Lived experiences of senior employees in a manufacturing company : stories of commitment

Abstract

The study was about senior employees' experiences, coping strategies and insights who were employed in a manufacturing company located in the province of Maguindanao, Philippines. Phenomenological approach was used using a validated open-ended interview guide questionnaire. The data were gathered through an in-depth interview and focus group discussion which were participated by 12 senior employees as informants. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. These are the findings: senior employees shared their experiences about two sides of commitment: first the positive side of commitment was due to the sense of security and satisfaction; sense of belonging and affinity with the company; and sense of pride and pleasure with the company. Second, the negative side of commitment indicates that they have commitment but it is low because of lack of appreciation and recognition; dissatisfaction with company policies; and unsympathetic handling of employees. Senior employees' coping mechanism generated the following themes: positive and acquiescent, establishing rapport to their superiors and co-workers, and staying anchored with their support system. For their insights senior employees shared that commitment was bred by good compensation, recognition and appreciation, taking care of employee needs as a major consideration of the organization, HR management plays a key role in commitment, and sometimes people stay for dearth of opportunities and not because of commitment. Keywords: psychology, senior employees, organizational commitment, experiences, coping mechanism, Philippines