Psychological Empowerment and Employee Spontaneity Behavior in Tertiary Owned Schools in Bayelsa State

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee workplace spontaneity in tertiary public-owned schools in Bayelsa State. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with a study population of 2,749 academic and non-academic staff. Using the Krejcie and Morgan Statistical Table, a sample size of 608 employees was determined. Data were gathered through structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient with the aid of SPSS software. The study focused on four dimensions of psychological empowerment—meaning, competence, self-development, and impact—and examined their influence on employee workplace spontaneity as a mono-construct. The findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between the dimensions of psychological empowerment and workplace spontaneity. The study concluded that psychological empowerment is a critical driver of spontaneous workplace behaviors, such as initiative-taking, innovation, and proactive support among employees in tertiary institutions. Based on these findings, it was recommended that school managements should create enabling environments that promote autonomy, recognize contributions, and provide continuous development opportunities to enhance employees’ psychological empowerment and encourage workplace spontaneity.