Exploring Job Satisfaction and Intentions to Quit among Security Officers: The Role of Work Hygiene and Motivator Factors

Abstract

Amidst the pandemic, the work of many security personnel increased due to the additional requirements of checking vaccination records, temperature-taking, and contact-tracing procedures. There is ample research linking work hygiene and motivator factors (from Herzberg’s two-factor theory) to both job satisfaction and intentions to quit in various types of work settings. However, little is known about what keeps security officers on the job despite the exacerbated challenges posed by the pandemic. We examine how distinct hygiene and motivator factors predict intentions to quit among security officers. One thousand security officers in Singapore participated in a cross-sectional survey that assessed their current job experiences. The findings of this study revealed that job satisfaction plays a mediating effect in the positive relationship between four out of five poor hygiene factors and intentions to quit. Furthermore, the negative mediating effect of job satisfaction between all three motivator factors and intentions to quit was significant. Specifically, the intrinsic motivation for the work itself was the most significant predictor of intentions to stay. Interventions targeted at enhancing work commitment among security officers should highlight the value of security work and its role in maintaining public safety.