Investigating happiness at work along the organizational life cycle: Moderating role of locus of control

Babar Dharani,Kurt April

doi:10.21511/ppm.20(1).2022.19

Babar Dharani, Kurt April

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.20(1).2022.19

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Abstract

This study used business units in different stages of the organizational lifecycle (OLC) and tested employee job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, and work engagement to understand the relationship between OLC and happiness at work. Furthermore, this study investigated Person-Organization (P-O) fit by testing for a locus of control (LOC) as a moderator to this relationship. Based on the significance of LOC for accountants, online surveys were launched in an accounting firm across twelve locations in South Africa. For the first survey, 32 partners (91%) positioned their business units onto specific stages of the OLC. In the second survey, employees (62%) completed self-evaluations of their level of job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, work engagement, and their LOC. Spearman’s rank-order correlations revealed the range of ρ of –1.22 at a 10% significance to –1.67 at a 5% significance, concluding earlier stages of OLC to support greater levels of happiness at work.Additionally, hierarchal regression found R-squared changes of 2% to 4%, confirming LOC as a moderator. Simulation tests found the strongest correlations with early stages of OLC for externals (range of ρ of –0.374 to –0.352 at 5% significance), moderate for internals (range of ρ of –2.12 at 10% significance to insignificant), and no relationship for those with a balanced expectancy (all insignificant). Contrary to dominant voices in the literature that support internality as a superior expectancy, this study concludes that those with a balanced LOC are more resilient to organizational factors for their happiness at work.

Highlights

To test P-O fit based on locus of control (LOC) of the employees and organizational characteristics that are typically associated with any stage of development of the organizational lifecycle (OLC), employees’ happiness at work was used as indicative of an optimal P-O fit
An based on locus of control at different positions on analysis of these (such as 11 categorized work fac- the OLC, first, the study tested the relationship betors of job satisfaction by van Saane et al (2003)) tween OLC and facets of happiness at work, and is difficult to assign to specific stages of the OLC second, the moderating role of LOC on the rela
This study explored the relationship between OLC and facets of happiness at work, measured by job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, and work engagement (Fisher, 2010)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

To test P-O fit based on LOC of the employees and organizational characteristics that are typically associated with any stage of development of the OLC, employees’ happiness at work was used as indicative of an optimal P-O fit. Control job satisfaction and affective organizational com- perceptions are found to be salient in explaining mitment would result in a better predictor by cap- subjective well-being While this is long known turing the vital facets of happiness at work. An based on locus of control at different positions on analysis of these (such as 11 categorized work fac- the OLC, first, the study tested the relationship betors of job satisfaction by van Saane et al (2003)) tween OLC and facets of happiness at work, and is difficult to assign to specific stages of the OLC second, the moderating role of LOC on the rela-. Free responses from the participants to be used for qualitative analysis and triangulation of the data

METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION