This study aims to enhance our understanding of job satisfaction of direct care workers in assisted living facilities. Low job satisfaction is related to high turnover rates and lower quality of care in assisted living. We integrate two theories of job satisfaction to investigate relationships among workplace support, role overload, and job satisfaction. Data are from a survey of 984 direct care workers in 108 assisted living facilities. Results from multilevel hierarchical linear models (HLM) indicate that job satisfaction varies both within and among facilities. Job satisfaction is negatively associated with role overload, and it is positively associated with institutional support, supervisor instrumental and emotional support, and coworker emotional support. These workplace support measures and role overload are separately and independently associated with job satisfaction. Enhancing job satisfaction of assisted living direct care workers will likely require a multipronged approach that includes improving institutional, supervisor, and coworker support while simultaneously directly addressing role overload.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AudMyra A.ConnVicki S.2003.
“A Call for Nursing Research in Assisted Living Facilities.”Journal of Gerontological Nursing29
(2):
3
2.
BaronReuben M.KennyDavid A.1986.
“The Moderator-Mediator Variable Distinction in Social Psychological Research: Conceptual, Strategic and Statistical Considerations.”Journal of Personality and Social Psychology51:
1173–82
3.
BeehrTerry A.1985.
“The Role of Social Support in Coping with Organizational Stress.”
Pp. 375–98 in
Human Stress and Cognition in Organizations: An Integrated Perspective,
edited by BeehrT. A.BhagatR. S..
New York:
Wiley
4.
BretzRobert D.Jr.JudgeTimothy A.1994.
“Person-Organization Fit and the Theory of Work Adjustment: Implications for Satisfaction, Tenure and Career Success.”Journal of Vocational Behaviour44:
32–54
5.
BrownDonnaStevenMcIntosh2003.
“Job Satisfaction in the Low Wage Service Sector.”Applied Economics35(10):
1241–54
6.
BuckinghamMarchsCurtCoffman1999.
First, Break All the Rules—What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently.New York:
Simon and Schuster
7.
ChouRita J.2006.
“Facility Proprietary Status, Role Overload, Workplace Support, and Job Satisfaction of Direct Care Workers in Assisted Living.”
PhD dissertation, School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison
8.
ChouRita J.RobertStephanie A.“Job Satisfaction and Areas for Improvement in Assisted Living Facilities: Viewpoints of Direct Care Workers.”
Unpublished manuscript
9.
CimeteGülerGencalpNimet S.KeskinG.2003.
“Quality of Life and Job Satisfaction of Nurses.”Journal of Nursing Care Quarterly18(2):
151–58
10.
CoomberBillieBarriballK. Louise2007.
“Impact of Job Satisfaction Components on Intent to Leave and Turnover for Hospital-Based Nurses: A Review of the Research Literature.”International Journal of Nursing Studies44:
297–314
11.
DucharmeLori J.1997.
“Work, Coworkers and Well-Being: Examining the Influences of Workgroup Support on Affective and Behavioral Reactions to Job Demands.”
PhD dissertation, Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
12.
FaragherE. B.CassM.CooperC. L.2005.
“The Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Health: A Meta-analysis.”Occupational and Environment Medicine62(2):
105–12
13.
FenlasonKristofer J.BeehrTerry A.1994.
“Social Support and Occupational Stress: Effects of Talking to Others.”Journal of Organizational Behavior15(2):
157–74
14.
GansterDaniel C.FusilierMarcelline R.MayesBronston T.1986.
“Role of Social Support in the Experience of Stress at Work.”Journal of Applied Psychology71:
102–10
15.
GreeneAngelaCatherineHawesMerryWoodCynthiaWoodsong1997.
“How Do Family Members Define Quality in Assisted Living Facilities?”Generations21(4):
34–36
16.
HawesCatherinePhillipsCharles D.MiriamRose2000.
High Service or High Privacy Assisted Living Facilities, Their Residents and Staff: Results from a National Survey.Washington, DC:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
17.
HendersonJ. Neil1994.
“Bed, Body, and Soul: The Job of the Nursing Home Aide.”Generations18(3):
20–22
18.
HerzbergFrederick1966.
Work and the Nature of Man.New York:
Crowell
19.
HoltzGretchen A.1982.
“Nurses' Aides in Nursing Homes: Why Are They Satisfied?”Journal of Gerontological Nursing8:
265–71
20.
HouseJames S.1981.
Work stress and social support.Reading, MA:
Addison-Wesley
21.
HouseMary D.1990.
“Factors that Relate to Job Satisfaction among Nurses Aides in Long-Term Care Facilities.”
PhD dissertation, School of Occupational and Educational Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
22.
HoxJoop2002.
Multilevel Analysis: Techniques and Applications.Mahwah, NJ:
Erlbaum
23.
JamesLawrence R.SellsSaul B.1981.
“Psychological Climate: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Research.”
Pp. 275–96 in
Toward a Psychology of Situations: An Interactional Perspective,
edited by MagnussonD..
Hillsdale, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
KaneRosalie A.WilsonKaren B.1993.
“Assisted Living in the United States: A New Paradigm for Residential Care for Frail Older Persons?”Washington, DC:
American Association of Retired Persons
26.
KissnerRobert F.1999.
