Job Satisfaction of Contract of Service Employees in a Government Agency: Basis for an Action Plan

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the satisfaction of COS employees (Contract of Service) who were working in a government agency in Central Philippines during Quarter 2 of 2023. In doing so, the researcher collected quantitative data from 124 respondents using a reliable research instrument they developed. Consequently, they examined the age, sex, civil status, and eligibility as independent variables. At the same time, they measured job satisfaction in three areas: working conditions, compensation and recognition, and career development opportunities. Reliably, the respondents were chosen through purposive sampling. Based from the results, it showed that most respondents were young, male, single, and did not have civil service eligibility. In general, they reported high job satisfaction in all these areas. However, there were some differences in working conditions, with tenured, male, married, and non-eligible employees reporting higher satisfaction. Compensation and recognition were rated highly by most, with only small differences by sex and eligibility. Career development opportunities also received high ratings, no matter the respondents' backgrounds. In addition, statistical analysis found no significant differences in working conditions based on age, sex, or civil status, but there was a significant difference based on eligibility. Also, the compensation and recognition, and career development opportunities signified no significant differences by age or civil status, but there were significant differences by sex and eligibility. In a nutshell, these findings revealed the need to improve job stability, strengthen compensation and recognition systems, and offer training programs in helping employees gain civil service eligibility and move forward in their careers.