Factors affecting job satisfaction of workers at "Ulwandle" Municipal Health Department.

Abstract

Ulwandle Municipal Health Department confronts significant challenges in satisfying the needs of its highly skilled and specialised employees and thereby retaining their services. The motivation of the study was based on the fact that the Department sought answers as to why staff members are in other departments are loyal to the municipality, while many staff within the Health Department resign after less than five years. This study aimed to investigate in closer detail the challenges faced by Ulwandle Municipal Health Department with regard to employee job satisfaction; it sought to identify factors that cause both job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The focus of the study was the supervision and leadership style, salaries and benefits, recognition for accomplishments, internal promotion and personal growth at Ulwandle Municipal Health Department; the study further sought to determine whether each of these factors was related to the others. The population of interest was all environmental health employees at Ulwandle Municipal Health Department; the sample was selected randomly to represent the study population. The research question was answered through the administration of a structured multiple choice research questionnaire (MSQ). The data analysis process was completed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of this study found that demographics did not have a major influence on respondents’ perceptions of job satisfaction. Based on the findings, most employees are not satisfied with management styles. Issues giving rise to dissatisfaction include unfair treatment of individuals, supervisors not providing positive feedback, a lack of trust between employees and supervisors and the belief that supervisors lack leadership skills.