Abstract
Orientation: Engaged employees contribute to the success and productivity of an organisation. Satisfaction of basic psychological needs and organisational commitment (job attitudes) impact positively on work engagement of the lecturing staff.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of basic psychological need satisfaction and organisational commitment on work engagement of the lecturing staff.Motivation for the study: Organisations realise their objectives through their employees. When employees are not satisfied or committed at work, it can result in low levels of work engagement, absenteeism, exhaustion, cynicism, low productivity and turnover.Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data of the lecturing staff at the University of Namibia (n = 242). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data.Main findings: This study found a positive relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction, organisational commitment and work engagement. Normative and affective commitment was found to be significant predictors of vigour, dedication and absorption (work engagement).Practical/managerial implications: Organisations need to include staff members in the decision-making process, allow employees to direct work-related activities, conduct team-building activities, provide training and development activities and regularly assess job satisfaction of the employees.Contribution/value-add: The novelty of this study in Namibia will add to knowledge within industrial or organisational psychology, encourage future research and guide the development of interventions.
Highlights
Coetzee, Schreuder and Tladinyane (2007) found that because of the unstable and ever-changing working environment, employees’ motivation, loyalty and morale are negatively affected and may adversely impact their job attitudes and how they engage in their work
When employees are included in decision-making process, they would persevere more than employees who are excluded from the decision-making process, and they would be more hopeful about their impact
These employees would experience a higher level of competence, task significance and psychological meaningfulness in their work (Baklaieva, 2016), and all these are negatively related to turnover intention
Summary
Coetzee, Schreuder and Tladinyane (2007) found that because of the unstable and ever-changing working environment, employees’ motivation, loyalty and morale are negatively affected and may adversely impact their job attitudes and how they engage in their work. The degree to which employees experience work engagement impacts productivity at work. This seems to be the reality for different organisations, including tertiary education institutions. While doing research in academia, Marques (2013) found that work overload, time pressures and unsupportive supervisors negatively impacted employees’ level of work engagement. If employees have the necessary physical and emotional resources to do their work, they become cognitively, emotionally and physically engaged in their work (Janik, 2012). Having a lack of job resources makes employees disengaged or they experience burnout
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