Workload, rewards and working environment as antecedents of job satisfaction among academic staff at Makerere University.

Abstract

This study aimed to establish whether workload, rewards and working environment were antecedents of academic staff job satisfaction at Makerere University. It was guided by three study objectives which related workload, rewards and working environment to academic staff job satisfaction respectively. This study was a cross sectional survey and co-relational in design. It was an eclectic study with both quantitative and qualitative aspects. However, it mostly took the quantitative approach. The sample comprised of 107 lecturers from three colleges in Makerere University main campus. Data were mainly collected using a self administered questionnaire which was mainly quantitative and face-to-face interviews with a cross section of lecturers from the same colleges, which were mainly qualitative in nature. Data were analyzed using percents and other descriptive statistics especially the means and range. Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used to correlate job satisfaction and workload, rewards and working environment respectively. The findings revealed that there was no significant relationship between workload and academic staff job satisfaction at Makerere University while rewards and working environment were respectively significantly positively related to academic staff job satisfaction. The study concluded that; workload was not significantly related to academic staff job satisfaction whereas rewards and working environment were both significantly positively related to academic staff job satisfaction. The recommendations are that; Makerere University should strengthen the existing academic staff workload policy practices and embrace the current strategies including employment of part time academic staff, the university should review its academic staff reward and incentive policy as rewards had proved an indispensable antecedent of job satisfaction, The university should focus its attention to provide a conducive working environment with adequate and relevant educational resources alongside improved working relations and friendly employee policy practices.