Thesis (MComm)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: From a global perspective, this study aimed to depart from the traditional notion of occupational wellbeing characterised as the absence of strain and stress-related diseases. Positive Organisational Scholarship (POS), the framework for this study, is largely concerned with the investigation of positive outcomes, processes and attributes of organisations and their employees. In essence, this study argued in favour of the cultivation of personal resources, such as optimism and self-efficacy, as well as the establishment of active efforts to instil meaningfulness in, and at work, in order to generate better occupational wellbeing and a sense of enhanced human functioning. A non-experimental research design (i.e. exploratory survey study) was used to explore the relationships between the various constructs. Occupational wellbeing was, for the purpose of empirical validation, firstly measured in terms of the absence of pathology. However, since it was conceptualised from a salutogenic approach in this study, a cognitive-judgemental evaluation of employees‟ satisfaction with their work-life was also included as a measure of occupational wellbeing. It was argued that optimism may impact on occupational wellbeing, as optimists are described in terms of their ability to anticipate positive outcome expectancies, and engage in continued efforts, despite current adverse circumstances to confront difficulties they encounter (Scheier & Carver, 1985). In turn, highly self-efficacious individuals are those exhibiting confidence in their ability to effectively execute personal strategies to ensure a positive outcome (Bandura, 1986). Drawing from POS, a twofold conceptualisation of meaningfulness was warranted: meaningfulness in work (defined as engagement) and meaningfulness at work (defined as organisational commitment). The primary aim of this study was consequently to explicate the possible nomological net underlying the complex phenomenon of occupational wellbeing, in terms of the abovementioned variables. A convenience sample of 202 individuals, employed at three organisations across South Africa, participated in the research. The measurement instruments included a 28-item version of the original General Health Questionnaire by Goldberg (1972), and an adapted version of Diener, Emmons, Larsen and Griffin‟s (1985) Satisfaction with Life Scale (adapted to Satisfaction with Work-life), both utilised to measure occupational wellbeing. The Life Orientation Test-Revised (Scheier, Carver and Bridges, 1994), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) of Sherer, Maddux, Mercandante, Prentice-Dunn, Jacobs and Rogers (1982) was utilised to measure optimism and self-efficacy respectively. Finally, the Organisation Commitment Questionnaire (Mowday, Porter & Steers, 1979), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003) was used in combination to respectively measure meaningfulness in work (engagement) and meaningfulness at work (commitment). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and item analyses were conducted to evaluate the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments. Correlations were computed between the various variables. A structural model was fitted to investigate the extent to which optimism, self-efficacy and meaningfulness are significant predictors of occupational wellbeing. The results of the model suggested that optimism influences psychological health directly. This indicates that optimists may be inclined to experience greater levels of psychological wellbeing at work. The relationship between optimism and occupational wellbeing (i.e. psychological health) was further highlighted through an indirect causal effect, as mediated through a combination of work engagement and organisational commitment (i.e. meaningfulness). Optimism also causally influenced satisfaction with work life (the other aspect of occupational wellbeing). This indirect effect was also mediated by engagement and organisational commitment. The structural model indicated that no significant paths between self-efficacy and any of the other variables were evident. With the unique combination of positive psychological antecedents included in this research, the study aimed to make a significant contribution to the existing POS theory and literature. The results provide a probable explanation of the complex nomological net of variables (optimism, self-efficacy, and meaningfulness) and their interrelationships with each other, which influence occupational wellbeing within the South African context. Recommendations for future research in this domain were highlighted. The necessity of interventions rooted in the strength-based approach, underscoring the development of positive psychological capacities in both employees, and organisations, were also advocated. