Work Engagement and Organizational Commitment among Catholic Religious Men and Women Working In Rural Areas: A Case of Lodwar Diocese in Turkana County, Kenya
- January 28, 2022
- Posted by: rsispostadmin
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue I, January 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
Wambua Pius Muasa (PhD)
Institute of Youth Studies, Tangaza University College
Catholic University of Eastern Africa
ABSTRACT
Globally studies have shown work engagement to play a critical role on organizational commitment. However, there are limited studies when it comes to Catholic religious men and women working in rural areas. Due to this gap, the study aimed to examine the relationship between work engagement and organizational commitment among the Catholic religious men and women working in Lodwar Diocese, Kenya. The study adopted correlational design. Using census sampling, a sample size of 131 Catholic religious men and women were included in the study. The data was collected using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and Organizational Commitment Scale. Pre-testing of standardized instruments was carried out before the actual data collection to ensure its reliability and validity. The data was analyzed using correlational analysis using SPSS Version 32. The study found a weak negative association between vigour and continuance commitment (r=-0.07) and normative commitment (r=-0.07; p>0.05) in the study. However, energy and affective commitment had a weak positive connection (r=0.09; p>0.05). A weak positive association was found between dedication and affective commitment (r= 0.15; p>0.05), continuance commitment (r= 0.03), and normative commitment (r= 0.008; p<0.05), according to the study. Absorption and emotional commitment (r=0.04; p<0.05) and continuance commitment (r=0.08; p>0.05) had a weak positive connection. Finally, absorption and normative commitment had a weak negative connection (r=-0.02; p>0.05).
INTRODUCTION
Globally studies have found association between work engagement and organizational commitment ( Prerana, 2017; Maleka et al., 2019). The Impact of Employee Engagement on Job Performance and Organizational Commitment in the Egyptian Banking Sector was investigated by Ahmed and Dajani (2015). The survey included 245 banking staff from numerous commercial and governmental institutions in Cairo, Egypt. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Regression analysis and Pearson correlation analysis were performed to determine the relationship between the variables under investigation. Employee engagement had a substantial impact on work performance, but had a smaller impact on organizational commitment, according to the findings of the study. Another study by Rameshkumar (2020) used Indian seafaring officers in a survey research on employee engagement as an antecedent of organizational commitment. The study had a sample size of 440 participants. Data was gathered by utilizing a questionnaire that included demographic information, engagement questions, and organizational commitment questions. Employee engagement was found to be positively linked with the affective and normative components of organizational commitment in this study. The study findings on the association between employee engagement and the continuity component of organizational commitment, on the other hand, found no significant relationship.
