VOLUME 18 NUMBER 2 JULY 200f NIGERIAN rL- :' j: ;t~~::~::X~{':,~)t~(~r:,' r.. I ,~ ~.•.•t ~t 'x"~' ....;; ~"i~.,.. ,I.•.: .~,., c" .. c., ',:; .:~. • ~ ;?"::~'" '.. Jr'Jl!-";:_"<~ i.)~.1< .~. " ~',:- ,f'" .. :d e, 1',1 t~~..:!. 'f(~): ..... l.li ~.' ".'~ ,,~. \. ~~~.~':.:.:'~' ~~~ " .•.: .~. ;~,~~\:~~:;{~:~~~,je:' ., ....(] "i:~,~: " : ',,: <. .'t. " ""~ -.,', ",~ "':\~' 1 .:t" '.:~Mq~~~~:i;~:F" ;~.;, ':<'::~-~ I i PU8LIS'HED TWICE YEARLY BY THE NIGERIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION I. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY 1\JI(~ERtAN ~J()\ 1 RN/\ I. o •..PS\'(11I()1 .oc v ISSN 0331-0574 Edito r- in - (' hief r».Benjamin o Ehigie Department of Psvchology Universitv otlbadan Edltarial Consulting Board A. ('. ~1undv - Castle Amcchi N\\ ~z~ Uuivcrsitv o,Llimbal-)\\~:. t lararc lh,..\tY~rsll\'•. ()fJ,)s. Zimbabwe .. Jos D: C F. llg\\u\.'ghll John C MUIlI..'lk' Uuiv crsitv of lbadau. Makcrcrc Univcrsitv. lbadan. Kampala, Uganda Bernice Fzcilo Peter F Omoluabi I 'nivcrsitv of Nigeria. Univcrsitv of Lagos. Nsukka. Akoka Olatuudc O. A. Mak.mju Kayodc A ()glll\luash~ IInivcrsir,: of Lagos. I Illi\~rsil~ of Lagos, Akoka Akoka. Isidore S. Ohot Fgwu II Fg\\u t11lln:rstty of Jos. Umvcrsitv of Jos. .Ios. Jos . UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal of Psychology Vu1.l8, No(2) July (JOOI) CONTENTS Civil society and corruption: state policing or policing the state? - Onyeonoru, 1. 46 Destination Attributes Affecting Tourists' readiness to recommend Lagos State (Nigeria) for tourism Madu, J. C. and Madu, S. N. 63 Advertisement response model: the need for further Research. -Babalola,S. S. andOgungbamila,B. 86 Farmer perceptions and knowledge of malaria in a small farmingcommunity in kenya, 114 - Bassir Iyabo B. The influence of self-efficacy, duration of smoking and gender on perceived smoking cessation. 123 t.. :.- - Imhonde, H.O; Afolabi, A.O; & Ehon, A. ! Impact Of Personality and Structural Design On Job Satisfaction Among Bank Workers - Ekore, J.O., Balogun, S.K. & Tamen, F 134 Sex And Perceived Stress As Determinants Of Support For Socio-Economic Development Policies - Icheke,.S.H. & Sunmola A.M. 144 Differences in Knowledge about HIV/ AIDS and Perceived Exposure to Risk between Physicians and Nurses in Ibadan Nigeria - B. O. Olley. 150 InfluenceofGender andLocusofControlonEmployees' Perceptionof organizationalfrustration. - Adebayo,D.O.& Okereke,S.U. 161 UNIVER ITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal oj Psycnctogy ;'OL.16, lYO.(L) (LUU1) IlViPACT OF PERSONALITY AND STRUC'I'UHAL DESIGN ON JOB SATISFACTION AMONG BANK \VORKERS Ekore, J.O., Balogun, S.K., & Tamen, F Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to examine the impact of personality and changes in office design on employees job satisfaction among bankers. The 98 participants were drawn from 4 commercial banks in 2 southwestern cities namely Lagos and Jbadan. The participants had a mean age of 51 years and standard deviation of 3.85 for males and a mean age of 32 years and a standard deviation of 3.3 for female participants. The instrument used for the collection of data were the introversion (extraversion scales of the Eysenck personality Questionnaire, and job satisfaction index. Result showed that Extroverts (mean = 65: 74) experienced significantly higher job satisfaction than introverts (mean = 58.84), F=(1,94) = 8.50, p<.05. Employees in open systems (mean=63.56) experienced significantly higher job satisfaction than those in closed systems (mean=57.32) F=(1,94)=6.29, p<.05. However, personality and office design did not show significant interaction effect on job satisfaction F(1,94)=1.2S, p<.OS. The implication of the study are that banks and other service organization need to ascertain the suitability of their workers to different job conditions. Similarly, the importance of wo rkp lace/ environment design and its overbearing effects on employee productivity need to be recognized by service and manufacturing organizations. Introduction There exists one basic issue in organizational environment. It is that office design with employees reaction differs from organization to organization and even within organizations. In service organizations, customers and clients are often in close contact but, the case is not so with manufacturing organizations, where employees are generally shielded from the clients. Due to this fact, it is imperative that the office design in service organizations do not necessary apply to manufacturing organizations. Thus, different designs of work setting and nature has to be created to match each sector. 