Organizational Commitment in Improving the Productivity of Educators and Educational Staff at Man 2 Blitar Indonesia

Zainur Arifin¹,  Ahmad Tanzeh², Teguh³_.

^1,2,3 Postgraduate Program of UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung Indonesia

ABSTRACT: The success of a madrasah head’s commitment to leading an organization results from love, loyalty, alignment with the goals and values of the madrasah, and a desire to remain in the organization. The productivity of educators and educational staff is highly dependent on the leadership of the madrasah head, who prioritizes the quality of education. This includes organizational commitment, attitude, and loyalty within the madrasah institution. MAN 2 Blitar has achieved its vision, mission, and goals.

This research focuses on how organizational loyalty enhances the productivity of educators and educational staff at MAN 2 Blitar. The research method used is qualitative. Data sources include informants, events/locations, and documents. Data is collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis is done using Huberman’s interactive data analysis technique, with validation through discussion, data source triangulation, and method triangulation.

The results of the research show: (1) The aspects of organizational commitment involve practical commitment in developing competencies, sustainable commitment in potential development, and normative commitment in building a nationalistic character. (2) Organizational attitude commitment includes the development of values and institutional achievement goals. (3) Organizational loyalty is the result of practical, competitive leadership and quality work based on standards to achieve optimal madrasah performance..

KEYWORDS: Organizational Commitment, Work Productivity, Educators and Educational Staff.

INTRODUCTION

Leadership is a leader’s ability to guide an organization’s goals. The role of a leader is crucial because the quality of leadership affects the organization’s development. Management and leadership are different, although often used interchangeably. Management involves planning, organizing, directing, and controlling, while leadership focuses more on communication, motivation, and inspiration.

Robbins (2015) defines leadership as the ability to influence a group to achieve goals, and a similar view is emphasized by Daft (2012), who highlights the ability to influence individuals to achieve organizational goals.

Organizational commitment is an essential factor in achieving desired performance. Strong commitment supports achieving organizational goals and leads to collective interests, while low commitment can hinder success. Organizational commitment encompasses affective, normative, and continuance aspects and can enhance employee performance and organizational productivity.

Zulkarnain (2014) argues that organizational commitment is a psychological tool that supports achieving desired performance in running an organization. High levels of commitment will encourage educational institutions to achieve their organizational goals diligently. Individuals with high commitment prioritize the organization over their interests and strive to improve its quality.

The same thing is also explained by Ucar & Dalgic (2021) that the relationship between organizational commitment, which can be explained as the integration of goals, is currently under examination. In this context, the school principal’s strategic leadership characteristics will strengthen teachers’ organizational commitment, so they should demonstrate it regularly.

Work productivity is the diligent effort of individuals and organizations to achieve maximum work results. It is based on the belief that aspects, attitudes, and loyalty to the organization should be continually improved, with today’s work being better than before and tomorrow’s results being more satisfying or of higher quality.

Every individual and organization desires to achieve high levels of productivity, regardless of the type of organization they represent. Profit-oriented organizations, such as companies, aim to achieve significant profits. Therefore, every organization member is expected to work optimally so that the company can produce goods and services as efficiently as possible. In other words, they pursue high productivity to achieve maximum profits.

The same applies to government institutions, such as the Department of Education, which functions to provide maximum services to the public. According to the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 20 of 2003 concerning the National Education System, education personnel play a crucial role in managing and improving the education process. They are part of the community organizations that significantly impact the field of education, so it is crucial for management agencies to provide optimal services with high productivity.

In the context of education, organizational commitment is the key to improving the work productivity of educational personnel. This includes their attitudes and behaviors that are always focused on improving their work’s quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. The work done today is expected to be better than before, and the work in the future is expected to be of higher quality than the present.

To improve organizational work productivity, especially in education, it is important to have educational facilities that include equipment and supplies for the teaching and learning process, such as buildings, classrooms, desks, chairs, and teaching materials. Educational infrastructure is also needed, such as yards, gardens, and access roads to educational institutions, which, although not directly used in teaching, still support the education process.

The importance of revitalizing the relationship between educational institutions (madrasah), the community, and the surrounding environment is also highlighted. This is necessary so that educational institutions can develop programs relevant to community support; conversely, the community can benefit from the educational programs provided by these institutions. School principals play a crucial role in building mutually beneficial relationships with the community.

