This researcher investigates the role of communication satisfaction in job satisfaction in the Department of Communications, a government policy-making institution that deals with post, telecommunications, and broadcasting services in South Africa. This study describes communication satisfaction as the overall degree of satisfaction an employee perceives in his total communication environment and job satisfaction as the degree of satisfaction the individual feels with his job. Focus groups are used to explore the role of communication satisfaction in job satisfaction in the Department of Communications because they are appropriate and suitable in capturing the discussions reflecting emotions, particularly uncovering individuals' feelings about their environment. The emphasis is on finding out how communication motivates and makes employees satisfied in their jobs. Qualitative content analysis, based on transcriptions from audiotapes, is used for interpretation and analysis of the data. These transcnptions reflect the descriptive nature of the data and people's own spoken words. / Communication Science / M. A. (Communication)

Ce mémoire a pour but d’étudier les facteurs professionnels et leur relation avec la détresse psychologique. L’objectif principal est d’évaluer l’effet modérateur du facteur professionnel de la latitude décisionnelle sur la relation entre la détresse psychologique et les facteurs professionnels étudiés. Pour ce faire, nous avons étudié la latitude décisionnelle de façon décomposée (utilisation des compétences et autorité décisionnelle). Les données sur lesquelles nous nous sommes basés proviennent de l’Équipe de Recherche sur le Travail et la Santé Mentale (ERTSM) et ont été recueillies au cours des mois de décembre 2008 et janvier 2009. L’échantillon utilisé se compose de 410 travailleurs, dont l’âge varie de 20 à 58 ans. Les analyses multivariées que nous avons réalisées nous ont permis d’identifier deux facteurs professionnels qui s’associent de manière significative à la détresse psychologique, soit les demandes psychologiques et la relation avec le supérieur immédiat. Les résultats de la régression logistique nous ont permis de déterminer que les travailleurs qui ont une bonne relation avec leur supérieur immédiat ont une probabilité inférieure (0.91) de développer de la détresse psychologique. Tandis que les travailleurs qui ont de fortes demandes psychologiques ont une probabilité 1.11 fois plus grande de développer de la détresse psychologique. Contrairement à l’hypothèse soutenue, le fait d’occuper l’emploi de policier par rapport au travail de bureau n’augmente pas la prévalence de détresse psychologique. De plus, les variables modératrices ne sont pas associées de façon significative avec la détresse psychologique. / This thesis aims to study some occupational factors and their relationship with psychological distress. The main objective of this master's thesis is to determine the moderator effect of decision latitude (decision authority and skill level) on the relationship between psychological distress and occupational factors. We use data from the Team for Research on Work and Mental Health (ERTSM). This research team collected the data during the month of December 2008 and January 2009. The sample consists of 410 workers whose ages range from 20 to 58 years. The multivariate analyses that we conducted allowed us to identify two occupational factors which are significantly associated to psychological distress. Those are psychological demands and the relationship with the supervisor. The results of logistic regression analyses show that workers who have a good relationship with their immediate superior have a lower probability (0.91) of developing psychological distress. On the other hand workers with high psychological demands have an odds ratio 1.11 times greater than those with low demands of developing psychological distress. Contrary to the hypothesis put forward, police officers do not have a higher probability of developing psychological distress than clerical workers. Furthermore, moderating variables are not significantly associated with psychological distress.