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vanuit ʼn globale perspektief het hierdie studie gepoog om afstand te doen van die tradisionele uitgangspunt van die definiëring van beroepswelstand as slegs die ontbreking van spanning- en stres verwante kwale. Positiewe Organisatoriese Leerlingskap (POL), die raamwerk van hierdie studie, hou grotendeels verband met die soeke na positiewe uitkomste, prosesse en karaktertrekke binne organisasies, sowel as hul werknemers. In wese het die studie argumente voorgehou in guns van die ontwikkeling van persoonlike hulpbronne soos optimisme en selfbekwaamheid, asook die totstandbringing van daadwerklike pogings om betekenisvolheid in, en by die werk te genereer, vir beter beroepswelstand en prestasie. „ n Nie-eksperimentele navorsingsontwerp (dit is, ʼn verkennende studie) was gebruik om die verband tussen die verskeie konstrukte te ondersoek. Ten einde empiriese validasie gestand te doen, is beroepswelstand eerstens gemeet as die ontbreking van enige stres-verwante siektes. Nietemin, aangesien die konstruk in hierdie studie gedefinieer was vanuit ʼn salutogeniese perspektief, is ʼn addisionele kognitiewe-beoordelings evaluasie van werknemers se satisfaksie met hul werkslewe, ook gebruik ten einde beroepswelstand te meet. Argumente wat die rol van optimisme in welstand benadruk is voorgehou en uitgedruk in terme van optimiste se vermoë om positiewe uitkomste te verwag, asook hul aanhoudende pogings ten spyte van leiding en swaarkry (Scheier & Carver, 1985). Net so word hoogs selfbekwame individue beskryf in terme van hul vertroue in hul vermoë om persoonlike strategieë suksesvol uit te voer ten einde positiewe uitkomste te verseker (Bandura, 1986). Vanuit die POL vertrekpunt is betekenisvolheid in hierdie studie as twee aparte, maar verwante konstrukte, gekonseptualiseer: betekenisvolheid in werk (gedefinieer as werknemers betrokkenheid), en betekenisvolheid by die werk (gedefinieer as organisatoriese lojaliteit). Die primêre doel van die studie was derhalwe die verduideliking van die moontlike nomologiese net onderliggend aan die komplekse fenomeen van beroepswelstand in terme van die bogenoemde veranderlikes. ʼn Gerieflikheidsteekproef van 202 personeel van drie organisasies regoor Suid Afrika het aan die navorsingsprojek deelgeneem. Die meetinstrumente het bestaan uit die 28-item weergawe van die oorspronklike Algemene Gesondheid Vraelys van Goldberg (1972), en ʼn aangepaste weergawe van Diener, Emmons, Larson en Griffin (1985) se Satisfaksie met die Lewe Skaal (aangepas na Satisfaksie met werkslewe), wat albei gebruik is om beroepswelstand te bepaal. Die hersiene weergawe van die Lewensoriëntasie Skaal (Scheier, Carver & Bridges, 1994), asook die Algemene Selfbekwaamheid Skaal (Sherer, Maddux, Mercandante, Prentice-Dunn, Jacobs & Rogers, 1982) is gebruik om onderskeidelik optimisme en selfbekwaamheid te meet. Laastens is die Organisatoriese Lojaliteit Vraelys (Mowday, Porter & Steers, 1979) en die Utrecht Werknemer Betrokkenheid Skaal (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003) in kombinasie gebruik om die konstrukte van onderskeidelik betekenisvolheid in werk (werknemer betrokkenheid), en betekenisvolheid by die werk (organisatoriese lojaliteit) te ondersoek. Bevestigende faktorontleding en item analises was gebruik om die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die meetinstrumente te ondersoek. Die korrelasies tussen die verskeie konstrukte was ook bereken. ‟n Strukturele model is gepas om te bepaal of optimisme, selfbekwaamheid en betekenisvolheid ʼn beduidende impak op beroepswelstand het. Die resultate van die model suggereer dat optimisme ʼn direkte invloed het op die ervaring van beroepswelstand. Dit dien as aanduiding dat optimiste geneig is om merendeels hoër vlakke van sielkundige welstand by die werk te ervaar. Hierdie verhouding tussen optimisme en beroepswelstand (dit is, sielkundige welstand) was verder bevestig deur bewyse van ʼn indirekte kousale verband tussen die konstrukte wat gemedieër is deur