1 mediation effect of job stress in the relationship between ...

Ozean Journal of Social Sciences 6(1), 2013Organizational health seems to influence job satisfaction directly and through job stress. The study corroboratesthe finding by Arıkan (2011) who found out that organizational health has a direct effect on job satisfaction andGul (2007) who found out that job stress is a predictor of job satisfsction. The finding that organizational healthalso has a job stress-mediated effect on job satisfaction is important as it shows that organizational health canaffect job satisfaction through different factors such as stress. Considering that stress which is seen as anemotional reaction to organizational events (Millward 2005) causes more stress for teachers compared to otherprofessions (Eres and Atanasoska 2011; Hargreaves 1999; Pithers 1995), study of its sources and results are ofunique importance in terms of improving teachers’ performance. As can be seen in this study, organizationalhealth variables have an important effect on job stress which in turn affects job satisfaction. Thus, humanresources practices must focus on all dimensions of organizational health which has significant effects on howemployees are affected by job stress and how they are happy with their jobs. Since educators are expected toexecute various and diverse activities while facing enormous volumes of individual, social and professionalresponsibilities in today’s fast-paced world, which could lead to their experience of stress (Steyn and Kamper2006; Adams 2001), it could be stated that high levels of organizational health functions as a buffering systemlessening employees stress levels and increasing their job satisfaction.To improve organizational health means creating organizations not only surviving its environment but also astructure constantly using its abilities to cope with difficulties (Miles 1969). To achieve this, schools need to bedeveloped to have an effective leadership, organizational identity and integrity which is known as a set ofguiding principlesthat holds organizations to a more robust standard (Paine 1994). Schools known as opensystemorganizations must also strive to create effective environmental interactions and must be in harmony attechnical, managerial and instuitiutional level (Parsons 1951). As indicated by this study, a healthy schoolenvironment will lead employees to have less job stress and more job satisfaction which will contribute toemployees’ overall organizational performance.REFERENCESAcıkalın A.(1994). Cagdas orgutlerde insan kaynagının yonetimi. Pegem Yayınları: Ankara.Adams, E. (2001). A proposed causal model of vocational teacher stress. Journal of Vocational Education andTraining, 53(2), 223–246.Addae, H.M., & Wang, X. (2006). Stress at work: Linear and curvilinear effects of psychological job andorganization‐related factors: An exploratory study of Trinidad and Tobago. International Journal of StressManagement, 13, 476–493.Akbaba, S. (1997). Organizational health at secondary schools (Bolu province case). (Doctoral dissertation).Ankara University: Ankara.Akgunduz, S. (2006). Orgutsel stres kaynaklarının calısanların is tatmini uzerindeki etkisi ve banka calısanlarıicin yapılan bir arastırma, (yayımlanmamıs yuksek lisans tezi), Dokuz Eylul Universitesi, Sosyal BilimlerEnstitusu.Arıkan, E. (2011). Orgut saglıgının is tatmini uzerine etkisi: Afyonkarahisar’daki bes yıldızlı otel isletmelerindebir uygulama. (Yuksek lisans tezi). Afyon Universitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu.Baltas, A. ve Baltas, Z., (1998). Stres ve basa cıkma yolları. 18. Basım, Remzi Kitabevi: İstanbul.Baron, R.M. ve Kenny, D.A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychologicalresearch: Conceptual, strategic and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and SocialPsychology, 51(6), 1173-1182.Baycan AF (1985). Analysis of the several aspects of job satisfaction between different occupational groups.(Unpublished master’s thesis). Bogazici University Institute of Social Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey.8