Examining the relationship between the psychological contract, organisational committment and employee retention in the water control sector of South Africa

Abstract

The objectives of the study were: (1) to determine the relationship between psychological contract (measured by the Psychological Contract Questionnaire), organisational commitment (measured by the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire), and satisfaction with retention factors (measured by the Retention Factor Measurement Scale); (2) to determine whether employees representing different demographical variables (age, gender and race) differ significantly in terms of their levels of the psychological contract, organisational commitment, and satisfaction with retention factors; and, lastly, (3) to investigate whether age, gender, race, psychological contract, and organisational commitment significantly and positively predict employees’ satisfaction with retention factors. A quantitative survey was conducted on a purposive sample of permanent employees (N = 172) from the water control sector. Descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistical analyses revealed significant relationships between the psychological contract, organisational commitment, satisfaction with retention factors and demographical variables. The research findings confirmed a relationship between age, gender, race, psychological contract, organisational commitment and satisfaction with retention factors, and that psychological contract and organisational commitment predicted satisfaction with retention factors. Employee retention strategies were formulated based on accurate and deep understanding with regard to core significant research findings. The findings contribute valuable insight and knowledge to the field of psychological contract and organisational commitment that can be applied in the retention of employees in the water control sector.

Die doelwitte van die studie was: (1) om die verhouding tussen die psigologiese kontrak (gemeet deur die vraelys vir psigologiese kontrak), organisatoriese toewyding (gemeet deur die vraelys vir organisatoriese toewyding) en die tevredendheid met behoudfaktore (gemeet deur die metingskaal vir behoudfaktore) te bepaal; (2) om vas te stel of werknemers wat verskillende demografiese veranderlikes (ouderdom, geslag en ras) verteenwoordig, noemenswaardig verskil ten opsigte van hul vlakke van die psigologiese kontrak, organisatoriese toewyding en tevredenheid met behoudfaktore; en laastens (3) om ondersoek in te stel na of ouderdom, geslag, ras, psigologiese kontrak en organisatoriese toewyding werknemers se tevredenheid van behoudfaktore noemenswaardig en positief beïnvloed. ’n Kwantitatiewe opname is onder ’n doelbewuste steekproef van permanente werknemers (N = 172) in die waterbeheersektor gedoen. Beskrywende, korrelasie- en afgeleide statistiese ontledings het beduidende verwantskappe tussen die psigologiese kontrak, organisatoriese toewyding, tevredenheid van behoudfaktore en demografiese veranderlikes getoon. Die navorsingsbevindings het ’n verwantskap tussen ouderdom, geslag, ras, psigologiese kontrak, organisatoriese toewyding en tevredenheid met die behoudfaktore bevestig asook dat psigologiese kontrak en organisatoriese toewyding tevredenheid met die behoudfaktore voorspel. Werknemerbehoudstrategieë is geformuleer, wat op akkurate en grondige begrip ten opsigte van belangrike en betekenisvolle navorsingsbevindings gebaseer is. Die bevindings dra waardevolle insig en kennis by op die terrein van psigologiese kontrak en organisatoriese toewyding wat in die behoud van werknemers in die waterbeheersektor toegepas kan word.

Izinjongo zocwaningo kwakuyilezi: (1) ukunquma ubudlelwano phakathi kwesivumelwano sezengqondo (kulinganiswa Uhlu Lwemibuzo Lwesivumelwano Sengqondo), ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano (kulinganiswa Uhlu Lwemibuzo Lokuzibophezela Kwenhlangano), kanye nokwaneliseka ngezici zokulondolozwa (kulinganiswa Ngesikali Sokulinganiswa Kwesici Sokulondolozwa); (2) ukuze kunqunywe ukuthi abasebenzi abamelela ukuhlukahluka kwezibalo zabantu (iminyaka yobudala, ubulili nohlanga) zihluke kakhulu ngokwamazinga azo esivumelwano sengqondo, ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano, nokwaneliseka ngezici zokulondolozwa; futhi, okokugcina, (3) ukuphenya ukuthi ubudala, ubulili, uhlanga, isivumelwano sengqondo, nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano kubikezela ngokuphawulekayo nangokuqinisekile ukwaneliseka kwabasebenzi ngezici zokulondolozwa. Inhlolovo yokuqoqa nokuhlaziya imininingwane yezinombolo yenziwa ngesampula yenhloso yabasebenzi abasebenza ngokugcwele (N = 172) abavela emkhakheni wokulawula amanzi. Ukuhlaziywa kwezibalo okuchazayo, okuhlobanayo, nokunganaki kwembula ubudlelwano obubalulekile phakathi kwesivumelwano sezengqondo, ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano, ukwaneliseka ngezici zokulondolozwa nokuhlukahluka kwezibalo zabantu. Imiphumela yocwaningo iqinisekise ubudlelwano phakathi kweminyaka yobudala, ubulili, uhlanga, isivumelwano sengqondo, ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano nokwaneliseka ngezici zokulondolozwa, nokuthi isivumelwano sengqondo nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano kwabikezela ukwaneliseka ngezici zokulondolozwa. Amasu okulondolozwa kwabasebenzi akhiwe ngokusekelwe ekuqondeni okunembile nokujulile emithonjeni eyinhloko yocwaningo ebalulekile. Okutholakele kunomthelela omkhulu wokuqonda nolwazi emkhakheni wesivumelwano sezengqondo nokuzibophezela kwenhlangano okungasetshenziswa ekulondolozweni kwabasebenzi emkhakheni wokulawula amanzi.