|
...detrimental problem the field of rehabilitation (2004)." While little is known about affective commitment in the profession, there are reports showing high turnover rates ranging from 9.4% to 40.7% (Dew, Diller, & Peters, 2005; Galeotos & Dykeman, 2001; Vito & Pearson, 2003; Wisconsin Joint Legislative Audit Committee, 2000). A study by Barrett, Riggar, Flowers, Crimando, & Bailey (1997), reported that during the last decade, turnover in the field grew by 1%, albeit the increase was nonsignificant. Nevertheless, this finding suggests that turnover has not declined and remained at a high rate. Such alarming rates warrant concern that consumers may experience negative fallout from high turnover.
Factors such as layoffs, terminations, and retirement may explain some of the turnover (Bishop, 2001; Galeotos & Dykeman, 2001). For instance, in Region III, the State Vocational Rehabilitation system anticipates that in the next two years 46% of the vacancies will occur for the following reasons: retirement, termination, family needs, higher salary, death, reassignment, and other (Dew, Diller, and Peters, 2005). This finding, however, leaves 54% unaccounted for suggesting that other reasons related to a lack of commitment could contribute to departure from the agency. Several studies in other professions (e.g. hotel management, nursing, transportation, etc.) and a few studies in the human-service field have shown that the stronger an employee's level of commitment, the less likely he/she is to leave the job (Allen & Meyer, 1996; Knudsen, Johnson, & Roman, 2003; Hart, 2000; Hackett, Bycio, & Hausdorf, 1994).
Within the rehabilitation field, only three studies have examined affective commitment, either as a predictor or criterion variable (Biggs, Flett, Voges, & Alpass, 1995, Mitus, 2005, Satcher & McGhee, 1996). As a predictor variable commitment negatively influenced the level of distress in turn affecting the employee's turnover intentions (Biggs et al., 2005). As a criterion variable, Satcher and McGhee (1996) found counselor characteristics (i.e. age and education) to influence affective commitment such that counselors who were older and less educated were more likely to be committed to the agency. In a study by Mitus (2005) organizational factors were explored as a predictor of affective commitment. She found that rehabilitation counselors were more committed when they had more structured socialization experiences following initial entry into the agency. With the limited studies currently available in the rehabilitation literature, additional research is needed to address the multitude of factors that may influence commitment. Organizational factors may be especially important to study in comparison to counselor factors because implementing organizational change may be more feasible than changing characteristics of the counselor.
The purpose of this study was to further our understanding about affective commitment among newly hired rehabilitation counselors by examining whether organizational socialization predicts the degree to which counselors commit to their jobs. According to Chao, O'Leary-Kelly, Wolf, Klein, & Gardener (1994), organizational socialization refers to the type and extent of information that new employees learn when entering an organization. The information learned helps new employees to understand the nature of the organization and their specific work roles (Hart, 2000). With this information, the employee is able to make decisions about whether or not to form a connection to the organization. Results from this study may provide useful information about the degree to which rehabilitation counselors believe they are learning when entering a new agency and whether knowing certain types of information are more relevant towards increasing commitment to the agency.
Affective Commitment
Affective commitment has been recognized as an important construct because of its relationship with various work outcomes such as intentions to quit and voluntary turnover (Allen & Meyer, 1996; Kacmar, Carlson, & Brymer, 1999; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch, & Topolnytsky, 2002). According to Porter, Steers, Mowday, & Boulian, (1974), affective commitment is the degree to which an employee identifies with and becomes involved with the organization. The strength of the employee's commitment is characterized by the extent to which the employee believes in and subscribes to the organization's values and objectives, his/her eagerness to put forth effort for the organization, and his/her desire to stay with the organization as an active member (Allen & Meyer, 1996; Kacmar et al., 1999, & Porter et al., 1974).
In the rehabilitation literature, affective commitment has been studied as a predictor and a criterion variable. As a predictor, affective commitment has been positively linked to a rehabilitation counselor's job satisfaction (Biggs et al., 1995). As a criterion variable, employee characteristics such as age, education, conscientiousness, and initiative seem to affect the level of commitment felt towards the agency (Satcher & McGhee, 1996). None of these studies, however, explored the role of organizational factors (e.g. socialization) as a predictor of affective commitment.
Organizational Socialization: A Socialization Content Model
Organizational socialization has historically been defined as, "the manner in which the experiences of people learning the ropes of a new organizational position, status, or role are structured for them by others within the organization" (VanMaanen, 1978, p. 19). Labeled as socialization tactics, this definition focuses exclusively on the type of experiences employees go through when starting a new job. If successful, these experiences may foster the new employee's work identity and connection to the organization (Ashforth & Saks, 1996; Bauer, Wolfe-Morrison, & Roberts-Callister, 1998).
More recently some organizational theorists have argued that this definition is too narrow in scope; that the definition needs to be broadened to account for other aspects of organizational socialization. These theorists acknowledge the importance of socialization tactics but believe it is also essential to investigate the type and extent of information that new employees learn while being oriented to the organization (Chao et al., 1994; Feldman, 1981; Holton, 1996; Klein & Weaver, 2000). Labeled as socialization content, new employees acquire a variety of information about the organization which may influence whether or not they decide to commit.
Most organizational researchers have identified similar types of socialization content that new employees learn upon entry into the organization (Anakwe & Greenhaus, 1999; Holton, 1996; Ostroff & Kozlowski, 1992; Taormina, 1994). Presently, Chao et al. (1994) have the most widely established and empirically supported Socialization Content Model (Hart, 2000; Klein & Weaver, 2000; Saks & Ashforth, 1997). In their efforts to create a solid construct, Chao, et al. created and factor analyzed a socialization content measure, finding favorable support for six types of content that new employees learn. The content areas as outlined below cover a spectrum of organizational-level and job-specific information but are not considered to be inclusive of all possible content areas (Chao, et al, 1994; Hart, 2000).
The first content area, performance proficiency, entails...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos
have been removed from this article.
More articles from The Journal of Rehabilitation
Developing a screening tool to predict disability program participatio..., April 01, 2006
Comparing outcomes of persons choosing consumer-directed or agency-dir..., April 01, 2006
Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication
name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company
analysis or best practices in managing your organization,
Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business
professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible,
authoritative information they need to support their business
goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting,
company research or defining management best practices -
Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.
|
