Work motivation is a process that encourages an employee to perform well at his work. The self-determination theory is one of the most known theories in this field. It represents different forms of self-determined or non-self-determined behaviour according to the evaluation of the internalization of goals and values. Job satisfaction is the employee’s response to his work, work environment and work content. It is influenced by various factors that are internally or
externally related to work (e.g. payment, job characteristics, working conditions…). Job satisfaction and work motivation have an impact on the success of work. In our case, that is teaching children with special needs and helping them to overcome their learning difficulties.
The main aim of this master’s thesis was to examine work motivation and job satisfaction among special and rehabilitation educators. In the empirical part, we investigated level of individual types of work motivation, level of job satisfaction and its factors, how factors such
as type of educational program in which special and rehabilitation educators are employed and years of work experience affect levels of different types of work motivation and level of job satisfaction, and what is the correlation between these two phenomena. We used descriptive
and causal non-experimental research method and a quantitative research approach. A questionnaire, which included questionnaire about work motivation and questionnaire about job satisfaction, was completed by 152 special and rehabilitation educators. Research results
showed that identification regulation is the highest rated on scale and amotivation is the lowest. Significant differences were not found in levels of different types of work motivation between different employment programs. Significant differences were found in external regulation
regarding years of work, with level of external regulation decreasing with years of work experience. It was found that special and rehabilitation educators experience a level of job satisfaction that does not indicate whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied with their work. The factors, with which they are satisfied, are the nature of work, colleagues, supervision and communication, while they are not satisfied with the working conditions. Even in terms of job satisfaction, significant differences were not found in relation to the employment programs, while significant differences were found in relation to the years of work experience. Those who have been employed for more than 25 years are experiencing the highest level of job
satisfaction, while does who have been employed for 0-5 years and 16-20 years are experiencing the lowest level. An examination of the correlation between the two phenomena
showed that there is a positive correlation between job satisfaction and identification regulation, a positive correlation between job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation and a negative correlation between job satisfaction and amotivation. Findings of the master’s thesis deepen the understanding of work motivation and work satisfaction and its factors among special and
rehabilitation educators and contribute to the reflection on possible changes that would raise their levels.
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