Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using An Evidence-Based Practice Nurse Recognition Practice To Improve Job Satisfaction, Hali Bianchi

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The project targeted low job satisfaction and high nurse turnover in a Central Florida bone marrow transplant unit, impacting patient care and costs.

PICOT: (P) For registered nurses (RNs) on the bone marrow transplant unit, (I) does implementing an evidence-based practice employee recognition program (C) compared to no employee recognition program, (O) lead to an increase in job satisfaction (T) over 10 weeks?

Evidence: The evidence supported the effectiveness of meaningful recognition programs, such as personalized verbal acknowledgment from leadership, in boosting job satisfaction among nurses.

Intervention: The intervention involved nurse managers using a weekly employee recognition …

Social Undermining Among Police Officers In The United States., Weston B. Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Policing is a large and critical part of the American criminal justice system. Although a focal study group for research, little is known of how social undermining impacts police officers and organizations. Social undermining can cause a variety of negative consequences, including lower job satisfaction, reduction in work-related outcomes, and mental and physical health problems (Duffy et al., 2002; Hershcovis & Barling, 2010; Sabeen & Arshad, 2019). To date, no study has examined social undermining in police officers within the United States. This qualitative research examined social undermining among police officers. Using a blend of inductive and deductive thematic analysis, …

Improving Police Officer Recruiting, Retention, And Job Satisfaction, Mitch Christensen

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

This Capstone paper covered the topics of police officer recruiting, retention, and job satisfaction. It detailed current issues surrounding these topics, and promoted actionable and evidence-based changes to improve those issues. Topics were analyzed through administrative, ethical, and legal and legislative lens views. These proposed measures served as confirmation that current concerning trends can be mitigated, if not reversed, with thoughtful and thorough actions by police administrators and frontline employees alike.

The Effects Of Stepped Care On Burnout For University Counseling Center Clinicians, Madison Estrada

Dissertations

The ability of university counseling centers (UCCs) to meet the increased demand for service by students is becoming an increasing concern. While UCCs are seeing more students than ever, this increased demand has not been met with an increase in resources. As such, UCC clinicians are at a greater risk for developing burnout. However, according to the Demand – Control – Support Model, this risk could be reduced if UCC staff were afforded higher degrees of control over the resources they do have and received adequate support and acknowledgement for the work they accomplish. Through surveying 339 UCC clinicians in …

Nonprofit Marketing And Communication Personnel Job Satisfaction: The Effects Of Role Conflict And Role Ambiguity, Rachel L. Swink

Communication Theses

Job satisfaction is becoming increasingly important in efforts to retain employees across all sectors. The nonprofit sector is facing greater challenges than ever before in competing for and retaining adequate talent. The nonprofit sector provides unconventional benefits such as hybrid office models, paid time off, and others to improve job satisfaction. While nonprofits receive high job satisfaction, turnover is a big issue, even among marketing and communication teams which are often underfunded, understaffed, and unappreciated. Marketing and communication teams play a unique role within nonprofits, as they are frequently pulled in different directions to accomplish tasks that may not necessarily …

Understanding Job Satisfaction In The National Park Service, The Needs Of Black Employees, And The Decision-Making Of Managers, Akiebia Hicks

All Dissertations

According to the 2020 U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, the National Park Service (NPS) was ranked the 353rd best place to work out of the 411 government agencies surveyed, with an engagement score of 61.3%, which was lower than the 69.0% average amongst government agencies. This survey is performed annually and asks employees to score their employer in the following categories: leadership, empowerment, pay, teamwork, innovation, recognition, response to COVID-19, and work-life balance. The scores are divided by a quartile key. In every category except “innovation,” the NPS landed in the lower quartile, causing the need …

An Examination Of Well-Being Across Theories Of Career Development Using Latent Profile Analysis, Jessica Schultz

Dissertations

Multiple theories have been designed to better understand how elements of working can affect personal well-being (Dawis, 2005; Duffy et al., 2016a; Duffy et al., 2018). The Theory of Work Adjustment (Dawis, 2005), a classic trait-and-factor theory, proposes that job satisfaction is the result of how well the needs and values of the worker fit within the needs and expectations of the workplace. The Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016a) posits that acquiring decent work (i.e., jobs that provide safety, access to healthcare, adequate compensation, hours for rest, and congruent values) will lead to well-being. Additionally, this theory …

