Fostering Occupational Commitment in Todays Workforce

Fostering Occupational Commitment in Todays WorkforceDianne L. Clarke, Ph.D., CAPChief Operating Officer/Executive DirectorOperation PAR, Inc.1What We Are Going To CoverWhy is Occupational Commitment Important.What is difference between occupational and organizational commitment.Are there predictors?Managing for Occupational Commitment.What we as employers can do.Findings of research project.Cats

Why care about commitment?By understanding when and how commitments develop and how they shape attitudes and behaviors, organizations will be in a better position to anticipate the impact change will have and to manage it more effectively (Meyer and Allen, 1997, p. ix).

QuestionHow do you know you have a committed employee?3Why is This Topic Relevant?Projected Increased Need for Behavioral Health and Medical Services: Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act of 2010Projected Decrease of Addiction Counseling Workforce (Murphy & Hubbard, 2009)

4Relevance contThe insufficient treatment workforce is a result of an increased demand for services, an aging of the current workforce, as well as a more severely impaired population, being referred earlier in the progression of their disorder, with less financial compensation which requires a workforce with a more diverse skill set (Murphy & Hubbard, 2009, p. 10).What is commitmentThe Twelfth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous clearly states Having a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs (Alcoholics Anonymous, 1976, p. 60). 6Workplace Commitment IncludesOrganizationJobProfession/OccupationManager SupervisorTeamUnion

7Occupational CommitmentOccupation is psychologically distinct from employment, organization, work.People make a psychologically meaningful commitment to an occupation.Conflicts can arise between organization and occupational goals and demands for individuals.8Why do we need Occupational Commitment?Increased Need for Behavioral Health Specialty ServicesThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) stated:When fully implemented, the law will provide access to coverage for an estimated 32 million Americans who are now uninsured. Mergers and AcquisitionsQuality of patient carePool of future leadership.9Three Component Model of Commitment Affective Component emotional attachment to the occupationContinuance Component recognition of costs associated with leaving the occupationNormative moral obligation to remain in the occupationMeyer&Allen,1997

10Affective CommitmentI want to be here

I would be very happy to spend the rest of my career in this occupation.I enjoy discussing my occupation with people outside it.I fell emotionally attached to this occupation.This occupation has a great deal of personal meaning for me.I feel a strong sense of belonging to my occupation.I really feel as if this occupations problems are my own.11Continuance CommitmentI need to be hereI am afraid what might happen if I quit without another occupation lined up.It would be very hard for me to leave my occupation right now even if I wanted to.My life would be disrupted if I decide to leave my occupation.It would be too costly for me to leave my occupation in the near future.Right now staying with my occupation is a matter of necessity as much as desire.Leaving my occupation would require considerable personal sacrifice.

Normative CommitmentI ought to be hereI feel an obligation to remain in my current occupation.I would feel guilty if I left my occupation.Even if it were to my advantage I do not feel it would be right to leave my occupation now.This occupation deserves my loyaltyI owe a great deal to my occupationI would not leave my occupation right now because I have a sense of obligation to the people in it.

Study Methodology219 Certified Addiction Counselors in Florida (CAP)On line Survey MonkeyOne CEU Given for CompletionHierarchical Regression AnalysisThank you Florida Certification Board

14Conclusions Occupational Commitment Optimal Profile indicated in this sample although CCS was close to midpoint.ACS want to remain in occupationcorroborated previous research (Cohen, 2007) highly educated more committed to occupation- less dependant on employerCCS Score below midpoint aware of costs associated with leaving an occupationPersonal investment of experience, tenure, education, personal or family SUD Perception of employment alternativesNCS moderate obligation or moral responsibility to remain in the profession.Personal or family SUDStudy ResultsDescriptive Statistics for Three Component Model Instrument (N=219)ComponentPossible RangeRangeMeanStandard DeviationACS6 - 4221 - 4237.044.46CCS6 - 4210 - 3523.036.80NCS6 - 4210 - 4122.136.9016Predictors of Occupational CommitmentReasons to Search Examples of PredictorsRetentionIncrease leadership poolExpertise and knowledge do not leave the treatment field. Better outcomes for clients

Personal History of AddictionSecondary Traumatic StressJob SatisfactionBurnoutSelf-EfficacyJob Satisfaction as a PredictorJob Satisfaction identified by SAMHSA as a national concern for the addiction field (Ryan et al., 2012)

Job satisfaction is a significant predictor of addiction counselor occupational commitment (Bride & Kintzle, 2011)

Impacted by extrinsic environmental conditions and intrinsic conditions (Bogo et al., 2011; Broome et al., 2009; Ducharme et al., 2005; Knudsen et al., 2008; Shoptaw et al., 2000; Vilardaga et al., 2011).18

Job Satisfaction - Ask yourself: How satisfied am I with this aspect of my job?

