[Job satisfaction in an Italian university: difference between academic and technical-administrative staff]

Area of Science:

• Organizational Psychology
• Higher Education Studies

Context:

• The academic environment faces increasing job demands and decreasing resources.
• A shift in the perception of academic work necessitates understanding employee well-being.

Purpose:

• To analyze the relationship between job demands (workload, work-family conflict, emotional dissonance) and job resources (autonomy, supervisor support, coworker support) and job satisfaction.
• To investigate differences in these relationships between academic staff (professors, researchers) and technical-administrative staff within an Italian university.

Summary:

• A study surveyed 477 university employees (177 academic, 300 technical-administrative staff) using self-report questionnaires.
• Analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups.
• Job autonomy was the primary driver of job satisfaction for academic staff, whereas supervisor support was crucial for technical-administrative staff.

Impact:

• Highlights the distinct factors influencing job satisfaction in different university roles.
• Underscores the need for tailored strategies: maintaining autonomy for academic staff and enhancing leadership development for technical-administrative staff.
• Provides foundational insights for Italian academic institutions on optimizing work environments.