The influence of South African Police Service (SAPS) employees’ primary relationship experiences on their productivity in the workplace: informing employee assistance programme

Abstract

The study provides an analysis of studies conducted by different researchers with regard to the relationship between the influence of a primary relationship and work productivity. It has been discovered that intimate relationships and work performance relationships can no longer be overlooked because there is a strong correlation between the two. Studies in different countries including South Africa have been conducted which indicate that employees experience conflict with regard to their personal and work relationships. This prompted the introduction of an Employee Assistance Programme in different departments including the South African Police Service (SAPS) in order to address issues experienced by employees. The programme deals with both personal and work issues in order to improve the employee’s mental well-being as well as increase productivity in the workplace. Purpose - This research study intended to explore the influence of SAPS employees’ primary relationship experiences on their productivity in the workplace because insufficient information exists regarding this phenomenon. Method - A qualitative research study was undertaken with a phenomenological design supported by exploratory, descriptive and contextual strategies of enquiry. Piloting of the data collection instrument (open-ended questions contained in an interview guide) was utilised. Data was obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews with SAPS employees about the influence that primary relationships had on their productivity in the workplace until data saturation was reached. The data was thematically analysed by applying the eight steps of data analysis proposed by Tesch. Data verification was applied using Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) trustworthiness model which involved aspects such as credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability. Ethical considerations such as informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, beneficence, and management of information were adhered to. Results - It was found that the SAPS employees experienced both positive and negative spill over with regard to the influence of their primary relationship experiences on their work productivity. This was brought about by the fact that when matters were going well in the employee’s life, they tended to be happier as well as more focused and eager to be productive at work without being followed by their senior supervisors. When the SAPS employees experienced conflict in their primary relationship, they lost focus and concentration in what they were supposed to do. This tended to make them moody and less productive, which in turn affected how they rendered services to the communities they were employed to serve.

Tshedimošo ya mathomong – Dinyakišišo tše di hlagiša dinyakišišo tšeo di dirilwego ke banyakišiši bao ba fapafapanego mabapi le kamano magareng ga khuetšo ya kamano ya motheo le tšweletšo ya ka mošomong ka ge go utollotšwe gore dikamano tša marato le dikamano tša phethagatšo ya mošomo di ka se sa hlokomologwa ka gobane go na le kamano ye e tiilego magareng ga tšona ka bobedi. Dinyakišišo tše di dirilwego ka dinageng tše di fapafapanego, go akaretšwa le ka Afrika Borwa, di laeditše gore bašomi ba itemogela thulano mabapi le dikamano tša bona tša motheo le tša ka mošomong. Se se hlohleleditše gore go tsebišwe Lenaneo la Thušo ya Bašomi ka dikgorong tše di fapafapanego, go akaretšwa le ka go Tirelo ya Maphodisa ya Afrika Borwa (SAPS) go rarolla mathata ao bašomi ba lebanego le ona. Lenaneo le le thomišitšwe ka nepo ya go rarolla bobedi mathata a batho le a ka mošomong ka nepo ya go kaonafatša go phela gabotse ga menagano ya bašomi gammogo le tšweletšo ka mošomong. Maikemišetšo – Dinyakišišo tše di ikemišeditše go lekola khuetšo ya maitemogelo a dikamano tša bašomi ba SAPS go tšweletšo ka mošomong. Mekgwa – Dinyakišišo tša boleng di dirilwe go tšwa go tlhamo ya ditiragalo tšeo di thekgilwego ke mekgwa ya dinyakišišo ya tekolo, ya tlhalošo le ya seemo. Go lekola ge eba ditlabelo tša go kgoboketša tshedimošo di a šoma (dipotšišo tša go nyaka mabaka tšeo di lego ka gare ga tlhahli ya dipotšišo tša dinyakišišo) go dirišitšwe. Tshedimošo e hweditšwe ka go diriša dipotšišo tša sewelo ge go botšišwa bašomi ba SAPS ka ga khuetšo ya dikamano tša motheo go tšweletšo ya ka mošomong go fihla ge go sa hwetšwe tshedimošo ye mpsha. Tshedimošo e ile ya sekasekwa go ya ka merero ka go diriša dikgato tše seswai tša tshekatsheko ya tshedimošo tšeo di šišintšwego ke Tesch. Mokgwa wa tshephagalo wa Lincoln le Guba (1985) o šomišitšwe go tiišetša tshedimošo; o akaretša dilo tša go swana le seriti, go fetišetšega ga tshedimošo, tshephagalo le go latelega. Dilo tša go amana le maitshwaro tša go swana le tumelo ya tsebo, sephiri, go se tsebege, go holega le taolo ya tshedimošo di ile tša latelwa. Dipoelo – Go hweditšwe gore bašomi ba SAPS ba itemogela bobedi maikutlo a makaone le a go se loke mabapi le khuetšo ya dikamano tša motheo go tšweletšo ya mošomo wa bona. Se se tlišitšwe ke taba ya gore ge ditaba di sepela gabotse bophelong bja mošomi, ba fela ba thaba kudu, ba na le tsepelelo kudu ebile ba nyaka go ba le tšweletšo le ge go se na bahlokomedi ba bona bao ba ba lekolago. Ge bašomi ba SAPS ba itemogela thulano ka dikamanong tša bona tša motheo, ba lahlegelwa ke tsepelelo le nepišo mabapi le seo ba swanetšego go se dira, gomme se se fela se ba dira gore ba tšewe ke maikutlo le go ba le tšweletšo ye nnyane gomme se se ama ka fao ba abelago ditšhaba tšeo ba thwaletšwego go di abela ditirelo