Investigating the Effect of Perceived Workplace Climate on the Well-being of Academic Staff at Makerere University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53449/ije.v6i2.283Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyse how workplace climate affects the well-being of academic staff at Makerere University. The study was prompted by the reportedly persistent ill-being of academic staff at Makerere University in the recent past. The study followed a concurrent design, where the quantitative approach partook a cross-sectional survey design and the qualitative used a phenomenological survey design. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of 383 academic staff and interviewing four heads of departments and four academic staff distributed in three colleges and one school. The respondents were selected using stratified random sampling and purposive sampling. The qualitative data was analysed through thematic and content analysis inductively. Later, both data sets converged during interpretation to obtain common implications. Qualitative findings indicated participants had varying perspectives on the workplace climate for instance, participants' voices ranged from challenging to supportive and adaptable, stressful and rewarding. This implied that such mixed feedback from different voices had different implications and consequences for individual participants. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, (r = .529, n = 286, p = .000> 0.05), and multiple analysed by linear regression R2 = 0.281, p =0,000 >.05). F statistic = 37.550, p= 0.00>0.05, Beta= 0.350, p= 0.00>0.05. The findings indicated a statistically significant positive relationship and effect between well-being and workplace climate in terms of work pleasure, job rewards, and career growth opportunities.
Downloads
References
Aktar, S., Sachu, M. K., & Ali, M. E. (2012). The impact of rewards on employee performance in commercial banks of Bangladesh: An empirical study. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 6(2), 9-15.
Antloga, C. S., Mendes, A. M., & Maia, M. (2012). Pleasure and suffering at work: A case study with employees at the administrative section of a construction material company in DF. International Journal of Applied Psychology, 2(5), 110-118.
Atugonza, R., Baguma, P., & Balojja, D. (2021). The moderating influence of personal factors on stress among academic staff of Makerere University, Uganda. European Journal of Education Studies, 8(2), 561-580. https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v8i2.3657
Aryanti, R. D., Sari, E. Y. D., & Widiana, H. S. (2020, October). A literature review of workplace well-being [Paper presentation]. International Conference on Community Development (ICCD 2020) (pp. 605-609). Atlantis Press.
Bell, A. S., Rajendran, D., & Theiler, S. (2012). Job stress, wellbeing, work-life balance and work-life conflict among Australian academics. E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 8(1), 25-37. https://doi.org/10.7790/ejap.v8i1.320
Uganda's Auditor General's Report (2015). Annual report of the Auditor General for the audit year ended December 2016. Volume 5 Value for Money Audit.
Bell, A. S., Rajendran, D., & Theiler, S. (2012). Job stress, wellbeing, work-life balance and work-life conflict among Australian academics. E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 8(1), 25-37. https://doi.org/10.7790/ejap.v8i1.320
Bennett, J. B., Weaver, J., Senft, M., & Neeper, M. (2017). Creating workplace well‐being: Time for practical wisdom. The handbook of stress and health: A guide to research and practice, 570-604.
Burke, R. J., & Richardsen, A. M. (Eds.). (2019). Increasing occupational health and safety in workplaces: Individual, work and organizational factors. Edward Elgar Publishing.
du Plessis, M. (2019). Coping with occupational stress in an open distance learning university in South Africa. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 29(6), 570-575.
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3), 500–507. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.71.3.500
Eisenberger, R., Malone, G. P., & Presson, W. D. (2016). Optimizing perceived organizational support to enhance employee engagement. Society for Human Resource Management and Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2(2016), 3-22.
Eisenberger, R., Wang, Z., Mesdaghinia, S., Wu, H., & Wickham, R. (2013). Perceived follower support: Contributions to supportive supervision and workgroup outcomes [Paper presentation]. Annual Conference of the Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology, Houston, TX.
Muwanguzi, E., Ezati, E., & Mugimu, C. B. (2022). Job Satisfaction among Employees: A review of theories. Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science, 10(3), 78-84.
Evanoff, B. A., Strickland, J. R., Dale, A. M., Hayibor, L., Page, E., Duncan, J. G., ... & Gray, D. L. (2020). Work-related and personal factors associated with mental well-being during the COVID-19 response: Survey of health care and other workers. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(8), e21366.
Kabunga, A. (2020). Prevalence of burnout among university academic staff in Uganda: Does gender matter? Clinical Psychiatry, 6(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.36648/2471-9854.6.1.68
Kinman, G. (2019). Effort-reward imbalance in academic employees: Examining different reward systems. International Journal of Stress Management, 26(2), 184-?
Kinman, G., & Wray, S. (2021). Better than watching daytime TV: Sickness presenteeism in UK academics. Studies in Higher Education, 47(8), 1724-1735.
Lunyolo, O., & Bakkabulindi, F. E. K. (2017). Work environment and lecturer productivity in a college in Makerere University: An interpretive study. Kampala International University Research Journal, 6(2), 131–136.
