CAREER SUPPORT AND EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This work examined career support and employee commitment in road construction firms in Rivers State. The objective of the study was to examine the extent to career support and   affects measures of employee commitment such as affective commitment, normative commitment and continuance commitment. The study was anchored Social Exchange Theory propounded by George Casper Homans.  The study adopted the explanatory cross-sectional survey research design. A sample size 248 was drawn from a population of 700 staff of 19 road construction firms in Rivers State. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach alpha. After validation by the supervisor, 248 copies of structured questionnaire were administered while 240 copies were retrieved. Mean and standard deviation were used for the univariate analysis, Spearman Rank Order Correlation was used for the bivariate analysis while Partial Correlation was used for the multivariate analysis. The finding was made there is a significant positive relationship between career support and employee commitment. The study concluded that career support is a major motivational tool that enhances employee commitment in road construction firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study recommended more deliberate effort on the part of managers and senior staff to strengthen mentoring relationships so as to promote employee commitment in road construction firms in Rivers State, Nigeria.