The problem identified in this study is the increasing annual turnover rate for child welfare workers, prompting child welfare state administrators to explore the need for improved organizational effectiveness. Leaders cultivate better performance in the workplace by discovering what workers value in the organization and the work dynamics that motivate employees (Reyes, 2008). This chapter presents suggestions for future research based on the results of this investigation.
The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to examine the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI), job insecurity, and job burnout among child welfare workers. The research methods employed include:
- definition of the variables (measures),
- data collection,
- construction of statistical hypotheses,
- evaluation of Pearson’s coefficients
- definition of the relationship between variables,
- Spearman correlation analysis to assess possible contributions of demographic variables to the correlation between age; education, and years of experience, with job insecurity.
A total of 263 participants took part in the study. The data analysis indicated the intrinsic expectations and extrinsic values of child welfare among the employees. The data revealed the perceptions of the participants with respect to the notion that emotional intelligence (EI) facilitates positive group’s norms and culture.
The implications section will include subsections related to each research question and will reveal the limitations of the study’s results. The recommendations section will offer advice on policy implementation to the child welfare policy makers/ administrators and present suggestions for future research in the human services professions. Specifically, the study’s insights contribute into helping professionals in the human services field with information that identifies the control emotions and subjects predominant perceived to the addressed lack of success in work retention, satisfaction, and performance.
The insights gained from this study will inform the leaders about the practiced predominant perceived control emotions and targets the introduction of training adjustments. This ensures exhaustive but comprehensive personnel recruitment for effective leadership in an organization, perceived as better leaders by employees, and positive attitudes towards organizational change, and adaptability.
Implications & Limitations
Research Question 1
RQ1: Are the average self-reported emotional intelligence scores of child welfare services workers consistent with the average adult scores outlined in the 33-item Emotional Intelligence Scale, including characteristics involving openness to experience, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism?
The study found a statistical relationship between emotional intelligence scores and subscale scores reported for in the EI scale of frontline child welfare workers, t(262) = -17.43, p <.001. Thus, the study accepts the null hypothesis.
The 33-item Emotional Scale standardization of the total score ranges from 33 to 165, with a standard mean score of 135. A higher score on the 33-Emotional Scale indicates a higher emotional intelligence. Participants recorded low levels of total emotional intelligence at an average range of (M = 124.00) (see Table 2). This is consistent with the hypothesis. These findings suggest that self-esteem; positive mood, persistence of effort, openness to new experiences, optimism, and empathy associate with EI measures. In other studies that relied on effective leadership in organizations, people with higher EI scores garnered highest rate of approval as better leaders by employees and had positive attitudes towards organizational change and adaptability (Bar-On, 2007).
Scholarly conversations regarding the uses of emotions in adaptive ways swirled around EI models. Locke criticized previous EI models for being so “variegated” (p. 426) and “so all inclusive” (p. 429) that they do not align with the traditional concepts of intelligence and the cognitive information processing models. The study examined the EI model with a core focus of solidifying the emotional intelligence concepts in the organizational behavior research community as well as to practitioners, to develop a model that addresses both the employees and organizational culture. This study is important to women, mature workers, and employees across the racial and ethnic divide by providing solutions to the workplace disparity problems and discrimination.
Research Question 2
RQ2: To what extent do the average scores in the 33-item EI scale relate to the burnout experience among public child welfare workers?
The study found inverse relationship between the burnout experience among public child welfare workers and the E.I scale provided, indicating a (r =02, p =.775) correlation. The study compared the significance levels of p =.05 with the reported significance levels of p =.775, therefore, accepting the null hypothesis.
However, lower EI and the actual job burnout relate directly in that from the previous studies on job satisfaction, limited control of one’s actions promotes the experiences of emotional exhaustion. In addition, unprofessional regards by the supervisors to the employees, short-time service deployment and increased absenteeism, promotes tardiness and physical illness in the workplace (Burnette, 2006; Ricca, 2003). In another study, supervisory relationships among child welfare services workers and their seniors contributed to increased levels of job burnouts (Barth et al., 2008; Cotter-Mena, 2001).
By examining the burnout effects from the nursing point of view, Cronin-Stubbs (1984) studied the extent to which the occupational and personal variables interacted among the nurses. Assessing the burnout of 296 randomly selected Chicago schools female graduates, Cronin-Stubbs concluded that among other variables, length of service; absenteeism, tardiness, and physical illness correlated positively with burnout.
While EI researchers debate over job burnout in the workplace, they tend to dominate discussions on predictions of what workers do during job burnout episodes. However, these discussions obscure the important issue of the impacts of job burnout among diverse groups (i.e., women, mature adults, and individual workgroups). In the light of the study’s completion, further research involving larger samples of women and mature workers across the racial and ethnic minority is paramount in this professional field.
Research Question 3
What is the relationship between EI scores and job insecurity scores among public child welfare workers?