ʼn kombinasie van werknemer betrokkenheid en organisatoriese lojaliteit (dit is, betekenisvolheid). Optimisme het verder ʼn kousale invloed gehad op die ervaring van satisfaksie met werkslewe (die ander dimensie van organisatoriese welstand). Hierdie direkte impak is ook verder gemedieër deur werknemer betrokkenheid en organisatoriese lojaliteit. Daar was egter geen beduidende verwantskappe tussen selfbekwaamheid en enige van die ander konstrukte gevind nie. Gegewe die unieke kombinasie van positiewe sielkunde konstrukte wat in hierdie studie ingesluit is, kan daar gesê word dat hierdie studie gepoog het om ʼn bydrae te maak ten opsigte van die bestaande POL teorieë en literatuur. Die resultate van die studie verskaf ʼn waarskynlike verduideliking vir die komplekse nomologiese net van konstrukte (optimisme, selfbekwaamheid, en betekenisvolheid), en hul unieke inter-korrelasies wat ʼn beduidende rol speel in die ervaring van beroepswelstand binne die Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing in die area was voorgehou. Die nodigheid van intervensies rakende die ontwikkeling van positiewe sielkundige bevoegdhede binne organisasies en individue, is ook uitgespel.

Bibliography: pages 273-351 / The context of this research is the occupational wellbeing of employees in the healthcare industry in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to identify occupational wellbeing types that cluster as a result of variables (burnout, work engagement, workaholism and job satisfaction) which can be plotted on the circumplex model of wellbeing, and determining the extent of type differences in as far as it pertains to psychosocial antecedent variables (age, job demands, job resources and work-related sense of coherence), as well as positive and negative outcome variables (comprising organisational commitment and turnover intention). A quantitative survey was conducted on a convenience sample of healthcare workers (N = 461). The population consisted of predominately black African females, aged between 31 and 45 from the nursing profession. Cluster analysis using k-means found statistically significant support for three occupational wellbeing types, namely, Exhausted, Engaged and Burned-Out. Results from MANOVA revealed a difference between all occupational wellbeing types and the psychosocial antecedent variables of job demands, job resources and work-related sense of coherence. The occupational wellbeing types did not however differ, based on the age of the participants. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that age was additionally not a significant predictor of the occupational wellbeing types, whilst Work-SoC predicted the engaged type, and job demands and job resources predicted the engaged and exhausted types in comparison to the burned-out type. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis concluded that each of the occupational wellbeing types played a significant role by moderating the relationship between the psychosocial antecedent variables of job resources and work-related sense of coherence, and the positive and negative outcomes of organisational commitment and turnover intention. Theoretically the study highlighted the importance of addressing the occupational wellbeing concerns and challenges faced by healthcare employees in South Africa face. The empirical value of the study was the identification of the occupational wellbeing types and a potential nomological net. The knowledge derived from the relationship between the variables may be valuable in informing a holistic affective wellbeing model which could direct practices within the healthcare industry in South Africa. / Die konteks van hierdie navorsing is die beroepswelstand van werknemers in die gesondheidsorgbedryf in Suid-Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie was om tipes beroepsmatige welstand te identifiseer wat saamgevoeg word as gevolg van veranderlikes, naamlik uitbranding, werkbetrokkenheid, werksverslawing en werkstevredenheid wat op die sirkumpleksmodel van welstand geteken kan word, en om die omvang van tipe verskille in so ver aangesien dit betrekking het op psigososiale antesedente veranderlikes, naamlik ouderdom, werksvereistes, werksbronne en werkverwante samehang, sowel as positiewe en negatiewe uitkomsveranderlikes (wat organisatoriese toewyding en omsetintensiteit bevat). 