The power of dedication: a study of affective commitment profiles and work attitudes and behaviors of prison staff

Many prison organizations face staff shortages and struggle to recruit and retain sufficient personnel. Their workers are confronted with high work pressure and mental strain. Affective organizational commitment of prison staff could help improve employee retainment, performance, and psychological strain. However, affective commitment and its outcomes have been scarcely studied in a prison context, and existing research is limited in its scope, samples, and measurements. Moreover, prison research has not considered the relevance of including multiple foci and studying profiles to enhance the prediction of outcomes. This study measured affective commitment to the prison work team, facility, and agency, and explored the existence of affective commitment profiles and their links to work attitudes and behaviors among a large and nationwide sample of Dutch prison workers (N = 2.667). A latent profile analysis identified three profiles: workers with low, high, and moderate affective commitment. Results from a multivariate analysis of variance showed that the profiles significantly differed across work attitudes and behaviors. Prison workers with high commitment to multiple organizational foci generate the best outcomes. Recommendations for future research include replicating the study in other countries, incorporating additional foci, and examining links between affective commitment and prison climate perceptions.