Developing a work engagement framework for employees in the tertiary education sector in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study focused on the construction of a work engagement framework, by investigating the relationship between perceived organisational justice, the psychological contract, work engagement and socio-demographic variables (age, gender, employment status and employment category). This is to inform work engagement strategies for different socio-demographic groups of employees in the context of the tertiary education environment in Zimbabwe. A quantitative survey was conducted on a sample of academic and non-academic (permanent and contract) staff (n = 336) at the selected tertiary institution. The post-positivist philosophy and the census sampling technique were adopted. The bivariate correlations indicated strong relationships between perceived organisational justice, the psychological contract, and work engagement. Stepwise regression analysis revealed perceived organisational justice and the psychological contract to be the strongest predictors of work engagement. Moderated hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the identified socio-demographic variables did not moderate the relationships between perceived organisational justice, the psychological contract, and work engagement. Spearman’s bivariate correlation and regression analyses informed structural equation modelling and revealed a good fit between perceived organisational justice, the psychological contract, and work engagement. Statistically significant differences were found in respect of the socio-demographic variables. From a theoretical standpoint, the study enhanced deeper comprehension of the hypothesised work engagement framework; on an empirical standpoint, the study developed an empirically tested work engagement framework; and on a practical level, individual-level and organisation-level interventions pertaining to the work engagement framework are recommended for human resource managers.

Esi sifundo sagxila ekwakheni isikhokelo somsebenzi ngokuphanda ulwalamano phakathi kobulungisa bequmrhu obucingelwayo, isivumelwano sesimo sengqondo nokusebenza nemiba yezobalo loluntu (ubudala, isini, uhlanga, nesimo sengqesho). Oku kwenzelwa ukuyila amacebo okungena emsebenzini kwabantu abaziindidi ezahlukeneyo kwicandelo lezemfundo ephakamileyo eZimbabwe. Kwaqhutywa uhlolo zimvo oluqwalasela amanani kwisampulu yabasebenzi abafundisayo nabangafundisiyo (abazizigxina nabangezozigxina) (n = 336) kwiziko elithile lemfundo ephakamileyo. Ukufana kwemiba emibini kwabonakalisa ulwalamano olunamandla phakathi kobulungisa bequmrhu obucingelwayo, isivumelwano sesimo sengqondo kunye nokuzimisela emsebenzini. Uhlalutyo lwamanani akhethwe ngokwenkqubo eyaziwa ngokuba yistepwise regression lwadulisa ukuba ubulungisa bequmrhu obucingelwayo kunye nesivumelwano sesimo sengqondo zizo izinto ezikhokelela ekuzinikeleni emsebenzini. Uhlalutyo oluhleliweyo lokulandelelana kwamanani akhethwe ngenkqubo yeregression lwavelisa ukuba imiba echingiweyo yezobalo loluntu ayinanxaxheba kulwalamano oluphakathi kobulungisa bequmrhu obucingelwayo, isivumelwano sesimo sengqondo kunye nokuzimisela emsebenzini. Iindidi zohlalutyo lothelekiso lwemiba emibini nolweregression zasekela uhlalutyo lweendidi ngeendidi zokwakheka kwemiba, kwaveza nokuba kukho ulwalamano oluhle phakathi kobulungisa bequmrhu obucingelwayo, isivumelwano sesimo sengqondo kunye nokuzimisela emsebenzini. Kwafumaniseka umahluko othe vetshe phakathi kwemiba yobalo kwezoluntu. Kwizinga leengcingane/iithiyori, esi sifundo saqinisa ukuqonda ngesikhokelo esakhokela iingcinga ezimalunga nokuzimisela emsebenzini. iii Kwizinga lezifundo ezinobungqina, isifundo saphuhlisa isikhokelo esivavanywe sanobungqina malunga nokuzimisela emsebenzini kwizinga lokuphathekayo okanye okwenzekayo, kwenziwa iingcebiso kubalawuli becandelo lokulawula abaqeshwa, ngcebiso ezo yayizezokuncedisana nomqeshwa ngamnye kunye nequmrhu malunga nesikhokelo sokuzimisela emsebenzini.

Ucwaningo lugxile ekwakhiweni kohlaka lokuzibandakanya emsebenzini, ngokuphenya ubudlelwano phakathi kobulungiswa benhlangano obucatshangwayo, inkontileka yengqondo nokuzibandakanya komsebenzi kanye nokuhlukahluka kwenhlalo yabantu (iminyaka yobudala, ubulili, uhlanga kanye nesimo sokuqashwa). Lokhu, ukwazisa amasu okuxoxisana nesisebenzi emaqenjini ahlukene enhlalo yabantu ngokwesimo semfundo ephakeme eZimbabwe. Inhlolovo yenani yenziwe ngesampula labasebenzi bezemfundo nabangezona kwezemfundo (izisebenzi ezihlala unomphela nezesikhashana) (n = 336) esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme esikhethiwe. Ukuhlobana kokuguquguquka kabili kubonise ubudlelwano obuqinile phakathi kobulungiswa benhlangano obubonwayo, inkontileka yengqondo nokuzibandakanya komsebenzi. Ukuhlaziywa kwesinyathelo esihlakaniphile kwembule ubulungisa benhlangano obubonwayo kanye nenkontileka yezengqondo ukuze kube izibikezelo eziqine kakhulu zokuzibandakanya komsebenzi. Ukuhlaziya okulinganiselwe kwesinyathelo esihlakaniphile sokwehla kwamndla emali nomnotho kwembula ukuthi okuguquguqukayo okukhonjiwe kwenhlalo yabantu akuzange kulinganisele ubudlelwano phakathi kokucatshangwayo kobulungiswa benhlangano, inkontileka yengqondo nokuzibandakanya emsebenzini. Ukuhlaziya kokuguquguquka kabili kanye nokwehla kwamndla emali nomnotho yazisa imodeli yezibalo zesakhiwo futhi yembula ukuvumelana okuhle phakathi okucatshangwayo kobulungisa benhlangano, inkontileka yengqondo nokuzibandakanya komsebenzi. Umehluko omkhulu utholakale maqondana nokuguquguquka kwenhlalo yabantu. Ngokwezinga lethiyori, ucwaningo lwathuthukisa ukuqonda kohlaka lokuzibandakanya komsebenzi okucatshangelwayo; ngezinga v lokucwaninga, ucwaningo lwenze uhlaka lokuzibandakanya emsebenzini oluvivinywe ngokwamandla; futhi ngokwezinga elingokoqobo, ukungenelela komuntu ngamunye kanye nenhlangano ngokohlaka lokusebenzelana kwanconywa kubaphathi bezabasebenzi.