An investigation into citizen aggression on municipality employee’s prosocial and proactive work behaviour: a case study of a KwaZulu-Natal Municipality
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Date
2024
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University of Zululand
Abstract
ENGLISH VERSION
Local government officials are responsible for making municipalities the most visible levels of government. However, if planned services are not delivered, municipal employees can become targets of citizen aggression due to their proximity to the angry public and their association with public service challenges. Given this close relationship between local government employees and the community, it became necessary to examine the connections between external workplace aggression initiated by the public and employee behaviour. Despite the existing literature, there is a gap in understanding how community aggression originating from public anger with municipalities affected municipal officials. This research focused on the extent to which external workplace aggression influences prosocial and proactive behaviour of Mtubatuba Municipality employees. The study used social exchange theory as its theoretical framework to investigate this because provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the reciprocal relationships between individuals and their environment, particularly in the context of workplace interactions.
The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed method design, which involves independently collecting and evaluating both quantitative and qualitative data and subsequently comparing and integrating the findings. Given this research approach, pragmatism was deemed suitable philosophical orientation for the study. The study engaged 132 participants through questionnaires and conducted in-depth interviews with five key informants. Quantitative data analysis employed the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), while a content analysis approach was applied to the qualitative data. Rigorous data quality control was upheld to ensure the reliability and validity of the quantitative data collection instrument and the trustworthiness of the qualitative research instrument. Structural equation model (SEM) was used to test research hypotheses regarding the influences of external workplace aggression on prosocial and proactive work behaviour of municipal employees.
The research findings reveal that external workplace aggression is a prevalent experience among the participants, encompassing both psychological and physical forms of aggression. Some employees had experienced mild forms of aggression, such as being rudely treated or yelled at. Others reported experiencing more severe forms of aggression, such as being threatened with a weapon or physically assaulted. Notably, external workplace aggression exhibits a negative correlation (-0.342**) with prosocial workplace behaviour, implying that higher levels of external workplace aggression are associated with reduced levels of prosocial work behaviour. Additionally, there is a moderately negative relationship (-0.345**) between proactive work behaviour and external workplace aggression, suggesting that increased levels of external workplace aggression correspond to decreased proactive workplace behaviour. The findings also highlight the absence of mechanisms to support employees when facing external workplace aggression, thus explaining the reason behind the absence of reported external workplace aggression.
The study underscores the need for the municipality to take proactive measures to mitigate external workplace aggression. This includes implementing security measures and training employees on effectively handling confrontations with aggressive customers or clients. The study also recommends continued security protection for senior officials who are more likely to encounter external workplace aggression compared to other municipal staff members. It is crucial for the municipality to acknowledge the detrimental impact of external workplace aggression on prosocial and proactive behaviour and establish a reporting mechanism for employees to address encounters with external workplace aggression effectively.