Ce mémoire a pour but d’étudier les facteurs professionnels et leur relation avec la détresse psychologique. L’objectif principal est d’évaluer l’effet modérateur du facteur professionnel de la latitude décisionnelle sur la relation entre la détresse psychologique et les facteurs professionnels étudiés. Pour ce faire, nous avons étudié la latitude décisionnelle de façon décomposée (utilisation des compétences et autorité décisionnelle). Les données sur lesquelles nous nous sommes basés proviennent de l’Équipe de Recherche sur le Travail et la Santé Mentale (ERTSM) et ont été recueillies au cours des mois de décembre 2008 et janvier 2009. L’échantillon utilisé se compose de 410 travailleurs, dont l’âge varie de 20 à 58 ans. Les analyses multivariées que nous avons réalisées nous ont permis d’identifier deux facteurs professionnels qui s’associent de manière significative à la détresse psychologique, soit les demandes psychologiques et la relation avec le supérieur immédiat. Les résultats de la régression logistique nous ont permis de déterminer que les travailleurs qui ont une bonne relation avec leur supérieur immédiat ont une probabilité inférieure (0.91) de développer de la détresse psychologique. Tandis que les travailleurs qui ont de fortes demandes psychologiques ont une probabilité 1.11 fois plus grande de développer de la détresse psychologique. Contrairement à l’hypothèse soutenue, le fait d’occuper l’emploi de policier par rapport au travail de bureau n’augmente pas la prévalence de détresse psychologique. De plus, les variables modératrices ne sont pas associées de façon significative avec la détresse psychologique. / This thesis aims to study some occupational factors and their relationship with psychological distress. The main objective of this master's thesis is to determine the moderator effect of decision latitude (decision authority and skill level) on the relationship between psychological distress and occupational factors. We use data from the Team for Research on Work and Mental Health (ERTSM). This research team collected the data during the month of December 2008 and January 2009. The sample consists of 410 workers whose ages range from 20 to 58 years. The multivariate analyses that we conducted allowed us to identify two occupational factors which are significantly associated to psychological distress. Those are psychological demands and the relationship with the supervisor. The results of logistic regression analyses show that workers who have a good relationship with their immediate superior have a lower probability (0.91) of developing psychological distress. On the other hand workers with high psychological demands have an odds ratio 1.11 times greater than those with low demands of developing psychological distress. Contrary to the hypothesis put forward, police officers do not have a higher probability of developing psychological distress than clerical workers. Furthermore, moderating variables are not significantly associated with psychological distress.

This researcher investigates the role of communication satisfaction in job satisfaction in the Department of Communications, a government policy-making institution that deals with post, telecommunications, and broadcasting services in South Africa. This study describes communication satisfaction as the overall degree of satisfaction an employee perceives in his total communication environment and job satisfaction as the degree of satisfaction the individual feels with his job. Focus groups are used to explore the role of communication satisfaction in job satisfaction in the Department of Communications because they are appropriate and suitable in capturing the discussions reflecting emotions, particularly uncovering individuals' feelings about their environment. The emphasis is on finding out how communication motivates and makes employees satisfied in their jobs. Qualitative content analysis, based on transcriptions from audiotapes, is used for interpretation and analysis of the data. These transcnptions reflect the descriptive nature of the data and people's own spoken words. / Communication Science / M. A. (Communication)

Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The information technology industry is considered to be one of the most demanding industries, with significant social, physical and psychological consequences for the wellbeing of the information technology professional. Work wellness and general psychological well-being plays an important role in the well-being of the information technology professional. The measurement of work-related wellness requires valid, reliable and culturally fair measuring instruments. However research on work wellness and occupational well-being in South Africa is lacking, especially in the information technology context. A lack of norms for work-related wellness in South Africa makes the identification of work-related wellness in the information technology industry difficult. Consequently, investigating the reliability, validity, equivalence and bias of work-related well-being measuring instruments would result in the standardisation of work wellness (consisting of burnout and engagement) and occupational well-being, suitable for use in the multicultural information technology industry setting. Moreover, the operationalisation of work wellness, as well as an inclusive model regarding the work-related wellness of information technology professionals that includes work wellness and occupational wellbeing are lacking in the South African literature. The objectives of this research were to standardise the measurement of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a comprehensive model of work-related wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa (consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being), and to test for moderating effects of affectivity in the experience of mark related well-being of information technology professionals in South Africa. The research consists of three separate articles, each consisting of a brief literature overview and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design with a snowball sample (n = 214) of information technology professionals in South Africa was used. Adapted versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and Gtrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), as well as the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Affectometer 2 (AFM-2), Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OC-Q), Information Technology Job Characteristics Inventory (ITJCI), as well as the Health scale of the Organisational Screening Evaluation Tool (ASSET) and a biographical questionnaire were used. