Happiness at work and coping strategies among supporting staffs in Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

Abstract

Background: The study on happiness at work and coping strategies are the important factors that can enhance an supporting staffs to work at their highest capacity, to work more effectiveness, to achieve the goal, and to civilize the organization.

Objective: To study factors which affect the happiness at work and coping strategies of supporting staffs and the relationship between happiness at work and coping strategies among supporting staffs in Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University.

Methods: A total of 256 supporting staffs in Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University were recruited. The measurement of questionnaire consists of 4 parts: demographic data, motivation thru the design of work, happiness at work, and coping strategies.

Results: The study happiness at work was high level (48.0%). The other factors of work happiness were moderate to high level. The personal and operation factors such as age and work experience were positive relationships with happiness at work (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively). The results showed that overall opinion of staff members on the factors affecting happiness in Job characteristics at high level, which could be ranked in descending order were the variety of jobs, the unity of jobs, the feedback from jobs, the important of jobs and freedom in jobs operation by positive relationships with happiness at work (P < 0.01). Most of staffs used more effective means of coping: problem-focus and social support seeking strategies which factors were positive relationship with happiness at work (P < 0.05) and forecast overall happiness factors were increased age (OR = 1.048, 95% CI = 1.01 - 1.09, P < 0.05), high freedom in jobs operation (OR = 2.315, 95% CI = 1.16 - 4.63, P < 0.05) and high feedback from jobs (OR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.80 - 8.52, P < 0.01).

Conclusion: The interesting point was that ‘the feedback from jobs’ was the high level. It showed that staff set priority with the superior’s opinion and advice with their jobs. The highest happiness factor at work was ‘responsibility’ and was in highest level. It showed that staff set priority and love in jobs and organization. This was a distinctive characteristic of this organization’s staff and the superiors should take more attention.