Being able to keep busy all the time * The chance to work alone on the jobThe chance to do different things from time to time The chance to be somebody in the communityThe way my boss handles her/his workers The competence of my supervisor making decisionsBeing able to do things that dont go against my conscience The way my job provides for steady employmentThe chance to do things for other people * The chance to tell people what to doThe chance to do something that makes use of my abilitiesThe way company policies are put into practiceMy pay and the amount of work I do *The chances for advancement on this jobThe freedom to use my own judgment *The chance to try my own methods of doing the jobThe working conditions *The way my co-workers get along with each otherThe praise I get for doing a good job *The feeling of accomplishment I get from the job

Study ResultsDescriptive Statistics for Predictor Variable Job Satisfaction (N=219)Predictor VariablePossible RangeActualRangeMeanStandard DeviationMSQ-Short Form 20 10025-10074.6713.41Intrinsic12-6017-60

47.97

7.19

Extrinsic6-30

6-3019.255.9020Burnout as a PredictorBurnout - a psychological phenomenon of the helping professions (Freudenberger,1980)emotional and physical exhaustion, cynicism and indifference, and feelings of ineffectiveness and inadequacyAnd a work environment that includes difficult economic trends, integration of new technology, and the management pressures of mergers and acquisitions add to the occurrence of burnout in an individual (Maslach & Leiter ,1997)21Burnout QuestionsDue to my job as a counselor, I feel tired most of the timeI feel I a. m an incompetent counselor.I am treated unfairly in my workplace.I am not interested in my clients and their problems.My relationships with family members have been negatively impacted by my work as a counselor.I feel exhausted due to my work as a counselor.I feel frustrated by my effectiveness as a counselor.I feel negative energy from my supervisor. I have become callous toward clients.I feel like I do not have enough time to engage in personal interests.Due to my job as a counselor, I feel overstressed.I am not confident in my counseling skills.I feel bogged down by the system in my workplace.I have little empathy for my clients.I feel I do not have enough time to spend with my friends.Due to my job as a counselor, I feel tightness in my back and shoulders.I do not feel like I am making a change in my clients.I feel frustrated with the system in my workplace.I am no longer concerned about the welfare of my clients.I feel I have poor boundaries between work and my personal life.

Study ResultsDescriptive Statistics for Counselor Burnout Inventory Instrument (N=219)Predictor VariablePossible RangeActualRangeMeanStandard DeviationCBI 20 100

40-100(60 midpoint)72.5912.741 Exhaustion4-208-2013.063.11

Incompetence4-208-2013.803.83 Neg Work Env4-208-2014.173.53 Devaluing Cl4-208-2016.703.91 Deterioration of Personal Life4-208-2014.843.6123Self-Efficacy as a PredictorSelf-Efficacy task complexity impacts self-efficacy and performance (Bandura, 1986; Stajkovic & Luthans,1998)Addiction self-efficacy skills formalized in 1998 by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment

24SelfEfficacyThe perceived ability to perform the following addiction counseling skills:

Specific Addiction Counseling Skills Assessment , Planning and ReferralsCo-occurring Disorders Skills Group Counseling Skills, and Basic Counseling Skills

Murdock et al., 2005

25Study ResultsDescriptive Statistics for Predictor Variable Instruments (N=219)ACSESPossible Range31-186ActualRange85-160Mean143.42Standard Deviation15.35

Addiction Tx5-3023-4036.814.02 Assmt, plan, referrals8-486-2522.793.08 Co-occurring5-309-3025.764.10 Group6-365-2520.984.49 Basic cnsl skill4-249-2019.021.7626Summary of FindingsA priori research hypothesis partially supported:Self efficacy and job satisfaction, together, served as significant predictors of affective commitment. Counselor burnout in the third step did not serve as a significant predictorPost HocSignificant negative relationship between job satisfaction and continuance commitmentNo significant relationship between the predictor variables and normative commitment

Managing for CommitmentProcess ModelHuman Resources Policies and PracticesPerceived Self WorthPerceived Cost of LossPerceived Need to ReciprocateAffective CommitmentContinuance CommitmentNormative Commitment28Recruitment and SelectionWill the way applicants are treated affect future commitment?Realistic job previews

29Socialization and TrainingInvestitureDivestitureThe organization acknowledges and supports all personal characteristics of a recruitThe organization ignores, discourages, and/or attempts to change the personal characteristics of the recruitHow is the socialization conducted? Is it he content appropriate for the person?What other information is the new employee seeking on their own to socialize

Training is important for self-efficacy. Also those that are committed will be more motivated for training.

30Assessment and PromotionIs there upward mobility?Is it perceived as a fair process?Does the passed over employee move from affective commitment (wants to be here) to continuance commitment (Ill just stay till retirement I have no where else to go)?31Compensation and BenefitsPositive correlation between family responsive benefits and affective commitment.Flexible hoursChild careBUT :Must be perceived as fair and not only for select groups.

more time away then me.She gets to bring her baby/child to work and I dont.

32Managing ChangeCurrent changes include:Mergers, Acquisitions, DownsizingImpacts on commitment:Were layoff decisions fair Were co-workers treated fairlyClear communication

33In ConclusionAlthough we manage for organizational commitment we must also be aware that we are managing for occupation commitment!We all drink from the same well lets keep the water flowing!!

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