134 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal of Psychology 1/01.18, No. (2) (2001) This means that companies which are similar in 1110de and status operationally will adopt similar work design patterns. Service companies agree that due to the high level of customer relations and contact, there is a need for a conducive, pleasant and safe work environment, and this undoubtedly enhance a substantial amount of cooperation between those at the buying and those 'at the selling end. Ideologically, this is expected to improve employee motivation and add to efficiency. However, this does not rule out the fact that work environment should be up to a desired standard. Overtime, there was the tendency to do things differently in all aspects of the organizations due to better salaries, re- designed work area and other accompanying incentives. This expectantly was also to increase the workers' job satisfaction. However, there are cases of workers who although well paid were not getting the type of satisfaction desired from their jobs." The aim of this study therefore, was to unravel the effect of on-going structural (physical) changes in banking halls with a view to determining whether employees are better off in terms of satisfaction on the job, and also how personality affect such work attitudinal variable. However, individuals that work in such settings differ on personality characteristics. While some are introverts, others are extroverts. Accordingto Triandis (1989), individuals differ even as they work in organizations. This same position was earlier observed by Woodward (1958) on management and technology. Such differences are likely to reflect in their attitudes and behaviours. Moreover, if the work environment does not provide fulfillment to the employee, this might be transferred to the customer who is requiring his/her service. It is therefore logical to say that this can affect the dispensation of services. When such happens, a regular customer patronage can fall to a low level or even thin out completely. The employee also suffers low productivity and eventual decline of job satisfaction. This study sets as part ofgoal to examine the effects of changes in office design/ environment in banks on employee job satisfaction in the work environment. It's therefore proper that the melting pot of the service industry, such as the bank should be the main interest of this study. Several banks have in recent years introduced different changes in order to improve the work environment with a view to achieving 135 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal of Psychology Vol.18, No. (2) (2001) positive result. It. is now clear that in addition to quality products and services offered by the banks, a conducive work environment acts as a motivator to employees and a satisfier to customers. For example, the Ibadan main branch of the First Bank of Nigeria PLC made some major changes in work designs and conditions. These includes the removal of all cashier cubicle in the banking hall thereby allowing direct contact between customer and cashier as well as an extension of the official banking hours to 4.00 p.m., daily. This demonstrates an alteration in work conditions at the branch. Prior to the change, cashiers were enclosed in cubicle cages. The cubicles were sided, open at top, transparent and Perspex made. Although, they were transparent and had holes drilled in the front for easy audibility. At times, verbal communication between cashier and customers was difficult and that meant both parties raising their voices to make themselves heard. At occasions where the banking hall gets completely filled up, this resulted in increased noise levels, which in itself was quite unpleasant. This could affect the working mood of employees. Therefore the satisfaction resulting from the state of new office design might prove negative on these cashiers. In the same vein, this could significantly impact on employee's job satisfaction in the organization. Mathieu & Farr, (1991) had reported in their study that job satisfaction as work attitude represents an aspect of work experience. Yet derive a form of satisfaction from his or her job may depend on variety of factors, which includes the individual's personality. However, Ivancevich and Matteson (1980) saw a person's reaction to job conditions (including satisfaction) to be based on individual factors. Personality difference become an important factor that separates individuals. Research has shown that work design is a key issue when it comes to improving productivity and quality of work for employees (Hackman & Oldman 1976). But the