Job satisfaction as a predictor of intention to quit amongst engineering professionals within a petrochemical organisation

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to (1) determine whether job satisfaction significantly predicts intention to quit; (2) determine whether people from different age, gender, race and job level differ significantly regarding their job satisfaction and intention to quit and (3) accentuate the implications for retention practices in the South African petrochemical context. The Minnesota Job Satisfaction questionnaire (MSQ) was used to measure job satisfaction and The Intention to Quit Scale (IQS) was used to measure intention to quit. A cross sectional quantitative research design was applied to a systematic random sample of 157 engineering professionals at a global petrochemical organisation. Job satisfaction was found to negatively influence intention to quit. The results of the research also indicated that intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction has a statistically significant impact on employees’ intention to quit meaning that employees’ decision to stay or leave their jobs is influenced by their satisfaction with their jobs. The study found no significant difference on the demographic variables of age, gender and race on both variables – job satisfaction and intention to quit. However, an engineering professional’s job level is found to have an impact on their level of satisfaction with their job as well as their potential to quit the organisation.

Iinjongo zesi sifundo yayikukufumanisa ukuba (1) ingaba ukwaneliseka ngumsebenzi kungangumqondiso wokuzimisela ukuwushiya na umsebenzi; (2) ingaba abantu abahlukeneyo ngokobudala, ngokwesini, ngokobuhlanga nangokwamaqela obungcali bemfundo bahluke kakhulu na malunga nokwaneliseka ngumsebenzi kunye nokuzimisela ukuwushiya umsebenzi; kwaye (3) ingaba oku kuyaziqinisa na iindlela zokugcina abasebenzi kwimisebenzi yamachiza amafutha ezithuthi eMzantsi Afrika. Kwasetyenziswa uluhlu lwemibuzo olwaziwa ngokuba yiMinnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) xa kuphandwa ngokwaneliseka ngumsebenzi, kwaphinda kwasetyenziswa oluyi- Intention to Quit Scale (IQS) xa kuphandwa ngokuba nenjongo yokushiya umsebenzi. Kwasetyenziswa uphando ngokuqwalasela ubuninzi beempendulo kwisampulu yabasebenzi abali-157 abakhethwa ngokungacwangciswanga kwiqumrhu lamachiza amafutha ezithuthi. Kwafumaniseka ukuba ukwaneliseka ngumsebenzi kunefuthe elibi kwinjongo yokushiya umsebenzi. Abasebenzi abangalinganiyo ngobudala bakubona ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo ukwaneliseka ngumsebenzi okungaphandle. Abasebenzi beentlanga ezahlukeneyo banezimvo ezifanayo malunga nabantu, imisebenzi, ukwaneliseka okungaphakathi nokwaneliseka okungaphandle ngumsebenzi.

Die doelwitte van hierdie studie was om (1) te bepaal of werksbevrediging 'n beduidende aanwyser is van voorneme om te bedank; (2) te bepaal of mense van verskillende ouderdomme, geslagte, rasse en wat oor verskillende opvoedkundige kwalifikasies beskik beduidend verskil wat betref hul werksbevrediging en voorneme om te bedank; en (3) die aandag te vestig op tersaaklike implikasies wat betref retensiepraktyke in Suid-Afrikaanse petrochemiese verband. 'n Tevredenheidsvraelys, die Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), en 'n likert-skaal, die Intention to Quit Scale (IQS), is aangewend om voorneme om werksbevrediging te meet. 'n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is op 'n sistematiese ewekansige steekproefneming bestaande uit 157 werknemers by ‘n wêreldwye petrochemiese organisasie toegepas. Daar is bevind dat voorneme om te bedank negatief deur werksbevrediging beïnvloed word, asook dat werknemers van verskillende ouderdomsgroepe ekstrinsieke werksbevrediging verskillend ervaar. Werknemers van alle rasse ervaar mense, take, intrinsieke en ekstrinsieke werksbevrediging en werksbevrediging dieselfde.