Workplace Stress in Comprehensive Health Centers and Its Impact on Career Commitment

Naser Ibrahim Saif

doi:10.5539/ibr.v9n7p71

Abstract

<p>Considering that workers in healthcare institutions are most at risk of workplace stress (WPS), and that career commitment (CC) is a fundamental requirement for organizational success, this descriptive and quantitative survey study attempts to provide up-to-date details on the extent of WPS and CC and the impact of WPS on CC in Comprehensive Health Centers (CHCs) in Jordan during 2015 and 2016. Four hundred workers were randomly selected from twelve CHCs; the response rate was 73%. The study used the software SPSS version (15.0) for Windows to examine the data. The study produced a number of findings, with the results of mean and standard deviations revealing that the presence of WPS is high and CC is low among CHCs workers. Multiple regression tests showed that high levels of WPS have a negative impact on CC. The study results therefore suggest that appropriate interventions to control WPS may be useful to improve CC in CHCs in Jordan.</p>

Highlights

Not all workplace stress (WPS) is bad or acute and, to a certain extent, it can motivate workers, improving productivity and the desire to work (Cooper & Kompier, 2012)
Based on the fact that health care institutions in Jordan suffer from high levels of WPS (AbuAlRub & Al-Zaru, 2008; Hamaideh, Mrayyan, Mudallal, Faouri, & Khasawneh, 2008; Saif, 2015), the importance of career commitment (CC) as a major factor for success (Jamal, 2014), and the results of studies which indicate that there is a clear relationship between WPS and a decline in CC (Khatibi, Asadi, & Hamidi, 2009; Jamal, 2014; Irefin & Mechanic, 2014), the aim of the current study is to gain a proper understanding of workers' opinions about WPS in Comprehensive Health Centers (CHCs) and its possible impact in CC by answering the following questions:
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of WPS on CC in CHCs in Jordan

Summary

Introduction

Not all workplace stress (WPS) is bad or acute and, to a certain extent, it can motivate workers, improving productivity and the desire to work (Cooper & Kompier, 2012). In Amman, the capital of Jordan, Comprehensive Health Centers (CHCs) are among the key institutions considered as essential public primary health care providers These twelve CHCs are visited by almost five million patients annually, which means they need to be effective, have workers seek to achieve their goals, and be characterized by high levels of CC. Based on the fact that health care institutions in Jordan suffer from high levels of WPS (AbuAlRub & Al-Zaru, 2008; Hamaideh, Mrayyan, Mudallal, Faouri, & Khasawneh, 2008; Saif, 2015), the importance of CC as a major factor for success (Jamal, 2014), and the results of studies which indicate that there is a clear relationship between WPS and a decline in CC (Khatibi, Asadi, & Hamidi, 2009; Jamal, 2014; Irefin & Mechanic, 2014), the aim of the current study is to gain a proper understanding of workers' opinions about WPS in CHCs and its possible impact in CC by answering the following questions: First question: What is the extent of WPS and CC in CHCs? Based on the fact that health care institutions in Jordan suffer from high levels of WPS (AbuAlRub & Al-Zaru, 2008; Hamaideh, Mrayyan, Mudallal, Faouri, & Khasawneh, 2008; Saif, 2015), the importance of CC as a major factor for success (Jamal, 2014), and the results of studies which indicate that there is a clear relationship between WPS and a decline in CC (Khatibi, Asadi, & Hamidi, 2009; Jamal, 2014; Irefin & Mechanic, 2014), the aim of the current study is to gain a proper understanding of workers' opinions about WPS in CHCs and its possible impact in CC by answering the following questions: First question: What is the extent of WPS and CC in CHCs? Second question: What is the impact of WPS (input, process, and outcome factors) on CC in CHCs?

Objectives

Methods

Results