EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT AMONG GRADUATE ASSISTANTS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, NIGERIA

CHARLES IZUCHUKWU NWACHUKWU; SAMUEL CHIDIEBERE OKEKE

CHARLES IZUCHUKWU NWACHUKWU Department of Employment Relations & Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos.
SAMUEL CHIDIEBERE OKEKE Department of Employment Relations & Human Resource Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos.

Keywords: Employment status, organisational commitment, workload, working hours, graduate assistant.

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of employment status on organisational commitment among graduate assistants in the University of Lagos. Other specific objectives were to determine how workload and working hours affect organisational commitment respectively. The study is based on a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design. A Census survey was adopted to sample all the graduate assistants across the faculties in the University of Lagos. Structure questionnaire designed in a closed-ended format with Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.705 was used to obtain data from 71 graduate assistants to address the objectives of the study. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis through SPSS. Also, the hypotheses formulated were tested using multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 significant level. The study found that whereas employment status significantly affects organisational commitment (p = .001, <.05), workload (p = .994, > .05) and working hours (p = .294,> .05) do not significantly influence organisational commitment. The study concludes that employment status would affect organisational commitment among graduate assistants in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Therefore; measures need to be put in place by management of tertiary institutions in Nigeria to enhance movement of graduate assistants to higher cadre to increase organisational commitment.