Table of Contents
Description
This measure, (Work Control) developed by Dwyer and Ganster (1991), describes the extent to which workers perceive they have control over numerous aspects of their work environment. These aspects include control over the variety of tasks performed, the order of task performance, the pace of tasks, task scheduling, task procedures, and arrangement of the physical layout/environment.
Reliability
In Dwyer and Ganster (1991), coefficient alpha was .87.
Validity
Control over aspects of a job correlated positively with sick days taken, job workload, and work satisfaction. In multivariate analysis, control moderated the relationship of workload with work satisfaction (Dwyer & Ganster, 1991).
Source
Dwyer, D. J., & Ganster, D. C. (1991). The effects of job demands and con trol on employee attendance and satisfaction. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 12, 595-608. Items were taken from the appendix, p. 608. Reprinted with permission.
Items
Instructions and items: Below are listed a number of statements which could be used to describe a job. Please read each statement carefully and indicate the extent to which each is an accurate or an inaccurate description of your job by writing a number in front of each statement. The response options are 1 = very little, 2= little, 3 = a moderate amount, 4 = much, and 5 = very much.
- How much control do you have over the variety of methods you use in completing your work?
- How much can you choose among a variety of tasks or projects to do?
- How much control do you have personally over the quality of your work?
- How much can you generally predict the amount of work you will have to do on any given day?
- How much control do you personally have over how much work you get done?
- How much control do you have over how quickly or slowly you have to work?
- How much control do you have over the scheduling and duration of your rest breaks?
- How much control do you have over when you come to work and leave?
- How much control do you have over when you take vacation or days off?
- How much are you able to predict what the results of decisions you make on the job will be?
- How much are you able to decorate, rearrange, or personalize your work area?
- How much can you control the physical condition of your work station (lighting, temperature)?
- How much control do you have over how you do your work?
- How much can you control when and how much you have to interact with others at work?
- How much influence do you have over the policies and procedures in your work unit?
- How much control do you have over the sources of information you need to do your job?
- How much are things that affect you at work predictable, even if you can’t directly control them?
- How much control do you have over the amount of resources (tools, material) that you get?
- How much can you control the number of times you are interrupted while you work?
- How much control do you have over how much you earn at your job?
- How much control do you have over how your work is evaluated?
- In general, how much overall control do you have over work and work-related matters?