. In addition, Millward-Brown (1996) found that university and college lecturers reported lower levels of perceived commitment from their organisation when they were compared with 20 other occupational groups.…”

“…In a study by Winefield et al (2002), the majority of the respondents reported experiencing tiredness 'sometimes' to 'nearly all the time', back and neck pains, sleeping difficulties, headaches, muscle pain, colds and virus infections. Furthermore, in the South African context, Coetzee and Rothmann (2005) recently found high levels of psychological and physical ill health in a sample of 372 university staff members.…”