PREDICTORS OF JOB SATISFACTION AMONG REGISTERED PHYSICAL THERAPISTS PRACTICING IN THE PHILIPPINES

J.V. Ramos¹, D. Lacson¹, P.J. Mangio¹, J. Evangelista¹, D.C. Garcia¹, A. Ladao¹, A.J. Valeriano¹, H. Labao¹

¹Our Lady of Fatima University, College of Physical Therapy, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines

Background: Job satisfaction plays an important part in an employee's professional career. Past studies have shown that job satisfaction is a significant factor in worker retention and migration. The study described the demographic characteristics, as well as the current job satisfaction level of practicing physical therapists in the Philippines.

Purpose: The study aimed to address the gap in the literature regarding the job satisfaction of Filipino Physical Therapist.

Methods: 112 Filipino physical therapists practicing in the Philippines participated in the survey and 78 were included according to the inclusion-exclusion criteria. The questionnaires provided online include the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire short-form and demographic sheet. This study investigated the relationship between demographic characteristics (age, sex, work experience, place of work, monthly income, educational attainment, work sector, and work hours), job satisfaction, and domains of job satisfaction.

Results: Results showed that monthly income (p=.000) and work sector (p=.050) were significantly correlated with the level of job satisfaction. Age has a statistically significant correlation (p= .042) to supervision-technical but has negligible correlation size (r=.231). Sex was found to have a statistically significant correlation on authority (p= .031) and ability utilisation (p=.015). Place of work of physical therapists had a significant correlation to moral values (p= .054).

Conclusions: Physical therapists practicing in the Philippines were generally not fully satisfied with their job. Age, sex, work experience, place of work, work sector, and monthly salary were all significantly correlated to physical therapist job satisfaction. Monthly income and work sector showed a consistent relationship with overall job satisfaction and its domains.

Implications: Policy makers and employers have to look into the compensation of the PT employees as well as the work setting. Higher job satisfaction was found on employees with higher compensation and those working in specialized centers or private clinics. Employers should therefore study the work environment in these sectors to discover how they could further improve their employees’ job satisfaction and increase job retention.

Funding acknowledgements: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Keywords:
Job satisfaction
Filipino Physical Therapist
Professional practice

Topics:
Professional issues
Professional practice: other
Education: clinical

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Our Lady of Fatima University - Philippines

Committee: Research Development & Innovation Center - Institutional Ethics Review Committee

Ethics number: 2022-IERC4-20012