Larson, L. M., Seipel, M. T., Shelley, M. C., Gahn, S. W., Ko, S. Y., Schenkenfelder, M., ... & Heitmann, M. M. (2019). The academic environment and faculty well-being: The role of psychological needs. Journal of Career Assessment, 27(1), 167-182.
Madhukar, V., & Sharma, S. (2017). Organizational climate: A conceptual perspective. International Journal of Management, IT and Engineering, 7(8), 276-293.
Morrish, L. (2019). Pressure vessels: The epidemic of poor mental health among higher education staff. Oxford: Higher Education Policy Institute.
Malve-Ahlroth, S. (2020). Supportive work environment for psychological well-being: interpretative phenomenological analysis of salutogenic affordances. Alnarp: SLU, Dept. of People and Society
Mudrak, J., Zabrodska, K., Kveton, P., Jelinek, M., Blatny, M., Solcova, I., & Machovcova, K. (2018). Occupational well-being among university faculty: A job demands-resources model. Research in Higher Education, 59(3), 325-348.
Mugizi, W., Rwothumio, J., & Amwine, C. M. (2021). Compensation management and employee wellbeing of academic staff in Ugandan private universities during COVID-19 lockdown. Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research, 3(1), 1-12.
Mwesigwa, R., Tusiime, I., & Ssekiziyivu, B. (2020). Leadership styles, job satisfaction and organizational commitment among academic staff in public universities. Journal of Management Development, 39(2), 253-268. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-02-2018-0055
Nabatte, P. (2019, August 27). Mak rolls out government research and innovations funds. Retrieved from: https://news.mak.ac.ug › 2019/08 › mak-rolls-out-gove.
Ndyabahika D. (2018, February 5). Makerere Loses 400 Academic Staff in Eight Years. Retrieved from: www.ugandaradionetwork.ac.ug
Nielsen, K., Nielsen, M. B., Ogbonnaya, C., Känsälä, M., Saari, E., & Isaksson, K. (2017). Workplace resources to improve both employee well-being and performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Work & Stress, 31(2), 101-120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2017.1304463
Oluwole, A. D., Adeniji, E. O., & Abiodun-Oyebanji, O. J. (2022). Presumptive behavioural indices and psychological well-being of academic staff in tertiary institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria. Journal of Humanities Therapy, 13(2), 147-178.
Ohadomere, O., & Ogamba, I. K. (2021). Management-led interventions for workplace stress and mental health of academic staff in higher education: a systematic review. The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, 16(1), 67-82.
Okoli, I. E. (2018). Organizational climate and job satisfaction among academic staff: Experience from selected private universities in Southeast Nigeria. International Journal of Research in Business Studies and Management, 5(12), 36-48.
Rahim, N. B., Osman, I., & Arumugam, P. V. (2020). Linking work-life balance and employee well-being: Do supervisor support and family support moderate the relationship? International Journal of Business and Society, 21(2), 588-606.
Ruggeri, K., Garcia-Garzon, E., Maguire, A., Matz, S., & Huppert, F. A. (2020). Well-being is more than happiness and life satisfaction: a multidimensional analysis of 21 countries. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 18(1), 1-16.
Rwendeirwe, A. (2017). Bringing the future to the present. The report of the Visitation Committee on Makerere University. Uganda Government, Kampala.
Schultz, P. P., Ryan, R. M., Niemiec, C. P., Legate, N., & Williams, G. C. (2015). Mindfulness, work climate, and psychological need satisfaction in employee well-being. Mindfulness, 6(5), 971-985. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0338-7
Semeere, A. S., Semitala, F. C., Lunkuse, O., Katahoire, A., Sewankambo, N. K., & Kamya, M. R. (2021). An assessment of implementation science research capacity in Uganda. Health Research Policy and Systems, 19(14), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.118 6/s12961-020-00653-2
Shen, P., & Slater, P. (2021). The effect of occupational stress and coping strategies on mental health and emotional well-being among university academic staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. International Education Studies, 14(3), 82-95.
Ssali, K. F., Onen, D., & Gyaviira, G. M. (2019). Determinants of academic staff retention at Makerere University and Kyambogo University. Makerere Journal of Higher Education, 10(2), 65-81.
Tham, T. L., & Holland, P. (2018). What do business school academics want? Reflections from the national survey on workplace climate and well-being. Australia and New Zealand. Journal of Management & Organization, 24(4), 492-499.
Viitala, R., Tanskanen, J., & Säntti, R. (2015). The connection between organizational climate and well-being at work. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 23(4), 606-620.
Wray, S., & Kinman, G. (2022). The psychosocial hazards of academic work: An analysis of trends. Studies in Higher Education, 47(4), 771-782.
Zábrodská, K., Mudrák, J., Květoň, P., Blatný, M., Machovcová, K., & Šolcová, I. (2014). Work environment and well-being of academic faculty in Czech universities: A pilot study. Studia paedagogica, 19(4), 121-144. https//doi.org/10.5817/SP2014-4-6