In this study, a correlational analysis revealed insignificant relationship between job insecurity and the E.I scores, with a correlation of (r =.07, p =.241). The study compared the significance levels of p =.05 with the reported significant levels of p =.241, thus, accepting the null hypothesis.
Therefore, accepting the null hypothesis 3 disqualifies the alternative hypothesis. These findings suggest that job insecurity may increase with the perceived loss of the economic, social, and psychological benefits, associated with the sense of limited control over the roles executed and the perceived lack of support. In other words, job insecurity lowers self-confidence, reduces commitment to work, increases the intentions of quitting and promotes resistance to change by undermining employees’ performance and organization effectiveness (Law, Wong, Huang, & Li, 2008; Othman, Abdullah, & Ahman, 2009; Poon, 2004).
Some researchers found negative associations between job insecurity and organizational factors, in terms of individuals, groups and structural variables (Hellgren & Sverke, 2003). In a similar study, Landsbergis, Grzywacz, and Lamontagne (2011) investigated the effects of change of work organization on job security in the United States and found job insecurity prevalence among employees in lower socio-economic positions (Landsbergis et al., 2011).
This included women, racial and ethnic minorities and immigrants (Landsbergis et al., 2011). Whereas Law, Wong, Huang, and Li (2008); Othman, Abdullah and Ahman (2009) and Poon (2004) provide ample evidence that job insecurity hinders work effectiveness, Hellgren and Syerke’s (2003) as well as Landsbergis et al. (2011) research on job insecurity suggests that individual workgroups (women, mature adults, and diverse groups) need investigations to determine if there are any differential treatments, intentional or unintentional, among subjects in these groups.
Ancillary Analyses
The data indicated that job insecurity to have some levels of impact on the current sample. A set of additional analyses conducted on the relationships between job insecurity and demographic variables indicated that, of the total public child welfare workers surveyed, 263 participants took part in the study. The majority of the participants were female (209, 80%) and White (170, 65%). The age of the participants ranged from under 25 to over 60, with the most selected category falling under 25 – 30 years of age (75, 29%).
The majority of participants had a bachelor’s degree (148, 56%) and the most-common employment position was CPS specialist 3 (83, 32%). Majority of the participants were in service for less than two years (120, 46%) or employed five or more years (96, 37%). Table 1 presents a visual summary of the data from the SPSS response data.
Factors influencing job satisfaction included tenure, income, and work experience (Lerato & Oladel, 2011). This study found insignificant relationship between age (r =0.9, p =.173), education (r = -.04, p =.525), years of experience (r =.09, p =.178), race (t(137) = -0.68, p =.500), and gender (t(253) = -0.38, p =.702). However, Lerato and Oladele (2011) came to a different conclustion. They investigated the relationship between job insecurity and age, gender, ethnicity, tenure, degree type, and job type, found a disparity in job satisfaction between academic staff and the support workers, with support workers being less satisfied (Lerato & Oladel, 2011).
Groups afflicted by the impact of job insecurity are women, racial and ethnic minorities, as well as immigrants (Landsbergis et al., 2011). The study’s results in conjunction with the aforementioned studies draw attention to any disparate treatment (intentional or unintentional) in the workplace. It also sheds light on the difficult problems of adopting proactive measures to change existing work practices in ways that go beyond federal non-discrimination requirements for the growing and diverse workforce of the 21st century.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Practical Applications of the Study in Child Welfare Administration
The leaders within the public child welfare field need to consider the ethical implications of their decisions emphasizing on their collective purposes and missions and to talk more on their perceived beliefs and values. This is important to the child welfare field workers who scored low on emotional intelligence measures of self-esteem; positive mood, persistence of effort, openness to new experiences, optimism, and empathy.
Front line staff can improve the situation by realizing the importance of and applying the EI concept in their real-life situations. An alignment of positive attitudes, positive self-value, and greater adaptability are effective if leaders exhibit self-value, adaptability, and positivity to the staff by motivating and inspiring them to tackle ambitious goals.
Further, leaders can develop an attractive vision for the future and engender optimism and faith among the front line staff by exhibiting happiness and overall wellbeing. Additionally, leaders should acknowledge the value of identifying emotional intelligence abilities, especially in workers who struggle with issues of burnout and job insecurity in a climate that is emotionally driven, as evident in the majority of humanitarian professions.
Therefore, leaders need to expand their training and retention efforts using the 33-emotional intelligence tool developed by Dr. Schutte and her colleagues on the basis of foundational works of Salovey and Mayer that suggests the three primary areas of skills regarding emotional intelligence. That is, appraisal and expression of emotions within oneself and others; regulation of emotions within oneself and others; and use of emotional intelligence in adaptive ways (Schutte, Malouff, Lena, Hall, Haggerty, Cooper, Golden, 1998).
