THE EFFECT OF PREFERENCE FOR WORK STATUS, SCHEDULE, AND SHIFT ON WORK-RELATED ATTITUDES

Survey data from 272 nurses at a large midwestern teaching hospital were used to evaluate the relation between work-related attitudes and (a) full- and part-time work status and (b) working a preferred work pattern (i.e., full-versus part-time work status, work schedule, and shift). Controlling for education and organizational tenure, results showed that attitudinal differences in measures of work commitment, but not satisfaction, were associated with full-versus part-time employment (i.e., full-timers demonstrated higher levels of commitment). When preferences were considered, however, a different picture emerged. Employees who received their work preferences regarding schedule and shift exhibited significantly more favorable attitudes on five of nine work-related attitudinal measures. Contrary to initial results, receipt of one's preference for full-versus part-time work had virtually no effect on work-related attitudes. Both the theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.