INVESTIGATING FACTORS RELATED TO SOCIAL WORKERS’ JOB SATISFACTION: PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN TEHRAN AND KARAJ PROVINCES

The job takes up more of an individual’s time than any other activity and gives meaning to people. Various factors interact with each other to make someone satisfied or dissatisfied with the job. This study aims to identify the factors related to social workers’ job satisfaction based on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. The target population includes a total of hospitals located in Tehran and Karaj Provinces, Iran. 108 hospital social workers participated in the study, and the data were gathered through a job satisfaction questionnaire. As a result of this research, the overall level of social workers’ job satisfaction is average. A significant positive correlation was identified between motivational and hygiene factors, and job satisfaction. Among the variables of motivational factors, recognition, achievement, growth, and responsibility, and among the components of hygiene factors, supervision, workplace policy, and interpersonal relationships correlated significantly and positively with job satisfaction. In addition, a statistically significantly greater role of motivational factors in explaining social workers’ job satisfaction compared to hygiene factors has been proved.

Keywords:

Job satisfaction, Social work, Herzberg, Motivational factors Hygiene Factors,

PDF

___

Abu-Bader, S. H. (2000). Work satisfaction, burnout, and turnover among social workers in Israel: A causal diagram. International Journal of Social Welfare, 9(3), 191 - 200. doi:10.1111/1468-2397.00128
Acker, G. M. (2004). The Effect of Organizational Conditions (Role Conflict, Role Ambiguity, Opportunities for Professional Development, and Social Support) on Job Satisfaction and Intention to Leave Among Social Workers in Mental Health Care. Community Mental Health Journal, 40 (1), 65-73. doi:10.1023/b:comh.0000015218.12111.26
Acquavita, S. P., Pittman, J., Gibbons, M., & Castellanos-Brown, K. (2009). Personal and Organizational Diversity Factors’ Impact on Social Workers’ Job Satisfaction: Results from a National Internet-Based Survey. Administration in Social Work, 33(2), 151-166. doi: 10.1080/03643100902768824
Allah Yaari, T., & Miri Balchi, E. (2009). A Study Of Social Workers Job Satisfaction And Its Effective Factors In The City Of Tehran. Quarterly Journal of Social Sciences, 16(44), 193-219. doi:20.1001.1.17351162.1388.16.44.6.7 Aloisio, L. D., Gifford, W. A., McGilton, K. S., Lalonde, M., Estabrooks, C. A., & Squires, J. E. (2018). Individual and organizational predictors of allied healthcare providers’ job satisfaction in residential long-term care. BMC Health Services Research, 18(1). doi:10.1186/s12913-018-3307-3
Banyana Ramasodi, J. M. (2010). Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction Among Healthcare Professionals at South Rand Hospital. Master Dissertation: University of Limpopo.
Barth , R. P., Lloyd, E. C., Christ, S. L., Chapman, M. V., & Dickinson, N. S. (2008). Child Welfare Worker Characteristics and Job Satisfaction: A National Study. Social Work, 53(3), 199-209. doi:10.1093/sw/53.3.199
Bednar, S. G. (2003). Elements of Satisfying Organizational Climates in Child Welfare Agencies. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 84(1), 7-12. doi:10.1606/1044-3894.70
Bovier, P. A., & Perneger, T. V. (2003). Predictors of work satisfaction among physicians. The European Journal of Public Health, 13(4), 299-305. doi:10.1093/eurpub/13.4.299
Calitz, T., Roux, A., & Strydom, H. (2014). Factors that affect social workers’ job satisfaction, stress and burnout. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 50(2), 153-169. doi:10.15270/50-2-393
Chamberlain, S. A., Hoben, M., Squires, J. E., & Estabrooks, C. A. (2016). Individual and organizational predictors of health care aide job satisfaction in long term care. BMC Health Services Research, 16(1). doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1815-6
Choi, M. J., Koo, J., & Fortune, A. E. (2020). Predictors of Job Satisfaction among New MSWs: The Role of Organizational Factors. Journal of Social Service Research, 47(4), 458-472. doi:10.1080/01488376.2020.1830920
