Firefighter satisfaction and happiness at work: how big is the effect?
M Muthukumaran1, A R Mohd Nadzrul Safiq1, I Rosnah2
1Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Community Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia
|June 4, 2023
Summary
Firefighter satisfaction significantly impacts workplace happiness, accounting for 42.7% of happiness at work. This highlights the importance of job satisfaction for overall well-being in the fire service.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
- Public Administration
Background:
- Firefighter satisfaction is a key determinant of workplace happiness.
- Quantifying the impact of job satisfaction on firefighter well-being is essential for improving retention and performance.
- Understanding factors influencing happiness at work is crucial for the Fire and Rescue Department.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the effect size of firefighter satisfaction on happiness at work.
- To adjust for socio-demographic attributes in assessing the relationship between satisfaction and happiness.
- To provide data-driven insights for enhancing firefighter well-being.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional online survey conducted among 6041 firefighters in Malaysia.
- Utilized validated Staff Satisfaction Index (SSI) and Happy Career (HC) scale.
- Employed multiple linear regression analysis, controlling for age, gender, marital status, job grade, years of service, and region.
Main Results:
- Firefighter satisfaction explained 42.7% of the variance in workplace happiness (βadj=1.096, p<0.001).
- Significant differences in happiness scores were observed across years of service, region, marital status, and job grade.
- Life satisfaction (78.30) was higher than happiness at work (77.22) among firefighters.
Conclusions:
- Firefighter satisfaction has a substantial effect on workplace happiness.
- While satisfaction is a major factor, happiness at work is influenced by broader life dimensions.
- Findings underscore the need for holistic approaches to enhance firefighter well-being.
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