Abstract
M.Comm. (Business Management)
Schools are regarded as underperforming or performing schools and in that regard there is a need to identify how engaged the HODs are with their jobs in achieving the goals and objectives of the school to become high performing schools.
The study identifies the factors that influence work engagement and determine the level of work engagement of Heads of Departments at secondary schools in Eldorado Park.
The population used in this study consists of all the schools in Eldorado Park, one of the suburbs located in the south of Johannesburg. The suburb has eight secondary schools and all the schools and HODs of these schools were included in the study.
The study adopts a mixed method design which makes use of qualitative and quantitative methodology as it needs to capture the lived experience, beliefs and feelings of the participants. The quantitative design was by way of close-ended questions while the qualitative design used open-ended questions to generate the data.
A questionnaire was developed that was used as a measuring instrument for the closed-ended questions with regard to work engagement of HODs. The questionnaire was designed within the framework regarding the work engagement of the HODs using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) as an alternative assessment for measuring the work engagement of the HODs. Open-ended questions were included in the questionnaire and provided information for the qualitative analysis to pursue the secondary objectives of the study.
The findings of the study indicated that several factors positively influence the work engagement of HODs among which include, employees’ commitment, job satisfaction, work and wellbeing. Burnout also shows that employees tend to disengage themselves from their work tasks, making the tasks uninteresting and no longer challenging. This in
essence indicated a negative relationship. In addition, the results indicated that training, workshops, seminars and orientation sessions should be arranged for HODs. They should also work according to a schedule; they have to be focused; good communication with them is important and they have to attend meetings. They should also plan, organise and execute their tasks and resources should be made available to employees.
The main conclusion drawn from the research is that secondary school Heads of Departments are usually engaged with their jobs. They devote much time and energy to their work and find new and interesting dimensions in their jobs. They also work hard to achieve the school goals and objectives.
Finally, there is a need for a follow-up study to be conducted in Gauteng South District 14 (D14) secondary schools to determine the level of work engagement of all the Heads of Departments both in underperforming or performing schools.