Organizational Support of Career Development and Job Satisfaction

• Date: 01 December 2002
• Published date: 01 December 2002
• DOI: 10.1177/073437102237813
• Subject Matter: Articles

10.1177/073437102237813

REVIEWOFPUBLICPERSONNELADMINISTRATION / Winter 2002

Kim/CAREERDEVELOPMENTAND JOB SATISFACTION

Organizational Support of

Career Development and

Job Satisfaction

A Case Study of the Nevada Operations

Office of the Department of Energy

SOONHEE KIM

University of Nevada at Las Vegas

As a result of widespread downsizing and an aging workforce in the federalgov-

ernment, career development and succession planning are rapidly becoming key

strategic planning elements for effective human capital strategiesto enhance gov-

ernment performance and accountability. This study explores the relationships

between performance appraisal fairness, skill utilization, supervisors’support of

career development, participation in formal career development programs, and

job satisfaction in the Department of Energy at Nevada. The results of multiple

regression analysis showed that performance-appraisalfairness, skill utilization,

and supervisors’support of career development are positively associated with high

levels of job satisfaction of public sector professionals. The article presents a num-

ber of suggestions for practice.

Since the 1990s, one of the leading challenges in public personnel manage-

ment has been implementing effective human capital strategies to enhance

government performance and accountability.As a result of emphasis on per-

formance and results-oriented government services, effective human resource

management, including team empowerment, leadership development, suc-

cession planning, and job satisfaction, has been emphasized in academia and

government agencies (DeLeon & Taher, 1996; DeSantis & Durst, 1996;

Ting, 1996; U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, 1998). DeSantis and

Durst (1996) argued that renewed interest in increasing performance levels in

276

Author’sNote: I would like to thank employees at DOE/NV for their participation in this

study.I also appreciate the comments of editors and anonymous reviewers. Special thanks

go to James Winget for his help on the survey research.

Review of Public Personnel Administration,Vol. 22, No. 4 Winter 2002 276-294

DOI: 10.1177/073437102237813

© 2002 Sage Publications

at SAGE Publications on December 8, 2012rop.sagepub.comDownloaded from

government should interest public administrators in identifying factors that

affect job satisfaction.

Although researchers pointed out that there is no consistent relationship

between job satisfaction and individual performance (Brayfield &

Crockett, 1955; Iaffaldano & Muchinsky, 1985), there is consistent evi-

dence that low job satisfaction results in absenteeism, reduced commitment

to organizations, turnover, and stress (Barling, Wade, & Fullagar, 1990;

Brooke & Price, 1989; Farrell & Stamm, 1988; Kemery, Mossholder, &

Bedeian, 1987). With respect to organizational performance and individ-

ual productivity, absenteeism and retention are significant targets for cur-

rent human resource management in both private and public sectors

(Carsten & Spector,1987; Eby, Freeman,Rush, & Lance, 1999). Given the

significant cost of employee absenteeism and turnover for organizational

performance, scholars must clearly identify factors affecting employees’ job

satisfaction in the context of organizational environment changes.

The research on job satisfaction related to job-related factors has focused

on pay, promotion opportunities, job clarity, and human relations in the

public sector (Daley, 1986; Lewis, 1987; National Commission on the

Public Service, 1989; Ting, 1996; U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board,

1990). As a result of widespread downsizing and an aging workforce in the

federal government, career development and succession planning are rap-

idly becoming key strategic planning elements for effective human capital

strategies to enhance government performance and accountability (Inter-

national Personnel Management Association, 2000; National Academy of

Public Administration, 1997; West & Berman, 1995).

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between

performance-appraisal fairness, skill utilization, supervisors’ support of

career development, participation in mentoring programs, participation in

succession planning, and job satisfaction in the Nevada Operations Office

of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE/NV). The organizational support

of career development is operationally defined using the listed individual

variables above. Since 1995, there has been a dramatic exodus of long-term

employees as a result of downsizing, normal attrition, and voluntary retire-

ments at the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy,1999a).1Furthermore, due

to the department’s aging workforce, more than 25% of all employees and

70% of career senior executive service (SES) personnel will be retirement

eligible within the next 5 years. To respond to these changes, the 1999 DOE

strategic plan emphasizes the significance of workforce plans in training,

employee development, and succession planning combined with

mentoring programs (U.S. Department of Energy, 1999a).

Kim / CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND JOB SATISFACTION 277

at SAGE Publications on December 8, 2012rop.sagepub.comDownloaded from