Working Conditions, Perceived Organizational Support and Organizational Commitment of Employees with Disabilities in Gondar City Public Sectors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate working conditions, perceived organizational supports and organizational commitment of employees with disabilities working in Gondar city public sector offices. By employing mixed research design and available sampling technique, a total of 112 (male=96 and female=16) employees with disabilities involved in the study. For quantitative data collection work environment scale, perceived organizational support scale and organizational commitment questionnaire were used whereas for qualitative data semi-structured interview guide were used. Quantitative data analysis techniques were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation and linear regression using SPSS version 20, while qualitative data analysis techniques was thematic analysis. The findings revealed that most of the employees with disabilities work in poor physical work environment, poor staff relationship, and lack safety issue, occupational health, suitable technology and disability-friendly workplace. Moreover, 59% and 62% of respondents were found to have poor perception of organizational support and organizational commitment respectively. The working conditions has significant positive relationships with perceived organizational support (r=0.525, p<0.05) and with organizational commitment (r=0.630, p<0.05). Perceived organizational support has significant positive relationship with organizational commitment (r=0.664, p<0.05). About 29% and 13% of variation in employees’ organizational commitment is explained by the seven factors of working condition and perceived organizational support respectively. Hence, the study indicated that employees with disability work in an environment which does not consider their occupational health and safety. It makes them to have poor perception of organizational support which eventually affects their commitment towards the public sector organizations. As a result, public sector organizations need to work together to increase workspace, ensure offices and work environment comfortable for employees with disability.