It is beneficial to use emotions to facilitate performance, just as it is to manage one’s ability to use emotions, by directing them toward constructive activities and improved performance. The study also suggests that leaders need to observe workplace ethics policy, procedures and training programs that meet the standards of behavioral conduct in the workplace.
Positive emotional health in the workplace had the lowest EI score in the perception of the front line workers within the Division of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), in the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES). Therefore, the study recommends that leaders involve the staff in emotional exchanges that includes allowing the employees to take charge of their own careers and recognizing their obligations.
This provides opportunities for growth and self-improvement; encourages teamwork and employee empowerment and advocates for diversity. The promisingly high emotional intelligence level of the leaders within Arizona’s Division of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) observed in the study, was exceptional and not the norm. Indeed, positivism, happiness, and adaptability should be the preamble for every situation, but the process of addressing unhealthy environments in the public sector begin with the leadership.
Recommendations for Future Research for the Child Welfare Agencies
Additional studies focusing on leadership styles and their outcomes in the different organizational settings, serves and protects children nationally and internationally in their recruitment units that add to the body of knowledge about the roles of leadership and management in these studies. Further research on understanding the results of emotionally intelligent behaviors will result to the success of the leaders and their followers.
Using the 33-Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Staff Burnout Scale for Health Professionals and the Job Insecurity Scale were helpful in providing answers to the four questions driving this this research and in examining the perceptions adopted by public child welfare workers within the southwest region of Arizona. Other researchers and consultants use the scales to implement ratings in other social service fields, particularly in mental health. An increased sample size for future research could include child welfare administrators and policy makers, not for profit organizations, ethnically diverse groups, the clients served, and those re-entering the workforce.
Building relationships and creating a sense of community are the possible by-products of workplace effectiveness. In this research study, the findings from the 33-Emotional Intelligence Scale, Staff Burnout Scale for Health Professionals and Job Insecurity Scale responses suggested that the leaders focus on EI astutely to improve workplace issues (communication conflicts, anxiety, lack of work commitment, resistance to change, self-destructive behaviors).
It advocates proactive and adaptive frontline workers interested in their own development and job security. Thus, this study has established a foundation for future research to inspect the impact of the EI of leadership and the success of different organizational settings. To capture the meanings of the present research better, future research could expand upon the anecdotal component of this study. One possible way to accomplish this is to employ a mixed method design with more robust statistical data coupled with a qualitative component.
Conclusion
Organizations need to address workers’ plea by improving on the working environment and enhancing positive inter-personal relationships at work place for long term benefits. Internal efficiency in service industry and in the organizations that offer humanitarian interventions relies on the employees’ association with the firm and the ability to execute the laid out functions/roles at their work stations. Organizational cultures differ across industries, thus, firms must strategize on the optimal structure(s) that supplement their objectives and those that address employees’ plight while in service.
From the study, it is worth noting that employees’ intrinsic expectation(s) play a significant role in promoting emotional intelligence; paramount in the execution and implementation of humanitarian policies. From the study’s results, the participants’ records fell below the average score of 135, indicating the importance of emotional intelligence in addressing sensitive work-related issues such as self-esteem; persistence of effort and the overall employees’ perceptions of the organization and its working environment. These psychological prospects promote employees’ self-identity and their association with the firm or workstation while motivating them to execute roles that require rationality and confidence, irrespective of the experience gained (Bryan, Dan, Kansas, Legislature & Legislative Division of Post Audit, 2007).
Also, leadership organs and departments in the health sector need to align the supervisory and deployment policies and address the challenges faced by the public child welfare workers. From the study and the literature reviewed, it is evident that job burnout affects even the experienced workers. The impacts jeopardize the interoperability of functions, not only in the child welfare organizations, but also in the other sectors across the labor market. Failure to address such issues brings forth psychological problems of dissociation and loss of control at the workstation that leads to dwindling performances at personal and organizational levels.
From the study’s findings, it is worth to note the factors that promoted job satisfaction also raised job security and expectations among the interviewed workers, indicating the need for specialized practices to address the current concerns of increasing annual turnover. In other words, by adopting proactive work practices and deployment strategies, the principles of staff retention and social stratification at work station(s) takes precedence within the business cycle of an organization.
Furthermore, employees expect functional leadership styles and incentives that promote adaptability, positive self-value and those that enhance the realization of their personal and occupational ambitions. In addition, leaders in the child welfare organizations need to appreciate the diversity of emotional intelligence among employees that promotes healthy deployment patterns across the departments, especially for the frontline workers in the Division of Children, Youth and Families. Finally, the department of health services in Arizona needs to streamline on the interoperability of the health structures and the staff for better performance scores and output.
Reference
Bryan, Dan., Kansas. Legislature, & Legislative Division of Post Audit (2007). K-12 education: Reviewing the staff recruitment and retention strategies used by Kansas school districts. Topeka, Kan.: Legislative Division of Post Audit.