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlations, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two-factor model for the MBI-GS consisting of a combined Burnout factor and Professional Efficacy, while a one-factor model was found for the UWES, namely Engagement, with acceptable internal consistencies. Exploratory second-order factor analysis confirmed a two-factor, culturally fair model of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, consisting of burnout and work engagement. Item bias analysis revealed no evidence of bias for the MBI-GS, while uniform bias was found for two items (Items 7 and 12) of the UWES. Construct equivalence in terms of work wellness was obtained for the different language groups in the sample. The results confirmed a four-factor model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, namely negative and positive work wellness, organisational commitment and general psychological well-being. The model of occupational well-being was found to be equivalent across language groups, except for general psychological well-being, which seemed to differ for the non-mother-tongue English language speakers. In terms of work-related wellness, a model consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being was constructed and uccessfully tested. Structural equation analysis confirmed main effects for negative affectivity in terms of burnout and engagement, while main effects were confirmed for burnout, ill-health and engagement in terms of positive affectivity. Interaction effects for affectivity were not confirmed in the model of work-related wellness of information technology professionals in South Africa. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The information technology industry is considered to be one of the most demanding industries, with significant social, physical and psychological consequences for the wellbeing of the information technology professional. Work wellness and general psychological well-being plays an important role in the well-being of the information technology professional. The measurement of work-related wellness requires valid, reliable and culturally fair measuring instruments. However research on work wellness and occupational well-being in South Africa is lacking, especially in the information technology context. A lack of norms for work-related wellness in South Africa makes the identification of work-related wellness in the information technology industry difficult. Consequently, investigating the reliability, validity, equivalence and bias of work-related well-being measuring instruments would result in the standardisation of work wellness (consisting of burnout and engagement) and occupational well-being, suitable for use in the multicultural information technology industry setting. Moreover, the operationalisation of work wellness, as well as an inclusive model regarding the work-related wellness of information technology professionals that includes work wellness and occupational wellbeing are lacking in the South African literature. The objectives of this research were to standardise the measurement of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, to develop and test a comprehensive model of work-related wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa (consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being), and to test for moderating effects of affectivity in the experience of mark related well-being of information technology professionals in South Africa. The research consists of three separate articles, each consisting of a brief literature overview and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design with a snowball sample (n = 214) of information technology professionals in South Africa was used. Adapted versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS) and Gtrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), as well as the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Affectometer 2 (AFM-2), Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R), Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OC-Q), Information Technology Job Characteristics Inventory (ITJCI), as well as the Health scale of the Organisational Screening Evaluation Tool (ASSET) and a biographical questionnaire were used. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlations, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two-factor model for the MBI-GS consisting of a combined Burnout factor and Professional Efficacy, while a one-factor model was found for the UWES, namely Engagement, with acceptable internal consistencies. Exploratory second-order factor analysis confirmed a two-factor, culturally fair model of work wellness for information technology professionals in South Africa, consisting of burnout and work engagement. Item bias analysis revealed no evidence of bias for the MBI-GS, while uniform bias was found for two items (Items 7 and 12) of the UWES. Construct equivalence in terms of work wellness was obtained for the different language groups in the sample. The results confirmed a four-factor model of occupational well-being for information technology professionals in South Africa, namely negative and positive work wellness, organisational commitment and general psychological well-being. The model of occupational well-being was found to be equivalent across language groups, except for general psychological well-being, which seemed to differ for the non-mother-tongue English language speakers. In terms of work-related wellness, a model consisting of work wellness and occupational well-being was constructed and uccessfully tested. Structural equation analysis confirmed main effects for negative affectivity in terms of burnout and engagement, while main effects were confirmed for burnout, ill-health and engagement in terms of positive affectivity. Interaction effects for affectivity were not confirmed in the model of work-related wellness of information technology professionals in South Africa. Recommendations for the organisation and future research were made / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.