The correlation between Herzberg’s motivation factor of job satisfaction and the maintenance/hygiene factor of work environment and turnover was demonstrated by Lambert, Hogan and Barton’s (2001) test of a structural measurement model using data collected from the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey conducted by researchers Quinn and Staines from the University of Michigan. Quinn and Stains interviewed 1,515 US citizens living in 74 different geographic areas of the US. The in-depth interviews involved 887 questions about the respondents’ work and home life. Lambert et al.’s (2001) work revealed that performing a variety of tasks, relationships with fellow employees, age and salary contributed significantly to job satisfaction. They commented that the positive correlation between a variety of work tasks and increased job satisfaction is well noted in the literature, also noting that given the amount of time people spend at work it is no surprise that positive relationships with co-workers contributed to increased job satisfaction. They postulated that older workers are more content with their work because they simply have had more time to find work that they like and that involvement with friends and family takes on a greater importance. Lambert et al. (2001) also suggested that the positive correlation between income and job satisfaction is linked to American workers “socialisation into a capitalistic society where money, benefits, and security are generally sought after and many times gauge the importance or worth of a person” (p. 244). Lambert et al. (2001) concluded that:
the results are supportive of the fundamental postulations that work
environment is very important in shaping worker job satisfaction, even after controlling for the effects of demographic characteristics, and that job satisfaction is a highly salient antecedent of turnover (p. 246).
However, a meta-analysis undertaken by Griffeth, Hom and Gaertner (2000) of 500 studies published about turnover and retention during the 1990s (N = approximately 30,0000) suggested limited or no correlation between personal characteristics and quit rates. The quit rate by gender was similar, especially when applied to educated women who quit jobs at a similar rate to men. These women quit work to take on other employment, as did men, while less educated women were likely to exit the workforce entirely. The strongest predictor of
turnover, as noted by other researchers, was job satisfaction (Griffeth, et al., 2000; Liou, 1998; Mobley, et al., 1978; Rust, et al., 1996).
Ellett, Ellis, Westbrook and Dews (2007) conducted 58 focus groups with 369 child welfare professionals across the American state of Georgia to determine which personal and organisation factors contributed to their retention and exit from the workforce. Given the qualitative nature of this research, the high number of participants contributes to the
robustness and reliability of the data collected. Their results noted the inter-connectedness of motivation and hygiene factors that contribute to the retention or loss of employees.
Organisation factors that contributed to turnover were excessive work hours (over 60 hours per week), a tense and fearful work environment, poor salary, lack of promotion opportunities and employees not feeling valued. Personal factors that influenced these professionals to leave were the lack of work life balance (intrusion of work into their home life), the anxiety of working on high profile cases, and lack of preparation for the job. Organisation factors that most supported these professionals to remain were retirement incentives, flexible working hours and the challenging nature of the work, while personal factors that encouraged them to remain were personal knowledge and disposition, commitment to the clients, personal desire to make a difference and a realistic attitude to what could be achieved.
2.6 Chapter summary
This chapter has provided information about Herzberg’s Work Motivation
Hygiene/Maintenance Theory which has been used in this research as a framework for the analysis of qualitative data as well as to support the discussion of the results. Herzberg’s theory contends that six motivating factors, such as work itself and recognition, act as push factors to work or pull factors from it. In addition, Herzberg suggested that workers expect ten hygiene/maintenance factors, for example a reasonable salary and good work conditions, to be ‘a given’ in the workplace. The overall lack of hygiene/maintenance factors acts as a push factors to other work.
Following the overview of Herzberg’s Work Motivation Hygiene/Maintenance Theory a discussion about the concept of work revealed that work not only affords an individual status in their society it can also contribute significantly to their health status. As such, work is an important part of adult life for all generational cohorts. There is some debate in the literature about the differences between Generation Y workers and other generational groupings. Many researchers suggested that caution should be applied when considering the characteristics of Generation Y workers as being different to other workers. On the other
hand, numerous researchers have suggested that Generation Y workers are career focused but not likely to want only one career for a life’s work, confident but not resilient, have a desire for a work life balance and seek a workplace that offers them flexibility. Further, it has been suggested that Generation Y workers will thrive when they receive support and mentorship from their supervisors and peers. Support and mentorship were noted by some authors to be crucial to the retention of Generation Y workers.
The chapter concludes with a review of selected literature about factors that contribute to the recruitment and retention of workers. Career commitment for newly graduated
professionals was noted to be positively correlated to having the skills to do the work, membership in a professional organisation and receiving support from supervisors and management. Career commitment was noted to be high soon after graduation, a phenomena known as the honeymoon effect. Personal job satisfaction, a positive work environment and enjoyment of the work itself also positively correlated to intent to stay in a job and vice versa. Salary was noted to be more likely to contribute to job dissatisfaction than job satisfaction. It was also clear from the literature reviewed that Herzberg’s motivation and
hygiene/maintenance factors are inter-connected with some, or all factors, being contributors to both the recruitment and/or retention of workers.
The theme of the next chapter is nursing. It begins with a detailed description of the history of nursing and nursing education in New Zealand.
3 The context of nursing 3.1 Chapter introduction
This chapter covers a wide range of issues and topics pertinent to this research. The first section begins with an outline of the nursing profession in New Zealand. This includes an overview of the history of the establishment of nursing and nursing education in New Zealand, highlighting the changes that have occurred since the mid 1800s to the present day. This is followed by information about the New Zealand nursing workforce as well as the scope of practice for New Zealand registered nurses. Information about the requirements to become a registered nurse in New Zealand is also provided. This section also includes a brief discussion about the tendency for New Zealand registered nurses to work overseas as well as a review of literature about Generation Y New Zealand Registered Nurses.
The second section includes a review of selected literature about nursing in general, the female dominated nature of the profession, who chooses to become a nurse and their motivation to do so. A literature review of the global nursing shortage is included in this section. This is followed by a section describing significant changes that have occurred to the nursing profession in New Zealand over the last twenty years, including the impact of the 1990 health care reforms as well as the recent economic recession. A brief overview is also included about the changed patient profile that has also occurred during this time. The chapter concludes with a review of literature about the recruitment and retention of nurses as well as exploring what factors influenced nurses to remain in, or exit from, the profession.
3.2 The nursing profession in New Zealand