Examining the effect of career advancement on job satisfaction and employee loyalty : a case of the Durban University of Technology

Abstract

The meteoric rise of disloyal and disgruntled employees perceived to stem from retarded career advancement besetting the work of the Higher Education sector prompted the researcher to examine the integrative relationship between career advancement, job satisfaction and employee loyalty. Despite the pressing issue of disloyalty and dissatisfied employees nested in the sector, no study to date has integrated the identified three variables. Hence, the current study sought to fill the lacuna by examining the impact of career advancement on job satisfaction and employee loyalty amongst administrative employees at the Durban University of Technology. Using a descriptive research design, the study targeted a population of 450 administrative staff at the institution. In line with the quantitative approach utilised in this study, a closed-ended questionnaire was employed to solicit data from the sample of 211 administrative staff. However, returned usable questionnaires numbered 181, culminating in the response rate of 85.8%. Far-reaching insights surfaced from the descriptive and inferential statistical analyses performed in this study. The inferences drawn from the findings indicated that despite the availability of career advancement opportunities, their influence on employee loyalty was limited amongst administrative staff. Based on the findings obtained through a Structural Equation Modelling and Regression analysis, the study concludes that while there is a significant relationship between career advancement and job satisfaction, the linkage between career advancement and employee loyalty is weak. In addition, contrary to the claims of scholars, the study finds no evidence of the association between job satisfaction and employee loyalty. However, the evidence from the study established a refined perspective suggesting that, within administrative roles, career advancement alone might not be sufficient to drive satisfaction or loyalty. The current study yielded both theoretical and practical implications. Future studies may replicate the current study to validate the hypothesised constructs and observe their consequent application in organisations that share somewhat similar settings.