Job design variables as change measures in a correctional facility

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Criminology
• Human Services Management

Background:

• Working conditions are often overlooked in human service organizations.
• Effective evaluation of institutional change requires robust assessment methods.
• Job design dimensions offer a framework for understanding employee work environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the utility of job design dimensions for evaluating change in a correctional facility.
• To assess changes in staff perceptions of working conditions over time.
• To compare staff experiences in an innovative change program versus a control group.

Main Methods:

• Administered a modified Hackman/Lawler Job Design Inventory to staff at two time points (14-month interval).
• Compared staff participating in an institutional change program with those not initially involved.
• Utilized employee perceptions as evaluative measures of organizational change.

Main Results:

• Employee perceptions of working conditions can serve as indicators of institutional change.
• The study found support for using job design dimensions to assess changes in the work environment.
• Differences in perceptions were observed between staff involved in the change program and others.

Conclusions:

• Examining employee perceptions of working conditions is a valuable method for assessing institutional change.
• Job design dimensions provide a useful tool for evaluating interventions in human service settings.
• Staff feedback is essential for understanding the impact of organizational reforms.