GENDER, LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE AS CORRELATES OF WORKERS’ COMMITMENT IN PUBLIC TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Workers’ commitment has been found to depend on leadership style adopted by the leader, gender relations as well as organisational climate. In order to achieve organisational goal, high level of workers’ commitment is needed. Also, organisational climate is a significant factor that motivates employees to be efficient and productive in the workplace. Previous studies on workers’ commitment have concentrated on leadership style but not many have investigated the combined effect of gender, leadership style and organisational climate especially in tertiary institutions. This study, therefore, investigated gender, leadership style and organisational climate as correlates of workers’ commitment in public tertiary institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria.

The study adopted a descriptive survey research design of ex-post facto type. Stratified and proportionate sampling techniques were used to select a total of 1,343 academic and non-academic staff from four tertiary institutions (two universities and two polytechnics). Three instruments: Leadership Styles Questionnaire (r=0.87), Workers’ Commitment Questionnaire (r =0.89) and Organisational Climate Questionnaire (r=0.78) were used for data collection. Four research questions were answered and ten research hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analysed using t-test, Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression.

Positive correlation was observed between university workers’ commitment and leadership style (r =0.54; p<0.05). A positive correlation was also established between university workers’ commitment organisational climate (r=0.39; p<0.05). While no significant correlation was found between university workers’ commitment and gender (r=0.16; p>0.05). Similarly, a significant positive correlation between polytechnic workers commitment and leadership style (r = 0.60; p<0.05) was found. Also, a significant positive correlation was established between polytechnic workers’ commitment and organisational climate (r = 0.34; p<0.05). While no significant correlation was found between polytechnic workers’ commitment and gender. (r = 0.18; p>0.05). In the same vein, gender, leadership style and organisational climate jointly predicted workers’ commitment, R=0.679, F(2,805)=33.22; p<0.05 and R=0.532, F(2,532)=38.43; p<0.05 in universities and polytechnics respectively. They accounted for 44.7% variance in university workers’ commitment, and 57.8% variance in polytechnic workers’ commitment. The relative contributions of the independent variables to the dependent variable of the universities were as follows: Organisational climate (β = .40, t =11.08, p <0.05), leadership style (β =.34, t =5.38, p <0.05). While that of polytechnics workers were as follows: leadership style (β = .36, t =8.67, p< 0.05), organisational climate (β = .22, t =6.89, p < 0.05). Notably, gender was found not to be a significant predictor of workers’ commitment among the universities and polytechnics staff (β = .05, t = 70, p > 0.05) and (β =.02, t = .81, p>0.05) respectively.

Leadership style and organisational climate predicted workers’ commitment in tertiary institutions. Therefore, management of higher institutions should ensure workers’ friendly environment in order to improve their commitment, as well as take cognisance of their behavioural patterns and leadership style that will enhance workers’ commitment.

Keywords: Gender, Leadership style, Organisational climate, Workers’ commitment, Tertiary Institutions. Words’ Count: 467