Throughout history the discipline of psychology has been dominated by the study of mental illness as opposed to mental wellness. The introduction of positive psychology has caused a shift from the bias towards mental illness to a focus on psychological wellbeing. The aim of positive psychology is to begin to catalyse a change in the focus of psychology from preoccupation only with repairing the worst in life to building positive qualities. This has resulted in an increase of studies on positive traits and feelings. In light of this, work engagement has become a focus area particularly given that research has shown that disengagement or alienation at the workplace is central to the problem of employees’ lack of commitment and motivation. It is therefore important to understand why some employees stay engaged at work even whilst facing challenges with constant change and why others disengage at work. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between three psychological conditions namely psychological meaningfulness, psychological safety, and psychological; availability; job characteristics; and work engagement. Furthermore, the study sought to investigate the mediating effects of psychological conditions on the relationship between work engagement and job characteristics. A survey design was used with a questionnaire as a data gathering instrument. The sample consisted of 150 employees of a university. Descriptive statistics (e.g. mean and standard deviations), Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and multiple regressions were used to analyse the data. The results showed that psychological meaningfulness was the strongest predictor of work engagement and that it fully mediated the relationship between job characteristics (job enrichment, work role fit and rewarding co-worker relations). Psychological availability did not predict work engagement but indicated a statistically significant correlation with cognitive, emotional and psychical resources. Limitations in this research are identified and recommendations are made for future research. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Orientation: Teachers have a vital role to play within any society. Of late, it can be seen that, generally, teachers within South African schools are becoming increasingly unhappy and dissatisfied with their work. This can be seen as a result of the various strikes and protests over the recent years. Since the South African education system is still very much fragmented and unequal, a legacy of the apartheid era, teachers working within former model C schools, in particular, can be seen as having numerous job demands placed on them in spite of low levels of job resources with which to cope. It is thus important to determine the impact that certain job resources and job demands have on the levels of work engagement and organisational commitment of teachers working within former model C schools in particular. Research Purpose: The purpose of this research was three-fold. Firstly, to determine the relationship between work engagement, organisational commitment, job resources and job demands. Secondly, to determine whether a differentiated approach to job demands (challenge demands and hindrance demands) impacted on positive organisational outcomes, such as work engagement. Thirdly, to determine the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between certain job resources and organisational commitment; and between challenge job demands and organisational commitment. Motivation for the Study: This study was aimed at enabling an identification of the relationship between work engagement, organisational commitment, job resources and job demands. Further, the study was aimed at identifying the impacting role that specific job resources and job demands have on positive organisational outcomes, such as work engagement and organisational commitment. Research Design, Approach and Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used. A sample (n= 117) was taken from teachers working at former model C high schools in Durban North, KwaZulu-Natal. A demographic questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) and Job Demands-Resources Scale (JDRS) were used to collect data from the sample. Main Findings: The findings of the study suggest that job resources are positively related to work engagement. The differentiated classification of job demands within the study was tested in terms of its relationship with work engagement. Interestingly it was found that overload (a challenge job demand) was both statistically as well as practically significantly related to work engagement; while job insecurity (a hindrance job demand) was not. Further, it was found that the job resources of organisational support and growth opportunities held predictive value for work engagement. Lastly, findings suggested that work engagement mediated the relationship between job resources and the positive organisational outcome of organisational commitment. The hypothesised mediating role that work engagement could play in the relationship between overload (a challenge job demand) and organisational commitment could not be tested in the present study. Practical/Managerial Implications: Job resources play a vital role in harnessing positive organisational outcomes such as work engagement and organisational commitment. Further, some job demands are positively related to work engagement. Therefore, managers and heads of schools need to look seriously at evaluating the state of the job demands and resources that are available to their teaching staff, and implement interventions that could increase various job resources and decrease major hindrance demands faced by teachers. These interventions could go a great way in developing more work-engaged as well as organisationally committed teachers. Contribution/Value-Add: The present research study contributes greatly to the knowledge pertaining to teachers working within former model C high schools within South Africa. Further the present study can be seen to extend the existing literature with regards to the Job Demands-Resource Model by adopting a differentiated approach to job demands and thus consequently investigating the positive relationships that certain job demands may have in terms of organisational outcomes. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The current study was interested in determining the moderating role of psychological capital in the relationship between job stress and the outcomes of incivility and job involvement among employees at a call centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. A quantitative research design was adopted in conducting this study. The relationships between psychological capital, job stress, incivility and job involvement were examined using two theoretical frameworks, namely, the Broaden-and-Build Theory of positive emotions (Fredrickson, 1998) and the Job Stress Model (Spector & Fox, 2002). The research aimed to determine the relationship between psychological capital, job stress, incivility and job involvement, whether psychological capital and job stress held predictive value for the outcomes of incivility and job involvement, and the extent to which psychological capital moderated the relationship between job stress and incivility and job stress and job involvement. The sample consisted of 104 call centre agents, 28 male and 76 female employees, who were required to complete questionnaires measuring each of the constructs under study. Data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlations, multiple regression analysis and hierarchical regression analysis. The findings of the study indicated that high levels of psychological capital correlated with low levels of incivility and high job involvement. Additionally, a high level of job stress was associated with high incivility and low job involvement. The findings of the study further indicated that job stress predicted incivility and job involvement, while the optimism dimension of psychological capital also predicted job involvement. Additionally, psychological capital did not moderate the relationship between job stress and incivility nor did it moderate the relationship between job stress and job involvement. The study contributes to the existing literature on psychological capital, job stress, incivility and job involvement while adding a new dimension to the existing literature available on each of these constructs, by determining the relationships between the constructs. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The work environment in financial institutions where deadlines, budgets, routine work and performance issues are common can compromise most people’s sense of happiness. Therefore happiness in the workplace rarely manifests without significant effort from employees. Successful organisations need employees that will do more than their job requirements and go beyond expectations i.e. perform organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB). In light of the increasing interest in positive psychology the study aimed to focus on happiness and psychological capital (PsyCap) to find ways to enhance employees’ positive psychological states to achieve positive organisational outcomes such as OCB. The study therefore aimed to determine whether a relationship exists between happiness, PsyCap and OCB amongst employees in financial institutions. The study also sought to determine the predictive value of happiness and PsyCap in predicting OCB. Furthermore the moderating effect of PsyCap was assessed to determine the extent to which PsyCap moderated the relationship between happiness and OCB. A cross-sectional research design was used in the study. The researcher used a sample of 185 (N = 185) employees from a financial institution in Durban, South Africa. The researcher used five questionnaires in the study. A biographical questionnaire created by the researcher, the Orientations to Happiness Scale (OHS) used as the first measure of happiness, the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) used as the second measure of happiness, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), and the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Questionnaire (OCBQ). The main findings of the study indicated that there were practically and statistically significant relationships between happiness (measured by the OHS), PsyCap and OCB. More specifically relationships were found to exist between happiness, the two PsyCap factors (hopeful-confidence and positive outlook) and the OCB factors (altruism, courtesy, sportsmanship and civic virtue). A significant finding was that happiness measured by SWL showed no significant relationships with OCB or the OCB factors thus indicating that happiness measured by orientations to happiness was a better measure of happiness for the employees in the financial institution. Happiness and the PsyCap factors were found to hold predictive value for some of the OCB factors. In determining the moderating effect of PsyCap it was found that only positive outlook significantly moderated the relationship between happiness and one of the OCB factors, civic virtue. The study has focused on happiness in the workplace and its relationship to organisational constructs such as PsyCap and OCB. The results of the study can therefore be deemed to be beneficial to managers in financial institutions and employees themselves. The study has made a significant contribution by highlighting that employees in a financial institution consider orientations to happiness (pleasure, meaning, and engagement) to be a more compelling measure of happiness in determining the likelihood to performing OCBs at work as opposed to satisfaction with life as a measure of happiness. Thus the orientations to happiness were concluded as being a more appropriate measure of happiness for employees in a financial institution in relation to OCBs. By focussing on employee’s level of happiness, how employees conceptualise happiness and the benefits of happy employees to the organisation, this information can provide organisations with a better understanding of employees and suggest to organisations to consider finding means to enhance happiness in the workplace. Happiness and PsyCap have shown to be related to positive organisational outcomes such as OCB which lead to organisational effectiveness and success. Therefore of specific relevance is enhancing the PsyCap of employees to achieve desired outcomes such as OCB. The findings can be used to prompt and encourage organisations to develop interventions that increase employee’s PsyCap and to focus on employee well-being and happiness. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.