Factors influencing work engagement and organizational commitment of Chiang Mai University staff

Abstract

     The purposes of this study were to (1) to investigate levels of work engagement and organizational commitment of Chiang Mai University staff; and (2) to analyze factors affecting work engagement and organizational commitment of Chiang Mai University staff. The population of the study was 11,370 Chiang Mai University staff, i.e., government officers, permanent university staff, temporary university staff, and permanent employees. The sample was selected by using stratified random sampling method. Complete responses were received from 2,337 persons, or 20.55 percent of all university staff. The research instruments comprised of 5 questionnaires; (1) work engagement scale, (2) organizational commitment scale, (3) positive orientation scale, (4) a scale measuring factors affecting work engagement and organizational commitment, and (5) personal data sheet. Descriptive statistics were used to describe basic data. Hypotheses testing were performed by using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. The research found that: (1) overall, work engagement and organizational commitment of Chiang Mai University staff were in a high level; (2) work engagement of Chiang Mai University staff was significantly positive affected by the following factors: positive orientation, job characteristics, relations with coworkers, and university’s management, all four variables could explained 41.7 percent of variance in work engagement (p < .01); (3) organizational commitment of Chiang Mai University staff was significantly positive affected by the following factors: positive orientation, job characteristics, relations with coworkers, supervisory practices, university’s benefits, and university’s management, all six variables could explained 60.8 percent of variance in organizational commitment (p < .01).