Examining occupational stress, job satisfaction and gender difference among bank tellers: evidence from Ghana
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Date
2020-01-27
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International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
Abstract
Purpose – Bank tellers have been ignored in stress research. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the
relationships between occupational stress, job satisfaction, and gender difference among bank tellers in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach – Using a cross-sectional survey approach, the authors used
questionnaires to collect data from bank tellers in Ghana. Valid questionnaires were retrieved from 112
tellers across four banks. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson r-test, standard multiple regression and
independent t-test.
Findings – The results revealed that tellers are more likely to exhibit counterproductive behaviours such as
job dissatisfaction due to work-related stress. The results further showed that gender is not a strong
determinant of job satisfaction and occupational stress among the bank tellers. Thus, both male and female
tellers can have similar stress perceptions and experiences. Also, both male and female tellers can be satisfied
with their jobs.
Research limitations/implications – The findings must be interpreted with caution because crosssectional
surveys are often criticised for causality issues. The causality issue here is that the use of crosssectional
data did not allow the study to examine any changes in some of the constructs examined with time.
Also, the results are occupation, industry and country-specific.
Practical implications – To reduce counterproductive behaviours due to occupational stress, human
resource managers and line managers of the banks urgently need to train bank tellers on stress management.
Emotional intelligence training is also necessary for bank tellers to obtain the needed resources and
competencies to deal with daily stress.
Social implications – A stressful work environment negatively affects employee and organisational
productivity and performance. The socioeconomic consequences of occupational stress are expensive for
organisations, economies and society. The indirect effect of stress on employees’ families and friends are often
ignored by organisations.
Originality/value – The transactional stress theory has been applied towards an understanding of
occupational stress and job satisfaction among bank tellers. The examination and establishment of particular
relationships between occupational stress, job satisfaction and gender difference are significant for human
resource managers and other line managers.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Occupational stress, Bank tellers, Job satisfaction, Gender difference, Banking industry, Ghana