Job characteristics, work-nonwork interference and the role of recovery strategies amongst employees in a tertiary institution

Jani Oosthuizen,Karina Mostert,Frieda E Koekemoer

doi:10.4102/sajhrm.v9i1.356

Abstract

Orientation: Although work characteristics and recovery strategies are associated with work- family interference, the influence on specific types of work-nonwork interference (W-NWI) has not been investigated. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of work characteristics and recovery strategies on four types of W-NWI.Motivation for the study: It is clear from the literature that job characteristics and W-NWI have adverse effects on employees’ health and well-being. It is therefore important to identify work characteristics and recovery strategies associated with W-NWI.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used in this study. The target population was married employees with children working at a Tertiary Education Institution (TEI) in the North West Province (N = 366).Main findings: Work pressure and emotional demands significantly predicted all the work-nonwork role interference dimensions. A lack of autonomy predicted work-parent interference and work-religion and/or spirituality interference, whilst a lack of development possibilities predicted work-religion and/or spirituality interference. Relaxation and mastery recovery experiences significantly predicted lower work-parent interference. A lack of psychological detachment and relaxation were significantly associated with lower work- spouse interference. Relaxation and control significantly predicted lower work-domestic interference, whilst psychological detachment significantly predicted lower work-religion and/or spirituality interference.Practical/managerial implications: The results give managers insight into the specific work characteristics and recovery experiences that play a role in W-NWI, upon which interventions can be based to address these issues.Contribution/value-add: This study provides information on the relationship between work characteristics, recovery experiences and the effect on different types of W-NWI.

Highlights

The interference between work and the different roles in personal life is a widely studied topic in Occupational Health Psychology, mainly because of increased stressors, high job demands and/or a lack of job resources that employees experience in organisations today (Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux & Brinley, 2005; Geurts & Demerouti, 2003)
The objective of this study was to determine which demands and resources are significant predictors of Work-nonwork interference (W-NWI) of employees working in a tertiary education institutions (TEIs), and which recovery experiences are significant in dealing with high levels of W-NWI caused by high demands and a lack of resources
The results indicate that work pressure and emotional demands were the two job demands that significantly predicted all the work-nonwork role interference dimensions

Summary

Introduction

The interference between work and the different roles in personal life is a widely studied topic in Occupational Health Psychology, mainly because of increased stressors, high job demands and/or a lack of job resources that employees experience in organisations today (Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux & Brinley, 2005; Geurts & Demerouti, 2003). Work-nonwork interference (W-NWI) is associated with work-related outcomes such as absenteeism (Väänänen et al, 2004), decreased job satisfaction, lower levels of organisational commitment and labour turnover intentions (Allen, Herst, Bruck & Sutton, 2000; Duxbury, 2004; Grandey & Cropanzano, 1999), as well as with individual outcomes such as decreased life satisfaction, marital dissatisfaction, burnout, psychosomatic complaints, depression and fatigue W-NWI is a reality for employees working in tertiary education institutions (TEIs), where South African TEIs find themselves in a turbulent and stressful environment (Barkhuizen & Rothmann, 2008a, 2008b; Coetzee & Rothmann, 2005; Jackson, Rothmann & Van de Vijver, 2006)

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