Do individual attachment styles in the workplace affect a follower’s job satisfaction, engagement and commitment?

4 Introduction . 5 Attachment Theory . 5 Attachment in the workplace . 8 Job Satisfaction, employee engagement and organisational commitment . 11 Attachment and Job Satisfaction . 12 Attachment and Engagement . 14 Attachment and Commitment . 16 Study Rationale . 18 Hypotheses . 20 Method . 21 Design . 21 Participants . 21 Materials. 22 Attachment . 22 Job satisfaction . 23 Employee Engagement . 23 Commitment . 24 Demographic Variables. 25 Data Analysis . 25 Procedure . 25 Results . 26 Descriptive Statistics . 26 Inferential Statistics . 27 Hypothesis 1 – Attachment and Job Satisfaction . 27 Hypothesis 2 – Attachment and Employee Engagement . 28 Hypothesis 3 – Attachment and Commitment . 28 Additional Analyses and results . 30 Discussion . 32 Hypothesis 1 . 32 Hypothesis 2 . 33 Hypothesis 3 . 34 Limitations and weaknesses of the present study . 36 Strengths and directions for future research . 37 Practical applications . 39 Conclusion . 40 References . 42 Appendix . 48 Appendix I: Questionnaire . 48 Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate if individual attachment styles of followers within the leader-follower relationship were associated with levels of job satisfaction, employee engagement and organisational commitment. A cross sectional sample of 70 employees ranging from entry level to middle management were included in the study. Participants completed an online self report survey covering demographic items, followed by 4 existing questionnaires covering attachment, job satisfaction, employee engagement and commitment in the workplace. Results supported a negative relationship between anxious attachment andThe aim of this study was to investigate if individual attachment styles of followers within the leader-follower relationship were associated with levels of job satisfaction, employee engagement and organisational commitment. A cross sectional sample of 70 employees ranging from entry level to middle management were included in the study. Participants completed an online self report survey covering demographic items, followed by 4 existing questionnaires covering attachment, job satisfaction, employee engagement and commitment in the workplace. Results supported a negative relationship between anxious attachment and job satisfaction (R (65) = -0.295, p< 0.5). A positive relationship was found between anxious attachment and continuance commitment (R (59) = 0.383, p < . 01) and avoidant attachment and normative commitment (R (59) = 0.269, p < . 05), which although was contrary to the supposed hypotheses with respect to commitment, serves to add to the growing literature regarding the application of Attachment Theory to the workplace. Findings suggest further research is required, however indicate that addressing attachment styles in the workplace could have a beneficial outcome for the organisation and the individual. Introduction Ireland is on the move again. Current analyses undertaken by the Economic and Social Research Institute (“ESRI”) reports growth in GNP and employment in Ireland, with a corresponding fall in unemployment which was not solely due to emigration (Duffy, FitzGerald, Timoney, & Byrne, 2013). It appears the job market is opening up as organisational demand for productive employees rises in order for businesses to continue in this phase of growth. Research has indicated that the degree of job satisfaction, employee engagement and organisational commitment can affect both performance and employee turnover within an organisation (e.g Yücel, 2012; Wang, Tao, Ellenbecker & Liu, 2012; Allen & Meyer, 1990; Shuck, Reio & Rocco, 2011), hence for an organisation to grow and retain a productive workforce to maintain growth, these are important areas to consider. The present study examined attachment theory applied to leader – follower relationships to gain a better understanding of this workplace dynamic and its potential effect on job satisfaction, engagement and organisational commitment. The study focused on the follower in the relationship, their attachment styles and any associated links these might have on the follower’s levels of job satisfaction, engagement and organisational commitment. While attachment theory has not been extensively applied to the workplace, there is still a substantial amount of literature addressing attachment styles and their potential affect on worker attitudes and behaviour. Attachment Theory Attachment theory was introduced by John Bowlby, who first postulated that individuals are born with an innate desire to bond with a trusted significant other and develop a secure base (Bowlby, 1958, 1988). The ability to bond with a trusted other serves to form part of a child’s internal working model, which the child develops to form their representation of the world