The influence of job-related factors on work engagement of staff at the University of the Free State

Abstract

The management of the University was in need of information regarding work wellness of the employees of the University. Therefore a study was launched to investigate the influence of job-related factors on the work engagement of university staff. A conveniency sample, comprising 708 academic and support staff members working in a higher education institution, was used. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Job Characteristics Scale were used as measuring instruments. Data was processed with the aid of hierarchical regression analyses. The results indicated a   moderate to high level of work engagement amongst university staff. Job-related stressors experienced by participants included a high workload, poor remuneration, increased home-work interference, and insufficient physical resources. The variables included explained 45.17% of the variance in absorption, 39.28% of the variance in vigour, and 33.66% of the variance in dedication. This indicates that many other factors, apart from the work-related factors included in this study, play an important role in the determination of employees’ work engagement.