A Multilevel Analysis: Is the Effect of Social Worker' Teamwork on Organizational Commitment Moderated By the Size of Social Welfare Centers?

Background

Teamwork is crucial for social workers to improve organizational commitments (Choi & Yoon, 2014). Although there are many different sizes of social welfare centers including senior welfare centers in South Korea (Ministry of Health and Welfare, 2015), no study has examined whether the impact of teamwork on organization commitment varies depending on the size of the welfare centers. This study addresses four research questions: 1) is multilevel modeling needed to explain organizational commitment of social workers?; 2) is there a relationship between teamwork and organizational commitment?; 3) does the size of social welfare centers influence organizational commitment when controlling for teamwork?; 4) Is the effect of social workers’ teamwork on organizational commitment moderated by the size of social welfare centers?

Methods

Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey: 221 social workers who worked for 21 social and senior welfare centers in Seoul, Korea responded to a structured survey. Multilevel modeling was used to take account of the nested data structure.

The dependent variable was social workers’ organization commitment and it was measured using a scale developed by Allen and Meyer (1990) (α =0.85). The level-1 explanatory variable was teamwork and it was measured using a scale developed by Coyle-Shapiro’s (1995) (α = 0.91). The level-2 explanatory variable was size of welfare center (21 centers) (range = 6 to 60, M = 27, SD = 9.6)

Results

Approximately 6% of variation in organizational commitment was associated with differences among welfare centers (null model). There was statistically significant variation among welfare centers in average organizational commitment for those with an average level of teamwork (random intercepts model). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between teamwork and organizational commitment, but this relationship did not vary across welfare centers (random intercepts and slopes model). There was not a statistically significant relationship between welfare center size and organizational commitment (intercepts as outcomes model), and welfare center size did not moderate the relationship between teamwork and organizational commitment (cross-level interaction model).

Implications

To elevate social workers’ organization commitment, it is essential to find practical ways for welfare centers to improve social workers’ teamwork through proper supervision, emotional support and material resources. These efforts may help not only maximize social workers’ performance but also minimize resignation rates and burn-out regardless of the size of welfare centers. This research needs to be extended to include other employee roles and welfare agency types.