'N Kwantitatiewe opname is gedoen oor 'n gerieflikheidsteekproef van gesondheidswerkers (N = 461). Die bevolking het bestaan uit hoofsaaklik swart vroulike vroue, tussen 31 en 45 jaar oud, uit die verpleegberoep. Cluster-analise met behulp van k-middele het statisties beduidende ondersteuning gevind vir drie tipes beroepswelstand, naamlik uitgeputting, betrokkenheid en uitgebranding. Resultate van MANOVA het 'n verskil aan die lig gebring tussen alle tipes beroepswelstand en die psigososiale antesedente veranderlikes van werksvereistes, werkbronne en werkverwante samehang. Die tipes beroepswelstand verskil egter nie op grond van die ouderdom van die deelnemers nie. Multinomiale logistieke regressie-analise het aan die lig gebring dat ouderdom ook nie 'n beduidende voorspeller was van die tipes beroepswelstand nie, terwyl Work-SoC die betrokke tipe voorspelling en werksvereistes voorspel het, en dat werkbronne die betrokke en uitgeputte tipes voorspel in vergelyking met die uitgebrande tipe. Hiërargiese gemodereerde regressie-analise het tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat elkeen van die tipes beroepswelstand 'n belangrike rol gespeel het deur die verhouding tussen die psigososiale voorgaande veranderlikes van werkbronne en werkverwante sin vir samehang te modereer, en die positiewe en negatiewe uitkomste van organisatoriese toewyding en omsetintensiteit. Teoreties het die studie die belangrikheid daarvan beklemtoon om die kommer en uitdagings wat gesondheidswerkers in Suid-Afrika in die gesig staar, aan te spreek. Die empiriese waarde van die studie was die identifisering van die tipes beroepswelstand en 'n potensiële nomologiese netwerk. Die kennis wat verkry word uit die verband tussen die veranderlikes, kan waardevol wees om 'n holistiese affektiewe welstandsmodel in te lig wat praktyke binne die gesondheidsbedryf in Suid-Afrika kan rig. / Umongo walolu cwaningo wukuphila kahle kwabasebenzi abasembonini yezokunakekelwa kwempilo eNingizimu Afrika. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukuhlonza izinhlobo zenhlalakahle yomsebenzi ezihlangana ngenxa yokuguquguqukayo (ukutubeka, ukuzibandakanya emsebenzini, ukusebenza ngokweqile nokweneliseka emsebenzini) okungabekwa kumodeli yenhlalakahle ye-circumplex, nokunquma ubukhulu bezinhlobonhlobo zohlobo kuze kube manje njengoba kumayelana nokuhlukahluka kokuphikisana kwengqondo (iminyaka, izidingo zomsebenzi, izinsiza zomsebenzi kanye nokuzwana okuhlobene nomsebenzi), kanye nokuhlukahluka kwemiphumela emihle nemibi (ehlanganisa ukuzibophezela kwenhlangano kanye nenhloso yenzuzo). Ucwaningo oluningi lwenziwe kusampula elula yabasebenzi bezokunakekelwa kwezempilo (N = 461). Isibalo besinabantu besifazane ikakhulukazi abamnyama base-Afrika, abaneminyaka ephakathi kuka-31 no-45 abavela emsebenzini wobunesi. Ukuhlaziywa kweqoqo ngokusebenzisa izindlela ezingama-k kutholwe ukwesekwa okubalulekile kwezibalo zezinhlobo ezintathu zomsebenzi, okungukuthi, Ukhathele, Ukuhlanganyela kanye Nokushiswa. Imiphumela evela kwa-MANOVA iveze umehluko phakathi kwazo zonke izinhlobo zenhlalakahle yomsebenzi kanye nokuhlukahluka kokuphikiswa kwengqondo kwezidingo zomsebenzi, izinsiza zomsebenzi kanye nokuzwana okuhlobene nomsebenzi. Izinhlobo zezenhlalakahle zomsebenzi azizange zehluke, ngokuya ngeminyaka yabahlanganyeli. Ukuhlaziywa kokuhlelwa kabusha kwezinto kwamazwe amaningi kuveze ukuthi iminyaka yobudala ibingeyona imbonakaliso ebalulekile yezinhlobo zenhlalakahle yomsebenzi, ngenkathi i-Work-SoC ibikezela uhlobo lokuzibandakanya, nezimfuno zomsebenzi, nezinsizakusebenza zibikezela izinhlobo ezibandakanyekile nezikhathele uma kuqhathaniswa nohlobo olushile. Ukuhlaziywa kokuhlehliswa kwe-hierarchical kuphethe ukuthi uhlobo ngalunye lwezinhlalakahle zomsebenzi lubambe iqhaza elibalulekile ngokuhlolisisa ubudlelwano phakathi kokuhlukahluka kokuphikiswa kwengqondo kwengqondo kwezinsiza zomsebenzi kanye nokuzwana okuhlobene nomsebenzi, kanye nemiphumela emihle nemibi yokuzibophezela kwenhlangano kanye nenhloso yenzuzo. Ngokwezifundo lolu cwaningo luqhakambisa ukubaluleka kokubhekana nezinkinga nezinselele ezibhekene nabasebenzi bezempilo eNingizimu Afrika ababhekene nazo. Inani lezobuciko lolo cwaningo kwakuwukuhlonzwa kwezinhlobo zenhlalakahle yomsebenzi kanye nenetha elingaba namandla lokuqanjwa. Ulwazi olususelwe ebudlelwaneni obuphakathi kokuguquguqukayo lungaba lusizo ekwaziseni imodeli yenhlalakahle ephelele engaqondisa izindlela ezenziwa embonini yezokunakekelwa kwempilo eNingizimu Afrika. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)