title: Job satisfaction, organisation commitment and retention in  the public workforce: a survey among pharmacists  in Malaysia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to assess job satisfaction and organisational commitment among pharmacists working in the public sector and its influence on their likelihood to stay within the public workforce.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all fully registered pharmacists (FRPs) in the northern states of Malaysia in 2009 (n = 467). The questionnaire consisted of three sections to capture the demographic characteristics of the respondents, assess job satisfaction and organisational commitment of the respondents and their likelihood of staying in public service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 247 FRPs (response rate 52.9%) in the northern region of Malaysia participated in this survey. Majority of the respondents were women (n = 205, 83.0%), of Chinese ethnicity (n = 155, 62.8%), graduates from public universities (n = 173, 70.0%), single (n = 172, 69.6%), with a median age of 27 years (interquartile range (IQR) 2.0) and had worked with the Ministry of Health for a median of 2.75 years (IQR 1.63). The mean job satisfaction and organisational commitment score were 58.09 (standard deviation (SD) 11.83) and 53.46 (SD 6.65) respectively out of a maximum possible score of 90. Majority of the respondents claimed that they were likely to stay in public service (n = 176, 71.3%). Their likelihood of staying in public service was affected by respondents’ gender, ethnicity, job satisfaction and organisational commitment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study provide stakeholders with evidence on factors and issues affecting pharmacists’ job satisfaction and commitment in the public workforce as well as the likely turnover rate with an early cohort of pharmacists affected by the compulsory service.
authors.forename: Gin Nie
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Lai Jiuan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Bee Ai
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Keat Hin
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Ng Khai
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.forename: Mohammed Azmi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hassali
authors.forename: Asrul Akmal
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shafie
authors.forename: Guat See
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ooi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D017150:Public Sector; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce