Exploring the Meaningful Work Level of Academics in Terms of Different Variables

Abstract

This study aimed to the meaningfulness of their work from their own perspective in relation to a set of variables. In this study descriptive survey design was used. In order to collect the data Meaningful Work Scale was developed and used. The participants of the study comprised of 385 academic staff members from three different public universities. To analyze the data mean, standard deviation, frequency, and one-way ANOVA were used. The results revealed that participants find their work meaningful in terms of the work itself, sense of contribution, sense of self and sense of balance in the respective order. Opinions of academics differ according to academic title, discipline on sense of self and sense of contribution dimensions. Academics at the Faculty of Medicine find their work more meaningful when compared with education, economics and administrative sciences faculties academicians in relation to the sense of contribution dimension. The professors find their work relatively more meaningful than the assistant professors both in relation to the sense of self and sense of contribution dimensions. In the context of the relation of meaningful work on motivation and job satisfaction, manageable workload, work-life balance and mentoring programs, total reward-recognition system in higher education can be recommended.