title: Enhancing the intrinsic work motivation of community nutrition educators: how supportive supervision and job design foster autonomy.
abstract: Mixed-methods research investigated the work motivation of paraprofessional community nutrition educators (CNEs) delivering a long-running public health nutrition program. In interviews, CNEs (n = 9) emphasized "freedom," supportive supervision, and "making a difference" as key sources of motivation. Community nutrition educator surveys (n = 115) confirmed high levels of autonomy, which was associated with supervisors' delegation and support, CNE decision-making on scheduling and curricula, and job satisfaction. Supervisors (n = 32) rated CNEs' job design as having inherently motivating characteristics comparable to professional jobs. Supervisory strategies can complement job design to create structured, supportive contexts that maintain fidelity, while granting autonomy to paraprofessionals to enhance intrinsic work motivation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. kld12@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Dickin
authors.forename: Jamie S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dollahite
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Habicht
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D040441:Health Educators / Q000523:psychology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009042:Motivation; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*