Reducing Workplace Conflict: A Reasonable Expectation?, Stephen Mark Kominek

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Workplace conflict is a part of everyday work life for many employees, from educationalinstitutions to businesses, and can occur for multiple different reasons. Research has shown that employees spend a significant amount of their life in the workplace and that addressing unresolved conflict is one of the costliest aspects of running an organization. The literature suggests that providing employees with the opportunity to experience greater job satisfaction may reduce the occurrence of workplace conflict. This quantitative study explored the experience of workers employed in various organizations and institutions. The theoretical frameworks applied in the study were Systems Theory and Maslow’s …

Postsecondary Education, Self-Efficacy, And Organizational Commitment Impact On Previously Incarcerated Employee Job Satisfaction, Elizabeth Sadler Roney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A study was conducted to determine if previously incarcerated employee age, postsecondary education (PSE) attainment, prior incarceration status, and assessed self-efficacy predict job satisfaction. It also considered if organizational commitment had a moderating effect on the predictors ability to forecast the criterion. Two underlying theories considered in this study are Bandura’s social learning theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory. The obtained sample of 22 participants included seven previously incarcerated individuals. Demographic data used as predictors were employee age, PSE attainment, and prior incarceration status. Three instruments used included the New General Self-Efficacy Survey to assess self-efficacy as a predictor, the Job …

Postsecondary Education, Self-Efficacy, And Organizational Commitment Impact On Previously Incarcerated Employee Job Satisfaction, Elizabeth Sadler Roney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A study was conducted to determine if previously incarcerated employee age, postsecondary education (PSE) attainment, prior incarceration status, and assessed self-efficacy predict job satisfaction. It also considered if organizational commitment had a moderating effect on the predictors ability to forecast the criterion. Two underlying theories considered in this study are Bandura’s social learning theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory. The obtained sample of 22 participants included seven previously incarcerated individuals. Demographic data used as predictors were employee age, PSE attainment, and prior incarceration status. Three instruments used included the New General Self-Efficacy Survey to assess self-efficacy as a predictor, the Job …

Personality Traits In The Workplace: Examining The Light Triad And Its Relationship With Job Satisfaction, Sarah Catherine Overton

Honors College Theses

The expanding psychological research into several “dark traits” of one’s personality (Moshagen et al., 2018) has presented a void in examining more positive characteristics. In recent years, Kaufman and colleagues (2019) developed the “Light Triad” to provide a more holistic perspective on humankind. The Light Triad is a construct encompassing benevolent personality traits, including humanism, faith in humanity, and Kantianism. Most relevant to the current study, Kaufman and colleagues (2019) found a significant relationship between the Light Triad and life satisfaction. Furthermore, life satisfaction is also positively correlated with job satisfaction (Rice et al., 1980). Given these relationships, it was …

Does Coworker Support Buffer The Impact Of Work Interruptions On Well-Being?, Ruyue Sun

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although being interrupted by a colleague at work is often a negative experience, in this study I ask the question of whether the impact of the interruption depends on the relationship you have with that coworker. This is important because coworker support may protect employees from the negative effects of work interruptions on employee well-being. In this study, I administered a survey to investigate the role of coworker support in the relationship between general work interruption and job satisfaction. Using an experimental vignette method, 181 participants (college students) were presented with scenarios with a fictional co-worker that presented either high …

Addressing Teacher Attrition Through Trauma-Informed Practices In The Workplace, Amy Pahl, Amy L. Pahl

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Teacher attrition and turnover have been widely studied to understand the reason for the number of teachers moving each year or leaving the profession altogether. Researchers have attempted to understand the contributing factors that lead to teacher movement and attrition, yet a knowledge gap exists between understanding the problem and finding solutions. The aim of this study was to investigate how implementing trauma-informed practices in the workplace impacts teacher mobility and attrition. A grounded theory approach was taken, which data from interviews to investigate the problem. Teachers who have left the profession or have moved from a position were interviewed …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Practices In Teachers, Shawn M. Martin Hettinga

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Mindfulness training has been identified as a promising means for cultivating social and emotional competencies and reducing stress. The purpose of the quantitative pre-post study using convenience sampling of educators in a rural K-12 in the Arkansas River Valley was to examine whether teachers’ participation in mindfulness activities were associated with changes in levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and job satisfaction. The study used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) and measured the responses from novice (0-3 years) and experienced (4+ years) teachers. The findings revealed that there was no difference between the …

