Meaningful Work Scale for Educational Organizations

Yıl 2019, Cilt: 39 Sayı: 3, 1487 - 1512, 24.12.2019

Ahmet Göçen , Ragıp Terzi

Öz

Meaningful work, in line with one’s
life goals, involves answers for “why I am doing this work and why I am in this
workplace.” Meaning at work refers to the harmony between one's work and his/her
purpose of life. The purpose of this study is to develop a scale that focuses
on meaningful work perceptions of employees. In order to develop a meaningful
work scale according to the teachers' perceptions, the literature was scanned
and a six-dimensional scale was formed. After the pilot study, the participants
(N=454) were selected according to the convenience sampling among the teachers from
Şanlıurfa. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were
used to analyze the data. The internal consistency value of the 21-item and
6-dimensional scale is .84 and the scale provides perfect fit. The dimensions
of the Meaningful Work Scale are listed as “Meaning at Work, Search for Meaning
at Work, Work Relationships, Transcendence at Work, Humility at Work, and
Meaning Leadership at Work. The scale can be applied not only for employees of
educational institutions but also for all business organizations due to its
structure and general framework.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Meaningful Work, Scale Development, Teachers, Motivation

Eğitim Örgütleri İçin Anlamlı İş Ölçeği

Öz

Anlamlı iş, kişinin hayat amaçları doğrultusunda
“sahip olduğum işi neden yapıyorum, neden bu işyerindeyim” sorularının
cevaplarını içerir. İşte anlam kişinin işiyle hayat amacı arasındaki uyumu
ifade eder. Bu çalışmanın amacı, çalışanların anlamlı iş algılarına odaklanan
bir ölçek geliştirmektir. Çalışmada öğretmen algılarına göre bir anlamlı iş
ölçeği geliştirilmesi amacıyla ilgili alanyazın taranmış ve altı boyutlu bir
ölçek oluşturulmuştur. Çalışma katılımcıları, pilot uygulama sonrası Şanlıurfa
ilinde görev yapan öğretmenler arasından uygun örnekleme göre seçilmiştir
(N=454). Verilerin analizinde açımlayıcı faktör analizi ve doğrulayıcı faktör
analizine başvurulmuştur. 21 maddeli ve 6 boyutlu ölçeğin güvenirlik iç
tutarlılık değeri .84 olup ölçek mükemmel uyum göstermektedir. Anlamlı İş
Ölçeği’nin boyutları “İşte Anlam, İşte Anlam Arayışı, İş İlişkileri, İşte
Aşkınlık, İşte Tevazu ve İşte Anlam Liderliği” şeklinde sıralanmaktadır. Ölçek,
yapısı ve genel çerçevesi dâhilinde sadece eğitim kurumları çalışanları için
değil tüm iş örgütleri için de uygulanabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Anlamlı İş, Ölçek Geliştirme, Öğretmenler, Motivasyon