OKUHUNYUSHWE NGOLIMI LWESIZULU ISIFINGQO Abasebenzi bakahulumeni wasekhaya banesibopho sokwenza omasipala babe sezingeni elibonakalayo likahulumeni. Kodwa-ke, uma izinsiza ezihleliwe zingalethwa, abasebenzi bakamasipala bangaba yizisulu zokuhlaselwa yizakhamizi ngenxa yokusondelana nomphakathi othukuthele kanye nokuhlotshaniswa kwabo nezinselele zenkonzo yomphakathi. Uma kubhekwa lobu budlelwano obuseduze phakathi kwabasebenzi bakahulumeni wasekhaya kanye nomphakathi, kubalulekile ukuhlola ukuxhumana phakathi kodlame lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini oluqalwa ukuziphatha komphakathi kanye nabasebenzi. Ngaphezu kwemiqulu ekhona, kunegebe ekuqondeni ukuthi udlame lomphakathi oluvela entukuthelweni ngomasipala kuthinta kanjani abasebenzi bakamasipala. Lolu cwaningo lugxile ekutheni udlame lwangaphandle komsebenzi luba nomthelela ongakanani ekuziphatheni okwamkelekile nasekubeni ungqa phambili kwabasebenzi bakumasipala waseMtubatuba. Ucwaningo lusebenzise umbono oyisisekelo wokushintshisana kwemizwa njengohlaka lwalo ukuphenya lokhu. Lolu cwaningo lwamukele ukwakheka kwezindlela ezixubile ezihambisanayo, ezibandakanya ukuqoqwa nokuhlola ngokuzimela idatha yobuningi nekhwalithi bese kulandela ukuqhathanisa nokuhlanganisa okutholakele. Uma kubhekwa le ndlela yocwaningo, i- pragmatism ithathwe njengefanelekile. Lolu cwaningo lubandakanye ababambiqhaza abayi- 132 ngohlu lwemibuzo futhi lwenze izingxoxo ezijulile nabahlanu abanolwazi olubalulekile. Ukuhlaziywa kwedatha yobuningi kusebenzise iphakheji Yezibalo Yesayensi Yezenhlalakahle (SPSS), kuyilapho indlela yokuhlaziya okuqukethwe isetshenziswe kwidatha yekhwalithi. Ukulawulwa kwekhwalithi yedatha okuqinile kuye kwasekelwa ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukwethembeka nokuba semthethweni kwethuluzi lokuqoqwa kwedatha lobuningi kanye nokwethembeka kwethuluzi locwaningo lwekhwalithi. Imodeli ye-Structural equation (SEM) yasetshenziswa ukuhlola inkolelo-mbono yocwaningo mayelana nemithelela yolaka lwangaphandle lwendawo yokusebenza okusebenzayo kubasebenzi bakamasipala. Imiphumela yocwaningo yembula ukuthi ulaka lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini luyinto evamile phakathi kwababambiqhaza, ihlanganisa izinhlobo ezimbili zolaka, ezengqondo nezomzimba. Ezinye izisebenzi zike zabona nolaka olungatheni, njengokuphathwa kabi noma ukuthethiswa. Abanye babike ukuthi bahlangabezane nezindlela ezinzima kakhulu zolaka, njengokusatshiswa ngesikhali noma ukuhlukunyezwa ngokomzimba. Okuphawulekayo; ulaka lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini lubonisa ukuhlobana okungekuhle (-0.342**) nokuziphatha komphakathi emsebenzini, okusho ukuthi amazinga aphezulu olaka lwangaphandle ahlobene namazinga ancishisiwe okuziphatha komsebenzi we-prosocial. Ukwengeza, kukhona ubudlelwano obubi ngokwesilinganiso (-0.345**) phakathi kokuziphatha okuqhubekayo emsebenzini kanye nolaka lwangaphandle, okuphakamisa ukuthi amazinga anyukile olaka lwangaphandle lomsebenzi uhambisana nokuncipha kokuziphatha emsebenzini. Okutholakele kuphinde kugqamise ukungabikho kwezindlela zokweseka abasebenzi uma bebhekene nolaka lwangaphandle, ngaleyo ndlela kuchaza isizathu sokungabikho kolaka lwangaphandle olubikiwe. Lolu cwaningo lugcizelela isidingo sokuthi umasipala athathe izinyathelo zokunqanda ulaka lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukusebenzisa izindlela zokuphepha nokuqeqesha abasebenzi ekusingatheni ukungqubuzana ngokuphumelelayo namakhasimende noma amaklayenti anolaka. Lolu cwaningo luphinde luphakamise ukuthi kuqhutshekwe nokuvikelwa kwezokuphepha ezikhulwini eziphezulu okungenzeka zibhekane nodlame lwangaphandle uma ziqhathaniswa nezinye izisebenzi zikamasipala. Kubalulekile ukuthi umasipala uvume umthelela omubi wodlame lwangaphandle endaweni yokusebenzela ekuziphatheni okunenqubekela phambili nokusheshayo futhi usungule indlela yokubika ukuze abasebenzi babhekane nokuhlangana nodlame lwangaphandle ngempumelelo.
