Correlation Between Stress and Job Commitment among Public University Non-Teaching Staff in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study focused on the relationship between stress and job commitment among non-teaching staff in universities in Edo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational research design to determine the extent to which job stress, organizational stress, and interpersonal stress are related to job commitment among non-teaching staff. Three research questions, and three hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised all non-teaching staff working in public universities in Edo State. A sample of 250 non-teaching staff was selected using a multistage sampling technique to ensure adequate representation across different administrative units and departments. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled Stress and Job Commitment Questionnaire (SJCQ) developed by the researcher. The questionnaire contained items designed to measure job stress, organizational stress, interpersonal stress, and job commitment using a 4-Likert-type scale. The instrument was validated by three experts in Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation from the University of Benin. A pilot study was conducted using non-teaching staff from a university outside the sampled institutions to test the clarity and suitability of the instrument. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha method, which indicated satisfactory internal consistency. Data collection was carried out with the assistance of trained research assistants who distributed and retrieved the questionnaires from the respondents in their various offices. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed significant relationships between job stress, organizational stress, interpersonal stress, and job commitment among non-teaching staff. The study concluded that workplace stress influences the level of commitment among non-teaching staff in universities. It was recommended that university management should implement effective stress management strategies and supportive workplace policies to enhance staff commitment and productivity.