Kaynakça

• Allan, B. A., Duffy, R. D., & Collisson, B. (2018). Helping others increases meaningful work: Evidence from three experiments. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(2), 155.
• Ashmos, D. P., & Duchon, D. (2000). Spirituality at work: A conceptualization and measure. Journal of Management Inquiry, 9(2), 134-145.
• Bailey, C., & Madden, A. (2016). What makes work meaningful-or meaningless? MIT Sloan Management Review, 57(4).
• Bendassolli, P. F., Borges-Andrade, J. E., Alves, J. S. C., & Torres, T. D. L. (2015). Meaningful Work Scale in creative industries: a confirmatory factor analysis. Psico-USF, 20(1), 1-12.
• Bentler, P. M., & Hu, P. (1995). EQS: Structural Equations Program Manual. Los Angeles, CA: BMPD Statistical Software.
• Both-Nwabuwe, J., Dijkstra, M., & Beersma, B. (2017). Sweeping the floor or putting a man on the moon: How to define and measure meaningful work. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1658.
• Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen ve J. S. Long (Eds.). Testing Structural Equation Models (pp. 136–162). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Cai, W., Lysova, E. I., Khapova, S. N., & Bossink, B. A. (2018). The effects of servant leadership, meaningful work and job autonomy on innovative work behavior in chinese high-tech firms: A Moderated Mediation Model. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1767.
• Fairlie, P., & Flett, G. (2004). The existential meaning of work inventory: Development and initial validation. Paper presented at the 112th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Hawaii.
• Ghadi, M. Y., Fernando, M., & Caputi, P. (2015). Describing work as meaningful: towards a conceptual clarification. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 2(3), 202-223.
• Göçen, A., (2019). Öğretmenlerin yaşam anlamı, psikolojik sermaye ve cinsiyetinin psikolojik iyi oluşlarına etkisi. Cumhuriyet International Journal of Education, 8(1), 135-153.
• Gül, İ., & Türkmen, F. (2016). Öğretmen görüşlerine göre okul yöneticilerinin hizmetkâr liderlik davranışlarının incelenmesi. Journal of Human Sciences, 13(3), 5515-5529.
• IBM Corp. (2013). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (Version 22.0). Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.
• Kessler, R. (2000). The soul of education: Helping students find connection, compassion, and character at school. Alexandria: ASCD.
• Kinjerski, V. M., & Skrypnek, B. J. (2004). Defining spirit at work: Finding common ground. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17(1), 26-42.
• Kline, R. B. (2011). Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling. New York: Guilford Press.
• Lee, S. (2015). Meaning in work in nursing as a positive personal attribute. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
• Lips-Wiersma, M., & Wright, S. (2012). Measuring the meaning of meaningful work: Development and validation of the Comprehensive Meaningful Work Scale (CMWS). Group & Organization Management, 37(5), 655-685.
• Lysova, E. I., Allan, B. A., Dik, B. J., Duffy, R. D., & Steger, M. F. (2018). Fostering meaningful work in organizations: A multi-level review and integration. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 110, 374–389.
• Marshall, J. M. (2009). Describing the elephant: Preservice teachers talk about spiritual reasons for becoming a teacher. Teacher Education Quarterly, 36(2), 25-44
• Martela, F., & Steger, M. F. (2016). The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 531-545.
• May, D. R., Gilson, R. L., & Harter, L. M. (2004). The psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety and availability and the engagement of the human spirit at work. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 77, 11-37.
• Milliman, J., Czaplewski, A. J., & Ferguson, J. (2003). Workplace spirituality and employee work attitudes: An exploratory empirical assessment. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 16(4), 426-447.
• Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2012). Mplus User's Guide (Seventh Edition). Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.
• Özgan, H. (2017). Workplace spirituality scale: Validity and reliability study. Transylvanian Review, 1(8), 5499- 5506.
• Petchsawang, P., & Duchon, D. (2009). Measuring workplace spirituality in an Asian context. Human Resource Development International, 12(4), 459-468.
• Pfeffer, J. (2003). Business and the spirit. New York: ME Sharp
• Pratt, M. G., & Ashforth, B. E. (2003). Fostering meaningfulness in working and at work. In K. Cameron, J.E. Dutton, & R.E. Quinn (Eds), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 308-327). San Fransisco: Berrett-Koehler.
• Rosso, B. D., Dekas, K. H., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2010). On the meaning of work: A theoretical integration and review. Research in Organizational Behavior, 30, 91-127.
• Schnell, T., Höge, T., & Pollet, E. (2013). Predicting meaning in work: Theory, data, implications. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(6), 543-554.
• Scroggins, W. A. (2008). Antecedents and outcomes of experienced meaningful work: A person-job fit perspective. The Journal of Business Inquiry, 7(1), 68-78.
• Sheep, M. L. (2004). Nailing down gossamer: a valid measure of the personorganization fit of workplace spirituality. Paper presented at the Academy of Management, New Orleans.
• Steger, M. F. (2012). Making meaning in life. Psychological Inquiry, 23, 381–385.
• Steger, M. F. (2017). Creating meaning and purpose at work. In L. G. Oades, M. Steger, A. Delle Fave, & J. Passmore (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Positivity and Strengths‐Based Approaches at Work (pp. 60-81). Hoboken: Wiley
• Steger, M. F., & Dik, B. J. (2010). Work as meaning: Individual and organizational benefits of engaging in meaningful work. In P. A. Linley, S. Harrington & N. Garcea (Eds.), Oxford handbook of positive psychology and work (pp. 131-142). New York: Oxford University Press
• Steger, M. F., Dik, B. J., & Duffy, R. D. (2012). Measuring meaningful work: The work and meaning inventory (WAMI). Journal of Career Assessment, 20(3), 322-337.
• Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of counseling psychology, 53(1), 80.
• Toptaş, B. (2018). Öğretmenlerin işlerini anlamlı bulma düzeyleri ve işlerini anlamlı bulmalarını etkileyen etmenler. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 18(1), 521-542.
• Ünal, Z. M. (2019). Anlam İhtiyacı: Anlam İhtiyacı Temelinde Birey-İş Uyumunun Anlamlı İşin Alt-Boyutlarına Katkısı. Uluslararası Yönetim İktisat ve İşletme Dergisi 15(1), 157-180.
• Ünal, Z. M., & Turgut, T. (2017). The existential motivation: Searching for meaning-the contribution of meaningful work on meaning in life. Methods, 20(1), 1-8.
• Van Dierendonck, D., & Nuijten, I. (2011). The servant leadership survey: Development and validation of a multidimensional measure. Journal of Business and Psychology, 26(3), 249-267.