Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Clarence Williamson

Abstract

High job demands mean high turnover for public safety telecommunicators (also known as “9-1-1 call operators” or “emergency dispatch”). Personnel turnover place 9-1-1 call centers in an understaffed situation, which reduces operational effectiveness and increases risk to communities. Though public safety telecommunicators experience work-related stress due to job demands, organizational commitment, and operational impacts, the impact of job demands and its influence on organizational commitment is under-researched. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand job demands and the resources that influence organizational commitment of public safety telecommunicators. The classical organizational theory of scientific management, or Taylorism, was theoretical framework. As such, the research questions emphasized perceptions of job demands and the organizational commitment experienced by public safety telecommunicators. Individual interviews served as the data source from participants in New Orleans, Louisiana. Purposeful sampling resulted in 13 individual interviews. The participant interview transcript data were coded and led the themes of (a) emotional demands, (b) mental demands, (c) physical demands, (d) work overloads, (e) bureaucracy, (f) team atmosphere, (g) person–job fit, and (h) availability of tools, which influence mostly the affective commitment of public safety telecommunicators. With these perspectives that further describe the life-or-death protective nature of the work, the implications for positive social change include understanding the reasons for turnover, which can lead to improved retention and operations as well as support for reclassification and innovation of the profession.

Download

Share

 
COinS