Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Thesis (M.A.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2004.

Empirical evidence suggests work engagement to be of crucial importance for business critical aspects such as work performance and employee retention. When building a strategy for enhancing engagement in the workplace, identifying its predictors becomes important. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify predictors related to work engagement. The study was conducted in a management consultancy company, through analyzing their employee survey. Results indicated satisfaction with leadership to be of vital importance for work engagement. Other work-related attitudes identified that seemed to be reliable predictors of work engagement were employee development, communication and innovation. In addition, the demographic variables of age and status pointed towards a correlation with work engagement, however the gender variable did not show significance.

Continuous changes in the security systems around the world, along with the increased pressure to perform may result in feelings of distrust, strain in interpersonal relations, psychological strain, fatigue and tension, all affecting the well-being of employees, especially among protection services members. Work wellness becomes an important aspect when focusing on the safety of people to whom the protection services delivers a service, as well as when the focus is on the safety of these members. Burnout and work engagement are specific focus areas in this regard. To measure burnout and work engagement, it is important to use reliable and valid instruments. Along with burnout and work engagement there are other focus areas that can have a direct influence on these dimensions, namely the perception of organisational politics. The impact of perceptions of organisational politics on burnout and work engagement can be moderated or mediated by sense of coherence. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between work wellness, organisational politics and sense of coherence through the development of a model of work wellness for protection services members comprising of burnout, work engagement, organisational politics and sense of coherence. The research method consists of a literature review and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the data. An availability sample (N = 341) from protection services members was taken. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Perceptions of Organisational Politics (POPS), Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OTLQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS-programme and AMOS. The statistical methods utilised in the article consisted of descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and structural equation modelling methods. vii Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two factor model of burnout, consisting of burnout (exhaustion and cynicism) and professional efficacy which represented the data quite well after certain items were left out. In previous research among protection services members two factors in the UWES could also be extracted namely vigour/dedication and absorption. The MBI-GS and UWES both showed acceptable internal consistencies. The analysis of Pearson correlations in this study showed that burnout is negatively related to Vigour/dedication and sense of coherence. Professional efficacy is positively related to Vigour/dedication and absorption. Vigour/Dedication is positively related to absorption and sense of coherence. Prolonged exposure to things like criminal aspects, life-and-death decision making and general political behaviour at organisational level, can result in feelings of burnout. Negative perceptions of organisational politics resulted in higher levels of burnout experienced by protection services members. Sense of coherence mediated the effect of organisational politics on work wellness. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Academics in South Africa are being confronted with a work environment accumulated with job demands, often without corresponding increases in job resources. Job demands and job resources might affect the levels of work engagement of academics in higher education institutions. Therefore, research is needed regarding work engagement of academics and the relationship thereof with job demands and resources. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether the UWES is a reliable and valid measure of work engagement for academic staff in universities in South Africa and to assess the relationships between work engagement, job demands and job resources. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population (N = 471) consisted of academic staff of the following universities: North-West University, University of Port Elizabeth and University of the Orange Free State. The UWES, Job-Demands-Resources Questionnaire and a biographical questionnaire was administered. The reliability and validity of the measuring instruments were assessed with the use of Cronbach alpha coefficients, and exploratory factor analysis. Descriptive statistics (e.g. means and standard deviations) were used to analyse the data. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between job demands, job resources and work engagement. Principal component analysis resulted in a one-factor model of work engagement, consisting of Vigour/Engagement. This factor showed an acceptable alpha coefficient. Regarding the Job Demands-Resources Scale, five reliable factors were extracted, namely Organisational Support, Growth Opportunities, Communion, Overload and Job Insecurity. The correlation coefficients indicated that engagement is positively related to growth opportunities, organisational support and communion. A regression analysis with engagement as dependent variable indicated that organisational support and growth opportunities in the job were the best predictors of work engagement. Job resources predicted 46% of the variance in work engagement, but only two job resources, namely organisational support and growth opportunities showed statistically significant regression coefficients. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Continuous changes in the security systems around the world, along with the increased pressure to perform may result in feelings of distrust, strain in interpersonal relations, psychological strain, fatigue and tension, all affecting the well-being of employees, especially among protection services members. Work wellness becomes an important aspect when focusing on the safety of people to whom the protection services delivers a service, as well as when the focus is on the safety of these members. Burnout and work engagement are specific focus areas in this regard. To measure burnout and work engagement, it is important to use reliable and valid instruments. Along with burnout and work engagement there are other focus areas that can have a direct influence on these dimensions, namely the perception of organisational politics. The impact of perceptions of organisational politics on burnout and work engagement can be moderated or mediated by sense of coherence. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between work wellness, organisational politics and sense of coherence through the development of a model of work wellness for protection services members comprising of burnout, work engagement, organisational politics and sense of coherence. The research method consists of a literature review and an empirical study. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect the data. An availability sample (N = 341) from protection services members was taken. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Perceptions of Organisational Politics (POPS), Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OTLQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. The statistical analysis was carried out with the help of the SPSS-programme and AMOS. The statistical methods utilised in the article consisted of descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and structural equation modelling methods. vii Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a two factor model of burnout, consisting of burnout (exhaustion and cynicism) and professional efficacy which represented the data quite well after certain items were left out. In previous research among protection services members two factors in the UWES could also be extracted namely vigour/dedication and absorption. The MBI-GS and UWES both showed acceptable internal consistencies. The analysis of Pearson correlations in this study showed that burnout is negatively related to Vigour/dedication and sense of coherence. Professional efficacy is positively related to Vigour/dedication and absorption. Vigour/Dedication is positively related to absorption and sense of coherence. Prolonged exposure to things like criminal aspects, life-and-death decision making and general political behaviour at organisational level, can result in feelings of burnout. Negative perceptions of organisational politics resulted in higher levels of burnout experienced by protection services members. Sense of coherence mediated the effect of organisational politics on work wellness. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Academics in South Africa are being confronted with a work environment accumulated with job demands, often without corresponding increases in job resources. Job demands and job resources might affect the levels of work engagement of academics in higher education institutions. Therefore, research is needed regarding work engagement of academics and the relationship thereof with job demands and resources. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether the UWES is a reliable and valid measure of work engagement for academic staff in universities in South Africa and to assess the relationships between work engagement, job demands and job resources. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population (N = 471) consisted of academic staff of the following universities: North-West University, University of Port Elizabeth and University of the Orange Free State. The UWES, Job-Demands-Resources Questionnaire and a biographical questionnaire was administered. The reliability and validity of the measuring instruments were assessed with the use of Cronbach alpha coefficients, and exploratory factor analysis. Descriptive statistics (e.g. means and standard deviations) were used to analyse the data. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between job demands, job resources and work engagement. Principal component analysis resulted in a one-factor model of work engagement, consisting of Vigour/Engagement. This factor showed an acceptable alpha coefficient. Regarding the Job Demands-Resources Scale, five reliable factors were extracted, namely Organisational Support, Growth Opportunities, Communion, Overload and Job Insecurity. The correlation coefficients indicated that engagement is positively related to growth opportunities, organisational support and communion. A regression analysis with engagement as dependent variable indicated that organisational support and growth opportunities in the job were the best predictors of work engagement. Job resources predicted 46% of the variance in work engagement, but only two job resources, namely organisational support and growth opportunities showed statistically significant regression coefficients. Recommendations for future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.