The relationship between spirit at work, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and organisational citizenship behaviour: an investigation of Australian higher education

People spend many of their waking hours at work. It is suggested that spirit at work (SAW) enhances the quality of work and work relationships, which in turn results in greater motivation and organisational excellence. It is also suggested that SAW motivates employees to make individual contributions that are neither explicitly required by their job description nor contractually rewarded - and this ultimately promotes the effective functioning of the organisation. Such contributions are called organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). This study has adopted a mixed methods approach, in which the quantitative method is the core and the qualitative method is the supplemental component of the research design. This study has empirically assessed job satisfaction (JS) and organisational commitment (OC) as mediators in the relationship between SAW and OCB within the Australian higher education sector. A total of 338 usable surveys were collected from permanent and casual employees who were working either full-time or part-time at a university within Australia. Regression analysis and structural equation modelling were performed using SPSS and Amos to analyse the study's quantitative data. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with permanent and casual employees who were working within the Australian higher education sector. NVivo was used to analyse qualitative data. The findings illustrate that SAW is a significant predictor of OCB, JS and OC. Therefore, the researcher created supporting hypotheses one to five to guide the study. A group comparison was conducted using a t-test to compare the staff's level of SAW between demographic groups. Most notably, the results indicate that not only are there no significant differences between the permanent and casual staff's level of SAW, but also that there are none between their levels of JS, OC and OCB. This finding contradicts that of previous research. Based on this study's findings, it is reasonable to assume that managers and leaders could use SAW to improve the OCB, JS and OC of the workforce within Australian universities. The findings further highlight the necessary changes to the current management and leadership of Australian universities that are required to create more satisfied and committed employees. It is thus reasonable to suggest that emphasis should be placed on the work experience of staff within Australian universities rather than on their work outcome. Based on this study's findings, a newly constructed model was developed that both incorporates SAW practices and encompasses job and employee characteristics that are required for a harmonious and inclusive workplace - one that contributes to better performance and productivity. Further, a new conceptual model has also been proposed for future research into the possible relationship between SAW and a high-performance work system¿a set of human resources practices that enhance an organisation's performance.