Cole, D., Panchanadeswaran , S., & Daining, C. (2004). Predictors of Job Satisfaction of Licensed Social Workers. Journal of Social Service Research, 31(1), 1-12. doi:10.1300/J079v31n01_01
Collins, S. (2008). Statutory Social Workers: Stress, Job Satisfaction, Coping, Social Support and Individual Differences. British Journal of Social Work, 38(6), 1173-1193. doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcm047
DeLoach, R., & Monroe, J. (2004). Job Satisfaction Among Hospice Workers: What Managers Need to Know. The Health Care Manager, 23(3), 209-219. doi:10.1097/00126450-200407000-00004
Evans , S., Huxley, P., Gately, C., Webber, M., Mears, A., Pajak, S., Medina, J., Kendall T. & Katona, C. (2006). Mental health, burnout and job satisfaction among mental health social workers in England and Wales. British Journal of Psychiatry , 75-80. doi:10.1192/bjp.188.1.75
Freund, A. (2005). Commitment and Job Satisfaction as Predictors of Turnover Intentions Among Welfare Workers. Administration in Social Work, 29(2), 5-21. doi:10.1300/j147v29n02_02
Gellis, Z. D. (2001). Job Stress Among Academic Health Center and Community Hospital Social Workers. Administration in Social Work, 25(3), 17-33. doi:10.1300/j147v25n03_02
George, E., & K.A, Z. (2015). Job related stress and job satisfaction: A comparative study among bank employees. Journal of Management Development, 34(3), 316-329. doi:10.1108/jmd-07-2013-0097
Gómez García, R., Alonso Sangregorio, M., & Lucía Llamazares Sánchezb, M. (2016). Evaluation of job satisfaction in a sample of Spanish social workers through the ‘Job Satisfaction Survey’ scale. European Journal Of Social Work, 21(1), 140-154. doi:10.1080/13691457.2016.1255929
Griffiths, A., Royse, D., Culver, K., Piescher, K., & Zhang, Y. (2017). Who Stays, Who Goes, Who Knows? A State-Wide Survey of Child Welfare Workers. Children and Youth Services Review, 77, 110-117. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.04.012
Hussein, S., Moriarty, J., Stevens, M., Sharpe, E., & Manthorpe, J. (2013). Organisational Factors, Job Satisfaction and Intention to Leave Among Newly Qualified Social Workers in England. Social Work Education, 33(3), 381-396. doi:10.1080/02615479.2013.806467
Jang, P. (2018). A Study of the Effect on Organizational Factors on Job Satisfaction of Geriatric Practitioners between Millennials and Older Generations. Master Dissertation: Abilene Christian University.
Jessen, J. T. (2010). Job satisfaction and social rewards in the social services. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 5(1), 21-38. doi:https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v5i1.51
Kaheh, D., & Heivadi, T. (2012). Job Satisfaction & Mental Health. Payesh, 11(3), 391-397. doi:http://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.16807626.1391.11.3.12.8
Lambert, E. G., Cluse-Tolar, T., Pasupuleti, S., Prior, M., & Allen, R. I. (2012). A Test of a Turnover Intent Model. Administration in Social Work, 36(1), 67-84. doi:10.1080/03643107.2010.551494
Lambert, E. G., Lynne Hogan, N., & Barton, S. M. (2001). The impact of job satisfaction on turnover intent: a test of a structural measurement model using a national sample of workers. The Social Science Journal, 38(2), 233-250. doi:10.1016/s0362-3319(01)00110-0
Lambert, E. G., Pasupuleti, S., Cluse-Tolar, T., Jennings, M., & Baker, D. (2006). The Impact of Work-Family Conflict on Social Work and Human Service Worker Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment: An Exploratory Study. Administration in Social Work, 30(3), 55-74. doi:10.1300/j147v30n03_05
Lee, C. D., & del Carmen Montiel, E. (2011). The Correlation of Mentoring and Job Satisfaction: A Pilot Study of Mental Health Professionals. Community Ment Health Journal, 47(4), 482–487. doi:10.1007/s10597-010-9356-7
Lozano, S. A. (2017). Exploring the Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction of Child Welfare Social Workers. Master Dissertation: California State University.
Monroe, J., & Deloach, R. J. (2004). Job Satisfaction: How Do Social Workers Fare with Other Interdiciplinary Team Members in Hospice Settings? OMEGA- Journal of Death and Dying, 49(4), 327-346. doi:10.2190/j9fd-v6p8-gcmj-hfe0
Mor Barak, M. E., Nissly, J. A., & Levin, A. (2001). Antecedents to Retention and Turnover among Child Welfare, Social Work, and Other Human Service Employees: What Can We Learn from Past Research? A Review and Metanalysis. Social Service Review, 75(4), 625-661. doi:10.1086/323166
