Measuring the Effect of Commitment on Occupational Stressors and Individual Productivity Ties

Abstract

Based upon existing literature, stress at the workplace has a negative effect on commitment. The negative effect on commitment jeopardizes individual productivity. The purpose of the present study is to determine the indirect effects of occupational stressors on individual productivity through the analysis of commitment variables. The respondents were selected utilizing the proportionate stratified random sampling method. A total of 300 questionnaires were collected from the academic administrators of 5 Malaysian research universities. The research instrument used for the stress and commitment components is adopted from the ASSET (A Shortened Stress Evaluation Tool). Meanwhile, the productivity component utilized the criteria employed by the annual performance appraisal of the research universities. Occupational stressors are analyzed dimensionally, while commitment and individual productivity are analyzed aggregately. The results show that certain occupational stressors are significantly, but negatively, related to commitment, including work relationships; work-life balance; overload; control; resources and communication; and pay and benefits. The results also indicate that certain occupational stressors are significantly, but negatively, related to individual productivity, including work relationships; work-life balance; job security; control; resources and communication; and pay and benefits. Finally, the present study finds that commitment partially mediates the aforementioned relationships. Keywords: Stress; commitment; productivity; academicians; research university ABSTRAK Berdasarkan kepada tinjauan literatur, stres di tempat kerja mempunyai kesan yang negatif terhadap komitmen. Kesan negatif komitmen akan menjejaskan produktiviti individu. Tujuan penyelidikan ini adalah untuk menentukan kesan secara tidak langsung penyebab stres pekerjaan terhadap produktiviti individu melalui pembolehubah komitmen. Responden dipilih berdasarkan kaedah persampelan rawak berstrata berkadaran. Sejumlah 300 borang soal selidik dikumpulkan daripada pentadbir akademik dari 5 universiti penyelidikan di Malaysia. Instrumen penyelidikan yang digunakan untuk komponen stres dan komitmen diambil dari ASSET (A Shortened Stress Evaluation Tool). Komponen produktiviti pula menggunakan kriteria penilaian prestasi tahunan universiti penyelidikan. Penyebab stres pekerjaan dianalisis secara dimensi manakala komitmen dan produktiviti individu pula dianalisis secara agregat. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa penyebab stres pekerjaan seperti hubungan kerja, keseimbangan kehidupan-kerja, jaminan pekerjaan, kawalan, sumber-sumber dan komunikasi, serta gaji dan faedah adalah signifikan dan berhubung secara negatif dengan produktiviti individu. Penemuan yang kedua ialah komitmen sebahagiannya menjadi pengantara kepada perhubungan ini. Kata kunci: Stres; komitmen; produktiviti; ahli akademik; universiti penyelidikan