Abstract
Background
Identifying common factors that influence job satisfaction for midwives working in
diverse work settings is challenging. Applying a work design model developed in organisational
behaviour to the midwifery context may help identify key antecedents of midwives job
satisfaction.
Aim
To investigate three job characteristics – decision-making autonomy, empowerment,
and professional recognition as antecedents of job satisfaction in New Zealand (NZ)
midwives.
Methods
Latent multiple regressions were performed on data from Lead Maternity Carer (LMC)
midwives n = 327, employed midwives n = 255, and midwives working in ‘mixed-roles’
n = 123.
Findings
We found that professional recognition is positively linked to job satisfaction for
midwives in all three work settings. At the same time, decision-making autonomy and
empowerment were shown to influence job satisfaction for midwives working as LMCs
only.
Discussion
Our main finding suggests that the esteem generated from being acknowledged as an
expert and valuable contributor by maternity health colleagues is satisfying across
all work contexts. Professional recognition encompasses the social dimension of midwifery
work and influences midwives job satisfaction. Decision-making autonomy and empowerment
are task and relational job characteristics that may not be similarly experienced
by all midwives to noticeably influence job satisfaction.
Conclusion
Given that job satisfaction contributes to recruitment, retention, and sustainability,
our findings show that drivers of job satisfaction differ by midwifery work context.
We present evidence to support tailored efforts to bolster midwives job satisfaction,
especially where resources are limited.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 23, 2021
Accepted:
July 13,
2021
Received in revised form:
July 8,
2021
Received:
May 25,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
