Work\u2013Family Conflict and Job Outcomes Among Prison Officers in Ghana: A Test of Mediation and Moderation Processes

Thomas D Akoensi,Francis Annor

doi:10.1007/s43576-021-00020-3

Thomas D Akoensi, Francis Annor

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s43576-021-00020-3

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Abstract

This study examines the mediating effect of job stress and the moderating effect of job autonomy on the relationship between work-to-family conflict (WFC) and job satisfaction and organizational commitment. It uses cross-sectional data from 1062 prison officers sampled from 31 prison establishments in Ghana. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis showed that WFC was negatively associated with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Job stress significantly mediated the influence of WFC on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The negative influence of WFC on job satisfaction and organizational commitment was less for prison officers with higher levels of job autonomy than for those with lower levels of autonomy. These findings suggest the need for correctional organizations to adopt family-friendly measures that facilitate officers’ ability to integrate their work and family responsibilities.

Highlights

Prison officers are critically important to the success or failure of correctional organizations, as they embody the prison regime
Sample items include “I find that my personal values and that of the Ghana Prisons Service are similar” and “I am proud to tell others that I work for the Ghana Prisons Service”
The direct relationships of work-to-family conflict (WFC) with job satisfaction (β = –0.06, p > 0.05) and organizational commitment (β = –0.09, p > 0.05) were not statistically significant, the correlation analyses indicated statistically significant bivariate relationships. These results suggest that the relationships between WFC and both job satisfaction and organizational commitment were mediated by job stress

Summary

Introduction

Prison officers are critically important to the success or failure of correctional organizations, as they embody the prison regime Their attitudes and behaviours have received a great deal of empirical attention, with much of the research focussed on job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Armstrong & Griffin, 2004; Jiang et al, 2017). Ghana narcotics has prioritized the issues of officer satisfaction and commitment to the ideals of prison work and the organization, as well as the quality of the officers themselves.. Ghana narcotics has prioritized the issues of officer satisfaction and commitment to the ideals of prison work and the organization, as well as the quality of the officers themselves.1 These developments have been costly to the reputation of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS). Due to the costly nature of prison officer malpractices on prison organizations, penologists and correctional managers have become more interested in discovering the antecedents of prison officers’ job satisfaction and commitment in order to optimize them

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