Job satisfaction and perceived inservice needs of Iowa Cooperative Extension personnel

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of job satisfaction and perceived professional needs of Cooperative Extension Personnel in Iowa. The specific objectives of the study were to: (1) determine the level of job satisfaction; (2) determine and compare differences in levels of job satisfaction for periods ending in 1976, 1980, and 1988; (3) compare the level of job satisfaction according to selected demographic factors; and (4) determine training satisfaction and inservice needs;A questionnaire was mailed to all Iowa Cooperative Extension Service personnel and they responded to selected job satisfaction indicators. Cronbach\u27s alpha was calculated for the scaled items of the questionnaire and seven job satisfaction factors were identified through factor analysis. Non-response bias was checked;High levels of satisfaction were observed for fringe benefits, importance and value of work, challenge of job, performance and capability in job, feelings about community, and relationship with clientele, and low levels of satisfaction for amount of time and work necessary to do job, adequacy of performance evaluation, salaries compared to others in similar work, and new staff orientation;Respondents from 1988 were compared to respondents of previous studies (1976 and 1980). Satisfaction differences were observed for 21 of the 36 job satisfaction indicators. Job satisfaction levels for 1988 respondents were significantly lower than that of 1976 or 1980;Factor analysis identified seven factors with high correlations and reliabilities: (1) supervision, (2) salary, (3) creativity, (4) infrastructure, (5) status, (6) facilities, and (7) marketing;Area of position, sex, or level of education did not influence job satisfaction. Satisfaction differences were observed for position, years of experience, age of respondents, and areas assigned to. Administrators, respondents age 50 years and older, and respondents with 30 years or more experience, were observed to have the highest job satisfaction levels;Perceived inservice needs analysis indicated more inservice programs were needed in areas of administrative skills, use of satellite inservice, individual study packets, and process skills