EFFECT OF LABORERS’ OVERQUALIFICATION PERCEPTION ON JOB SATISFACTION AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON HEALTH SECTOR IN TURKEY

Abstract

Over-qualification perception can be defined briefly as laborers’ perception of being overqualified according to requirements of current job.  While reasons like globalization, technological developments, increasing population and increasing competition in all markets are causing  high unemployment rates especially in developed and developing countries, members of new generations who want to avoid of being unemployed incline on self-development and higher education more and more. While this trend is positively affecting the quality of labor markets unfortunately quality and quantity of suitable jobs are not affected as much. Consequently, many laborer candidate who think that his/her qualifications are more superior for the current jobs are choosing to stay unemployed or unwillingly accepting a job which is unsuitable for his/her educational background or interests. Laborers perception of over-qualification is accepted as one of the antecedents of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, which are directly related with employee turnover, alienation to job and organization, higher job stress, efficiency and behaviors of counter production. The aim of this study is empirically investigating effect of overqualified laborer perception on job satisfaction and organizational commitment of administrative workers on health sector in Turkish context. Data are collected from 142 administrative laborers working at private hospitals in Ankara.  According to results, having a difference, duration of employment and income appeared as significant variables affecting over-qualification perception addition to education level in health sector. Moreover, over-qualification appeared as an important antecedent of both job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Keywords

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