PSYCHOLOGICAL OWNERSHIP AND JOB SECURITY AS PREDICTORS OF WORK ENGAGEMENT AMONG BANK EMPLOYEES

Abstract

Failure of employees to understand that certain psychological factors play important roles in their ability to adapt and cope with the dynamic change inherent in the banking business environment can affect their levels of engagement in the job. Based on this and other reasons, the study investigated psychological ownership and perceived job security as predictors of work engagement among bank workers. Ex-post facto research design was adopted and purposive sampling technique was used to select 333 bank employees in Ibadan. Findings revealed that vigor [F (3,329) = 54.96; R = .65, R² = .42, Adj.R² = .41; P<. 01], dedication [F (3,329) = 56.56; R = .65, R² = .43, Adj.R² = .42; P<. 01] and absorption [F (3,329) = 19.53; R = .45, R² = .20, Adj.R² = .19; P<. 01] were significant predictors of work engagement. Job security was also found to have significant influence on work engagement and its dimensions. Further, dimensions of psychological ownership and job security had significant influence on work engagement F (4,328) = 50.50; R = .69, R² = .47, Adj.R² = .46; P<. 01], vigor [R = .66; R² = .44; F (4, 328) = 64.43; P<.01], dedication [R = .68; R² = .46; F (4, 328) = 69.22; P<.01] and absorption [R = .43; R² = .19; F (4, 328) = 18.72; P<.01]. Based on the findings, conclusions and recommendations were made. For instance, it was recommended that bank employees be allowed to take ownership and control of their jobs, broaden their understanding about the job, carefully communicating negative feedback (if any), providing support and reassurance of the continuity of the job.