Executive Job Motivation: A Non-Profit Perspective, Jacques Kalume Mambo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNonprofit organization (NPO) executives, who serve others while accepting substantial salary and benefit packages, may be motivated by extrinsic and intrinsic elements of their job satisfaction. Yet little is known about the extent to which executives are motivated by altruism alone or by financial compensation and other extrinsic rewards. The purpose of this quantitative study was to test the extent to which intrinsic and extrinsic motivation was correlated with the job satisfaction of NPO executives. The theoretical framework was Ryan and Deci’s self-determination theory, which suggest NPO executives may be solely satisfied through intrinsic motivation. A stratified random sample of …

Correctional Officers’ Lived Experiences Of Stress When Working In Solitary Confinement Units In U.S. Prisons, Labianca Q. Champion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to shed light on the lived experiences related to the stressors that a sample of nine correctional officers (COs) encountered while working in solitary confinement (SC) units in U.S. prisons. Cognitive behavioral theory served as the theoretical framework to help to explain different ways that COs can manage their work stressors. These stressors, including lack of a sense of belonging, lack of reward, negative perceptions of policies and procedures while conducting daily duties, lack of independent decision making, and perceived danger, were addressed by the research question. Data were obtained from a semistructured online …

Perceived Transformational Leadership Styles And Job Satisfaction Among Probation Officers, Joann Ruth Mcgee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the field of probation service work evolves, so does the role of the probation officer. The problem addressed in this study is that probation officers are experiencing more complexities related to job satisfaction, however there exists limited amount of research on probation leadership and probation officers overall job satisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between the level of job satisfaction of probation officers and supervisors' transformational leadership style. Malsow's hierarchy of need theory and Bass and Avolio's full-range leadership model was utilized as the theoretical framework for the research. The …

Allied Health Professionals’ Lived Experiences Concerning Organizational Justice And Inclusion, Jozette A. Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe lived experiences of allied health assistants (AHAs) are not well understood regarding organizational justice (OJ) and their sense of inclusion within their workplace. Although, OJ and inclusion have been an area of study among scholars for over a decade; the amount of literature supporting AHAs perceptions of these constructs is limited. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain a deeper understanding of AHAs’ perceptions of the components of OJ (i.e., distributive, and procedural) and the potential implications for their sense of inclusion. Justice judgment theory provided the theoretical framework for this study. Three primary research questions were …

A Psychological Contract Perspective Of Attitudinal Outcomes From United States Mergers And Acquisitions, Kathrine E. Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions are a popular corporate method for expanding market presence, growing resource capabilities, and increasing stockholder value. Merger and acquisition activity can be perceived by employees as a psychological contract violation (PCV) and can cause negative changes in employee attitudes. Using correlation and regression analysis, 174 survey responses were analyzed to examine the relationship between a PCV and employee job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention caused by mergers and acquisition activity for knowledge-based roles in large nation-wide consulting firms in the United States. The second part of this study introduced a credible explanation to explore changes in …

Staff Education On Effective Communication In Long-Term Care, Alexandra Cl Dzikowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The dynamic and ever changing world of health care depends on bedside nurses to exercise effective leadership skills, including communication, to provide safe quality care. At the long-term health care facility where this project took place, there was a lack of effective communication between team members, especially at change of shift. Framed within the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation model of instructional design, the purpose was to plan, implement, and evaluate a staff education program on handoff report communication using the TeamSTEPPS 2.0 for Long Term Care program. Sources of evidence included validation of the pre- and posttest items …

Employee Satisfaction And Perceptions Of Organizational Leadership Accountability, Caroline M. Clancy

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Leadership can truly make or break an organization with regard to virtually every work-related outcome. So, what characterizes an effective leader? Research suggests that leaders who embody organizational values and are held to same standards as their subordinates are related to optimal organizational outcomes. These values and standards start with an organization’s accountability practices. We hypothesize that perceptions of accountability will demonstrate a positive relationship with job satisfaction (H1) and a negative relationship with turnover intentions (H2). Additionally, communication will moderate the relationship discussed in our first hypothesis (H3). Finally, communication will moderate the relationship discussed in our second hypothesis …

Hostile Takeover: The Effects Of Work Stress, Monica D. Barletta

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Guided by family/work border theory, this phenomenological study explored the effects of stress while attempting to balance work and home through the lens of six high school female principals from the Central and Northern parts of California. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to examine the effects stress had on the physical and mental health of participants. Phenomenological interviews provided a rich description of the lived experiences of female high school principals. A thorough analysis of data exposed six distinct themes: (a) work became the priority, (b) coping mechanisms, (c) implications of being a woman, (d) lonely at the …

Experiencing The Pull And Push: Influences On Independent Contractor Motivation And Job Satisfaction, Andrew D. Miller

