Laurent M. Lapierre, Ph.D.

Research has shown that one’s level of commitment at work is an important type of attitude to foster among employees. Indeed, it is related not only to employee withdrawal behaviours, such as absenteeism and voluntary turnover, but also to job performance. Thus, employee work commitment surveys can be a very useful tool for HR leaders to predict the extent to which employees will engage in productive behaviours at work. A great deal of research has identified various factors that can influence employee commitment, such as particular leadership styles, career management and development opportunities, general fairness and openness of organizational processes (e.g., salary/bonus determination), cafeteria-style benefits programs, job scope, role clarity, trust in employees, and recognition for employee contributions. Such research can be used as an effective guide in developing organizational practices that will have the greatest positive impact on employee commitment levels.

Employee work commitment has to do with the extent to which employees are emotionally attached to various aspects of the work context, such as their organization, their occupation, their immediate supervisor, their team, their current job, and work in general. Little research has tried to understand how commitments to different aspects of the work context influence one another and what role they each play in influencing employee behaviour at work.

People who are committed to work in general tend to believe that work is central to their lives. They believe that work is its own reward. Also, they easily show contempt for idleness and self-indulgence. People who are committed to their current job feel that this job can satisfy their current needs. These people make their job an important part of their identity. People who are committed to their organization are highly involved in their organization and identify with its goals and values. Such employees feel a readiness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization, and have a strong desire to remain an organizational member. Finally, people who are highly committed to their occupation are highly motivated to work in a chosen career role. As a result, such employees are more likely to participate in skill development, devote greater energy in developing their careers, do more to advance their occupation, and are less likely to leave their occupation for another.

The aim of this study was to examine the causal relationships between commitment to work in general, commitment to one’s current job, commitment to one’s organization, and commitment to one’s occupation. The study also investigated how these various forms of commitment impact upon employee intentions to quit their organization and to quit their occupation as a whole. The study involved the analysis of surveys sent to a large employee group.

The results of this study suggest that intentions to quit both the organization and the occupation are most strongly influenced by commitment to one’s organization and commitment to one’s occupation. Both forms of commitment jointly influence each quitting intention. Thus, it is important to ensure that employee levels of organizational and occupational commitment are as high as possible if one wishes to minimize employee intentions to quit either the organization or the occupation.

The study also revealed that commitment to one’s job also influences quitting intentions, but only because it first influences commitment to the organization and the occupation. Thus, commitment to one’s job has a weaker and indirect effect on quitting intentions. Finally, commitment to work in general seems to play a role in the subsequent development of commitment to one’s job. It is understandable that people highly committed to work in general will likely be committed to their current job as well.

Since commitments to the organization and to the occupation seem to have the most important impact on quitting intentions, and given previous research that has shown that such attitudes are related to job performance as well, it is highly advisable that organizations measure these attitudes as part of their annual employee surveys. Also surveyed should be employee opinions on specific organizational practices that research has shown would influence commitment levels (see first paragraph). Overall, these measures would be invaluable in helping organizations not only determine the current commitment levels of their workforce and their vulnerability to turnover, but also which practices should be modified to increase these commitment levels.

Organizations interested in pursuing this type of survey research might consider adopting the questionnaires used in this study. They have been shown to be very reliable and valid questionnaires. Employees are to rate the extent to which they agree with each questionnaire statement on a 7-point scale.

Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (Mowday, Steers, & Porter, 1979)

I am willing to put a great deal of effort beyond that normally expected in order to help this organization be successful.

I speak of this organization to my friends as a great one to work for.

I would accept almost any type of job assignment in order to keep working for this organization.

I find that my values and the organization’s values are very similar.

I am proud to tell others that I am part of this organization.

This organization really inspires the very best in me in the way of job performance.

I am extremely glad that I chose this organization to work for over others I was considering at the time Ijoined.

I really care about the fate of this organization.

For me this is the best of all possible organizations for which to work.

Occupational Commitment Questionnaire (based on Blau, 1985)

If I could get a job different from being a _____ and paying the same amount, I would take it.

I definitely want a career for myself in _____.

If I could do it all over again, I would not choose to work in the _____ profession.

If I had all the money I needed without working, I would probably still continue to work in the _____ profession.

I like this vocation too well to give it up.

This is the ideal profession for a life work.

I am disappointed that I ever entered the _____ profession.

I spend a significant amount of time reading _____-related journals, books or magazines.

I talk down the _____ profession.

I would take upgrading courses or seminars in the _____ profession only if paid for by my employer.

References:

Mowday, R.T., Steers, R.M., & Porter, L.W. (1979). The measurement of organizational commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14, 224-247.

Blau, G.J. (1985). The measurement and prediction of career commitment. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 58, 277-288.

Note: This article was based on a recent journal publication (Hackett, R.D., Lapierre, L.M., & Hausdorf, P.A. (2001). Understanding the links between work commitment constructs. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 58, 392-413.).