structural change as is being considered in this research is relatively new and un-explored. Basically, most organizations in Nigeria have constantly taken into consideration internal structural re-design as a way of maintaining employee satisfaction rather than the actual scope of such ideology. There is no doubt that compliance, which has not appreciated the importance of structural design of their areas, is increasingly losing their competitive edges. Environmental characteristics constitute 136 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal a/Psychology Vol.lB, No. (2) (2001) important factor in explaining organisational structure, strategy, and performance. For example, the characteristics of the environment (such as the office design) were found to affect how employees perceive the work environment (Yasai- Ardekani, 1986). As it were, this explains the conclusions by Thompson that organizations design is a structure to smooth out problems and keep down coordination costs as a strategic effort (Montanari, Morgan, and Bracker, 1990). The strategy according to them is the plans and actions necessary to achieve the organization goals. Part of the dorminant themes of current design strategies include environmental change such as office design. This reengineering according to Stawart (1993), is the hot new managing tool. Fo1lowingthe adoption of the open design system, Peter and Austin (1999) further emphasized the importance .-of staying in touch with customers through appropriate design. But the strategic effort hardly consider the impact of such structural imperative on the workers especially in terms of their job satisfaction level. From literature reviewed, work designs such as change in office set-up has impact on employees as it tend to expose them to certain events. This may share similarity with studies in settings such as banks in Nigeria. HYPOTHESES 1. Extroverts will experience significantly higher job satisfaction than Introverts. 2. Employees in open system wi1l experience significantly higher job satisfaction than those in closed system. 3. Officedesign and employees' personality will jointly interact to determine his or her job satisfaction. Method Design A cross sectional survey research using ex-post facto design was employed in this study. The independent variables in this study are personality, and office design, while the dependent variable is job satisfaction. 137 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal of Psychology Vol.18, No. (2) (2001) Participants . Four commercial banks were selected from two cities (Lagos and Ibadan) in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. Two of the banks were new generation (Zenith International Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank) which do not operate the cage system while two were 'old generation' (First Bank of Nigeria PLC and Savannah Bank of Nigeria PLC) operating the cage system. Of the two old generation banks, First Bank is re- engineering its design system and as such operating both systems. The sample comprised of 62 males representing 630/0of employees sampled from these banks and 36 females representing 37%. The age of participants ranged from 25-44 years with the mean age at 31 years, (Standard Deviation = 33.85). Also from the sample, were 39 single respondents representing 40%, 56 married representing 57%. and 3 divorced representing 3%. The academic qualifications of respondents were as follows: 14 WASC HOLDERS representing 14% 11 ONDjNCE HOLDERSrepresenting 11%, and 73 HNDjB.Sc.jPG HOLDERS representing 75%. The distribution of participants among the banks were as follows: Guaranty Trust Bank PLC- 32 respondent (33%) Zenith Bank of Nig. PLC- 14 respondent (140/0) Savannah Bank of Nig. PLC- 28 respondent (29%) First Bank of Nig., PLC- 24 (24%) The distribution participants according to job level were: JUNIOR: 40 employees representing 41% SENIOR: 48 employees representing 49% MIDDLE MANAGEMENT:10 employees representing 10%. Instrument The instrument used is a questionnaire with 5 sections A,B,C,D & E. The information profile covers the type of system operation, biographic data (AGE, SEX, MARITAL STATUS, EDUCATION,YEARSOF SERVICE, JOB LEVEL AND NAME OF ORGANISATION),job satisfaction scale with the following response options (Very satisfied (VS); Dissatisfied (D); Undecided (U), Satisfied (8) and Very Dissatisfied (VD). The cronbach coefficient for the items ranged from 0.41 to 138 UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY Nigerian Journal of Psychology Vol.i8, No. (2) (2001) All items were found significant and level of confidence was set at P