Mrhálek, T., & Kajanová, A. (2018). Work satisfaction and mental pressure of social workers and workers in social services. Kontakt, 20(2), 166-170.
O’Donnell, P., Farrar, A., BrintzenhofeSzoc, K., Conrad, A. P., Danis, M., Grady, C., . . . Ulrich, C. M. (2008). Predictors of Ethical Stress, Moral Action and Job Satisfaction in Health Care Social Workers. Social work in health care, 46(3), 29-51. doi:10.1300/j010v46n03_02
Papadaki, V., & Papadaki, E. (2006). Job satisfaction in social services in Crete, Greece: social workers’ views. European Journal of Social Work, 9(4), 479-495. doi:10.1080/13691450600958528
Petty, G. C., & Brewer, E. W. (2005). Job Satisfaction among Employees of a Youth Development Organization. Child & Youth Care Forum, 34(1), 57-73. doi: 10.1007/s10566-004-0882-8
Pinsker, S. (2013). Job satisfaction among social workers: Satisfaction with facets of the job and overall satisfaction, and the impact of work-family conflict and disposition. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences.
Pugh, G. L. (2016). Job satisfaction and turnover intent among hospital social workers in the United States. Social Work in Health Care, 55(7), 485-502. doi:10.1080/00981389.2016.1186133
Safadi, N. S. (2019). Social Support, Quality of Services, and Job Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from Palestinian Social Workers. Social Work, 64(3), 1-9. doi:10.1093/sw/swz032
Shalonda, S. (2019). Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction of Registered Nurses Working in Public Hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia. Master Dissertation: Stellenbosch University.
Shier , M. L., Graham, J. R., Fukuda, E., Brownlee, K., Kline, T. J., Walji, S., & Novik, N. (2012). Social Workers and Satisfaction with Child Welfare Work: Aspects of Work, Profession, and Personal Life that Contribute to Turnover. Child Welfare, 91(5), 117-138.
Smith, D. B., & Shields, J. (2013). Factors Related to Social Service Workers’ Job Satisfaction: Revisiting Herzberg’s Motivation to Work. Administration in social work, 37(2), 189-198. doi: 10.1080/03643107.2012.673217 Staudt, M. (1997). Correlates of Job Satisfaction in School Social Work. Social Work in Education, 19(1), 43-51.
Taduvana, S. (2016). The Impact of Job Insecurity on Job Satisfaction and Oraganizational Commitment at Femina Garments in Zimbabwe: A Case Study. Master dissertation: Durban University of Technology.
Toi, H. (2015). Professional Values and Conflict among Social Workers in Prisons: An Examination of Role Stress,Strain, and Job Satisfaction in Working with Inmates with Mental Illness and/or Substance Use Disorders. PhD Thesis: University of Connecticut.
Troupe, V. (2016). Job Satisfaction Among Social Workers Working With Foster Families. Master Dissertation: California State University.
Ulrich, C., O’Donnell, P., Taylor, C., Farrar, A., Danis, M., & Grady, C. (2007). Ethical climate, ethics stress, and the job satisfaction of nurses and social workers in the United States. Social Science & Medicine, 65(8), 1708-1719. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.05.050
Um, M.-Y., & Harrison, D. F. (1998). Role stressors, burnout, mediators, and job satisfaction: A stress-strain-outcome model and an empirical test. Social Work Research, 22(2), 100-115. doi:10.1093/swr/22.2.100
Yanchus, N. J., Periard, D., Moore, S. C., Carle, A. C., & Osatuke, K. (2015). Predictors of Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention in VHA Mental Health Employees: A Comparison Between Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, and Mental Health Nurses. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 39(3), 219-244. doi:10.1080/23303131.2015.1014953
Zembylas, M., & Papanastasiou, E. (2004). Job satisfaction among school teachers in Cyprus. Journal of Educational Administration, 42(3), 357-374. doi:10.1108/09578230410534676
Zheng, X., Diaz, I., Tang, N., & Tang, K. (2014). Job insecurity and job satisfaction: The interactively moderating effects of optimism and person-supervisor deep-level similarity. The Career Development International, 19(4), 426-446. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-10-2013-0121