OKUHUNYUSHWE NGOLIMI LWESIZULU ISIFINGQO Abasebenzi bakahulumeni wasekhaya banesibopho sokwenza omasipala babe sezingeni elibonakalayo likahulumeni. Kodwa-ke, uma izinsiza ezihleliwe zingalethwa, abasebenzi bakamasipala bangaba yizisulu zokuhlaselwa yizakhamizi ngenxa yokusondelana nomphakathi othukuthele kanye nokuhlotshaniswa kwabo nezinselele zenkonzo yomphakathi. Uma kubhekwa lobu budlelwano obuseduze phakathi kwabasebenzi bakahulumeni wasekhaya kanye nomphakathi, kubalulekile ukuhlola ukuxhumana phakathi kodlame lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini oluqalwa ukuziphatha komphakathi kanye nabasebenzi. Ngaphezu kwemiqulu ekhona, kunegebe ekuqondeni ukuthi udlame lomphakathi oluvela entukuthelweni ngomasipala kuthinta kanjani abasebenzi bakamasipala. Lolu cwaningo lugxile ekutheni udlame lwangaphandle komsebenzi luba nomthelela ongakanani ekuziphatheni okwamkelekile nasekubeni ungqa phambili kwabasebenzi bakumasipala waseMtubatuba. Ucwaningo lusebenzise umbono oyisisekelo wokushintshisana kwemizwa njengohlaka lwalo ukuphenya lokhu. Lolu cwaningo lwamukele ukwakheka kwezindlela ezixubile ezihambisanayo, ezibandakanya ukuqoqwa nokuhlola ngokuzimela idatha yobuningi nekhwalithi bese kulandela ukuqhathanisa nokuhlanganisa okutholakele. Uma kubhekwa le ndlela yocwaningo, i- pragmatism ithathwe njengefanelekile. Lolu cwaningo lubandakanye ababambiqhaza abayi- 132 ngohlu lwemibuzo futhi lwenze izingxoxo ezijulile nabahlanu abanolwazi olubalulekile. Ukuhlaziywa kwedatha yobuningi kusebenzise iphakheji Yezibalo Yesayensi Yezenhlalakahle (SPSS), kuyilapho indlela yokuhlaziya okuqukethwe isetshenziswe kwidatha yekhwalithi. Ukulawulwa kwekhwalithi yedatha okuqinile kuye kwasekelwa ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukwethembeka nokuba semthethweni kwethuluzi lokuqoqwa kwedatha lobuningi kanye nokwethembeka kwethuluzi locwaningo lwekhwalithi. Imodeli ye-Structural equation (SEM) yasetshenziswa ukuhlola inkolelo-mbono yocwaningo mayelana nemithelela yolaka lwangaphandle lwendawo yokusebenza okusebenzayo kubasebenzi bakamasipala. Imiphumela yocwaningo yembula ukuthi ulaka lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini luyinto evamile phakathi kwababambiqhaza, ihlanganisa izinhlobo ezimbili zolaka, ezengqondo nezomzimba. Ezinye izisebenzi zike zabona nolaka olungatheni, njengokuphathwa kabi noma ukuthethiswa. Abanye babike ukuthi bahlangabezane nezindlela ezinzima kakhulu zolaka, njengokusatshiswa ngesikhali noma ukuhlukunyezwa ngokomzimba. Okuphawulekayo; ulaka lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini lubonisa ukuhlobana okungekuhle (-0.342**) nokuziphatha komphakathi emsebenzini, okusho ukuthi amazinga aphezulu olaka lwangaphandle ahlobene namazinga ancishisiwe okuziphatha komsebenzi we-prosocial. Ukwengeza, kukhona ubudlelwano obubi ngokwesilinganiso (-0.345**) phakathi kokuziphatha okuqhubekayo emsebenzini kanye nolaka lwangaphandle, okuphakamisa ukuthi amazinga anyukile olaka lwangaphandle lomsebenzi uhambisana nokuncipha kokuziphatha emsebenzini. Okutholakele kuphinde kugqamise ukungabikho kwezindlela zokweseka abasebenzi uma bebhekene nolaka lwangaphandle, ngaleyo ndlela kuchaza isizathu sokungabikho kolaka lwangaphandle olubikiwe. Lolu cwaningo lugcizelela isidingo sokuthi umasipala athathe izinyathelo zokunqanda ulaka lwangaphandle lwasemsebenzini. Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukusebenzisa izindlela zokuphepha nokuqeqesha abasebenzi ekusingatheni ukungqubuzana ngokuphumelelayo namakhasimende noma amaklayenti anolaka. Lolu cwaningo luphinde luphakamise ukuthi kuqhutshekwe nokuvikelwa kwezokuphepha ezikhulwini eziphezulu okungenzeka zibhekane nodlame lwangaphandle uma ziqhathaniswa nezinye izisebenzi zikamasipala. Kubalulekile ukuthi umasipala uvume umthelela omubi wodlame lwangaphandle endaweni yokusebenzela ekuziphatheni okunenqubekela phambili nokusheshayo futhi usungule indlela yokubika ukuze abasebenzi babhekane nokuhlangana nodlame lwangaphandle ngempumelelo.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Administration and Law in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Administration in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Zululand, South Africa [2024].