Dissertations, 2020-current

Over the past few decades, the number of individuals engaging in non-standard employment has been increasing. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this study examines the motivation and job satisfaction of independent contractors, the largest form of these alternative work arrangements. Specifically, I examine how the rationale for workers entering contracting work arrangements affect in-role contractor motivation and job satisfaction. Based on a sample of N = 241 adjunct instructors from two universities, I find that the positive relationship between those entering contracting because the work offers autonomy, flexibility and the ability to pursue personally interesting work (pull factors) and their …

A Peer Feedback Process To Improve Assistant Nurse Manager Job Satisfaction, Juanita A. Jularbal-Walton

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem

Healthcare organizations offer different methods of training for emerging and newly hired Assistant Nurse Managers (ANM). Without sufficient orientation to what the role requires, new ANMs receive many requests without adequate guidance on how to respond to patient, staff, and leadership requests. This experience creates unhealthy work environments with low job satisfaction and high turnover rates.

Context

Peer feedback provides an opportunity to reflect on the purpose of the Assistant Nurse Manager role. With sufficient orientation and peer feedback, front-line assistant nurse managers develop competency and role satisfaction, as evidenced by reduced turnover and improved retention.

Intervention

This project …

Comparison Of Counselor Job Satisfaction By Setting: Agency, Private Practice And Online, Leeanne Cravey

Dissertations

To answer the research question – “What intrinsic and extrinsic factors increase job satisfaction in private practice, online counseling, and agency practice?” – a survey was administered to assess demographic information and to rate 25 intrinsic and extrinsic components of job satisfaction. Individual components of job satisfaction with the strongest correlation to overall job satisfaction were identified, for the entire study sample and within the three different work settings (agency practice, private practice, and online practice). Due to the small sample sizes of demographic and work setting groups, no correlations with individual components of job satisfaction were statistically significant (all …

Remote Working And Its Impact On Employee Job Satisfaction During Covid-19, Marissa Grant

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the impact working remotely has on employee job satisfaction. The researcher will study public university graduate students who worked remotely at least one day per week for at least six months since March 2020.

Transformational Leadership In The Psychiatric-Mental Health Setting, Alan Ryan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

This evidence based practice quality improvement project examines the effectiveness of transformational leadership practices in the acute psychiatric setting. Literature shows the psychiatric mental health setting causes extreme stress for employees.  Individuals entering the acute psychiatric setting, as well as regulating bodies, count on exceptional leadership from administrators guided by the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership (Kouzes & Posner, 2012, p. 15).  Fully functioning and cohesive clinical and administrative components of a healthcare organization makes a facility viable.  The findings of this project identify important factors relating to transformational leadership practices and their impact among psychiatric inpatient staff and patient …

Job Satisfaction And Stressors: The Direct Support Professional's Experience, Saralynn Emery

Master's Theses

The current service system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is provided in the form of community-based support. This support is carried out by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who provide one-on-one services to individuals in their homes, workplaces, and communities. The current system is undergoing a turnover crisis and there is an enormous need for a quality and reliable workforce of DSPs to continue to carry out services. Previous research has explored factors that contribute to DSP burnout and ultimately turnover. By researching the DSP role from the DSP experience directly, this study examines other factors that contribute to …

Where Are All The Women?: Understanding The Factors Influencing Potential Departure Intentions Of Women Coaches At The Ncaa Division Iii Level, Jennifer Laney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to understand the factors influencing the potential departure decisions of women coaches in Division III college athletics in the United States. More specifically, this research examined the relationship between gender stereotyping, work-family conflict, burnout, job satisfaction, and organizational support on the potential departure intentions of women coaches at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level. Moreover, the data collected were analyzed to understand how these relationships differed by sport, race, and sexual orientation. A total of 59.3% (n = 118) of respondents had considered leaving their coaching position within the last …

The Development And Validation Of Implicit Measures Of Job Satisfaction For Students, Xin Wei Ong

MSU Graduate Theses

Job satisfaction is one of the most researched topics in industrial-organizational psychology and explicit (self-report) measures are the most common assessment method. However, self-report measures are contaminated by inaccurate self-knowledge and impression management artifacts, which may weaken the predictive validity of the measures. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) might address these limitations because the procedure is based on reaction times in classification tasks. This research developed personalized implicit measures of job satisfaction using IATs and investigated their construct validity in a college sample. The construct validity of the measures was investigated with a multitrait-multimethod design. Results indicated problems with some …