“Job Demands and Occupational Stressors in Social Work: Main Effects and Interactions.”
PhD dissertation, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
27.
KonetzkaR. TamaraStearnsSally C.KonradT. RobertJayMagazinerSherylZimmerman2005.
“Personal Care Aide Turnover in Residential Care Settings: An Assessment of Ownership, Economic, and Environmental Factors.”Journal of Applied Gerontology24(2):
87–107
28.
LanceCharles E.1991.
“Evaluation of a Structural Model Relating to Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Precursors to Voluntary Turnover.”Multivariate Behavioral Research26(1):
37–162
29.
LarsenSallie R.2000.
“Better Staffing: Retention is the Key.”Assisted Living
(Nov.):
46–48
30.
LazarusRichard S.SusanFolkman1984.
Stress, Appraisal, and Coping.New York:
Springer
31.
LindsayScott2002.
“Job Satisfaction and Intention to Quit among Frontline Assisted Living Employees.”
Master's thesis, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA
32.
LittrellPeggy C.BillingsleyBonnie S.1994.
“The Effects of Principal Support on Special and General Educator's Stress, Job Satisfaction, School Commitment, Health and Intent to Stay in Teaching.”Remedial and Special Education15(5):
297–310
33.
MorenoDeborah L.2002.
“A Measurement of Job Satisfaction Indicators of North Dakota Long Term Health Care Givers.”
PhD dissertation, Department of Teaching and Learning, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
34.
ParkerChristopher P.BaltesBoris B.YoungScott A.HuffJoseph W.2003.
“Relationships between Psychological Climate Perceptions and Work Outcomes: a Meta-Analytic Review.”Journal of Organizational Behavior24:
389–416
35.
PearlinLeonard I.1999.
“The Stress Process Revisited.”
Pp. 395–415 in
Handbook of the Sociology of Mental Health,
edited by AneshenselC. S.PhelanJ. C..
New York:
Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
36.
PodsakoffPhillip M.OrganDennis W.1986.
“Self-Report in Organizational Research: Problems and Prospects.”Journal of Management12(4):
531–44
37.
QuinnDebra L.2001.
“Factors Influencing Staff Satisfaction in a Long-Term Care Facility.”
PhD dissertation, Capella University, Minneapolis, MN
38.
RaudenbushStephen W.BrykAnthony S.2002.
Hierarchical Linear Models—Applications and Data Analysis Methods.2nd ed.Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications
39.
RemsburgRobin E.ArmacostKaren A.BennettRichard G.1999.
“Improving Nursing Assistant Turnover and Stability Rates in a Long-Term Care Facility.”Geriatric Nursing20(4):
203–08
40.
SagerMark A.MobergD. PaulCradockRobert M.VolandRick P.ChouRita J.ChristineCarollo-ZeunerFelixEllen S.2003.
Final Report: Worker Education, Training, and Assistance Program (WETA).Madison, WI:
Center for Health Policy and Program Evaluation, Medical School, University of Wisconsin-Madison
41.
SchaeferJeanne A.MoosRudolf H.1996.
Effects of work stressors and work climate on long-term care staff's job morale and functioning.Research in Nursing & Health,
19,
63–73
42.
SchaferJoseph L.GrahamJohn W.2002.
“Missing Data: Our View of the State of the Art.”Psychological Methods7(2):
147–77
43.
SchmiederRobert A.SmithCarlla S.1996.
“Moderating Effects of Social Support in Shiftworking and Non-Shifting Nurses.”Work and Stress10(2):
128–40
44.
SearleBenBrightJim E. H.StephenBochner2001.
“Helping People to Sort It Out: The Role of Social Support in the Job Strain Model.”Work and Stress15(4):
328–46
45.
ShaverRobert2000.
Employee Opinion Survey.Madison, WI:
Executive Education, School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison
46.
ShimazuAkihitoMiyukiShimazuTsutomuOdahara2004.
“Job Control and Social Support as Coping Resources in Job Satisfaction.”Psychological Reports94:
449–56
47.
SpectorPaul E.1994.
“Using Self-Report Questionnaires in OB Research: A Comment on the Use of a Controversial Method.”Journal of Organizational Behavior15(5):
385–92
SteffenTeresa M.1992.
“Determinants of Service Quality in Health Care Organizations.”
PhD dissertation, Management Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
50.
TimmreckThomas2001.
“Managing Motivation and Developing Job Satisfaction in the Health Care Work Environment.”The Health Care Manager20:
42–58
51.
Doefvan derMargotStanMaes1999.
“The Job Demand-Control (-Support) Model and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of 20 Years of Empirical Research.”Work and Stress13(2):
87–114
52.
VeloutsouCleopatra A.PanigyrakisGeorge G.2004.
“Consumer Brand Managers' Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, Perceived Performance and Intention to Leave.”Journal of Marketing Management20:
105–31
53.
YeattsDale E.SewardRudy R.2000.
“Reducing Turnover and Improving Health Care in Nursing Homes: The Potential Effects of Self-Managed Work Teams.”The Gerontologist40(3):
358–63
54.
ZhaoJihongQuintThurmanNiHe1999.
“Sources of Job Satisfaction among Police Officers: A Test of Demographic and Work Environment Models.”Justice Quarterly16(1):
153–73