In achieving educational goals, good coordination and organizational commitment are essential. With efficient management, educational institutions like madrasahs must manage various aspects, including curriculum, teaching programs, human resources, student affairs, finances, facilities and infrastructure, and community relations.

Gordon (2002) argues that loyalty to the organization is a factor of pride and an individual’s continuous loyalty to an organization with rewards that benefit the organization’s members.

Mowday, Porter, and Steers (2002) define organizational commitment as: “The relative strength of an individual’s identification with and involvement in a particular organization.” This definition indicates that organizational commitment goes beyond passive loyalty and involves active engagement and employees’ desire to make meaningful contributions to their organization.

Therefore, we can understand that commitment is the foundation of relationships within an organization and is a crucial element in achieving long-term success. It can be considered an unwritten agreement among members of an organization to fulfil their roles within the company. Organizational commitment has a significant impact on enhancing effective performance. Thus, neglecting organizational commitment can have adverse and detrimental effects.

Developments in the education sector and strategies implemented at the institutional level involve considerations of the type of commitment that should be prioritized by educational institutions, namely loyalty and commitment. The importance lies in building loyalty based on commitment. Commitment factors within an organization become very significant because when teachers and educational staff have a high level of commitment to the institution, they will demonstrate professional behavior and respect the values agreed upon within the organization.

The author wants to emphasize that although the research to be conducted shares similarities with some previous studies related to the role of organizational commitment in improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff, this research has significant differences in several aspects:

1. This research approaches the concept of organizational commitment by focusing on the aspects that improve the work productivity of educators and educational staff at MAN 2 Blitar.
2. This research views organizational commitment from the perspective of the attitudes held by educators and educational staff in their efforts to improve their productivity at MAN 2 Blitar.
3. This research explores the concept of organizational commitment through the lens of organizational loyalty to enhance the work productivity of educators and educational staff at MAN 2 Blitar.

Overall, the researcher wants to emphasize that the research on the role of organizational commitment in improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff at MAN 2 Blitar has significant differences from previous studies. These differences include the research focus, research questions, and areas of concern, so it can be ensured that the research results obtained have a level of novelty that can be justified.

RESEARCH METHOD

This research adopts a qualitative research method, aiming to describe and interpret the research subject following the actual conditions. The choice of a qualitative approach was made because this method can detail and understand the underlying meanings of participants’ behavior, uncover complex contexts and interactions, explore to identify various types of information and explain phenomena. Within the framework of qualitative research methods, the relevant approach is naturalistic phenomenology. Naturalistic phenomenology aims to understand phenomena in the context of their relationship with individuals in specific situations. This aligns with Bogdan’s perspective, which states that a phenomenological approach is used to understand human events and interactions.

Data is collected directly from the natural environment as the primary data source. A naturalistic paradigm is chosen because it allows researchers to explore the meaning of each phenomenon, hoping to discover local wisdom, traditional wisdom, ethical values, and relevant theories from the subjects under study. A deep understanding of data and theory development can only be achieved through detailed data collection aligned with existing theories.

The success or understanding of some instances is measured based on the researcher’s presence. The researcher is a critical element of the data collection process. In this context, the role of the researcher includes planning, implementation, data collection, analysis, data interpretation, and ultimately, presenting the research findings. As the individual responsible for data collection, the researcher visited MAN 2 Blitar.

This research is conducted at MAN 2 Blitar because this institution has unique characteristics in various aspects, including attitudes, loyalty, and organizational commitment. In addition, the development of formal educational institutions under the auspices of MAN 2 Blitar has experienced significant growth in physical facilities and the quantity and quality of educators and educational staff.

The researcher plays the primary role in the data collection process. In this role, the researcher acts as a planner, executor, data collector, analyst, data interpreter, and ultimately, a presenter of research findings.

Data in this research refers to information obtained through observation or field research that can be analyzed to understand a phenomenon or support a theory. The data collected in this research aligns with the research focus, which is an organizational commitment to improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff at MAN 2 Blitar.

Data collection in this research used the snowball sampling method, where key informants recommend other individuals who know the issue being studied to provide additional insights, and each recommended individual can refer others if the information they provide is still insufficient.

The data types in this research are divided into primary and secondary data. Primary data is obtained through words, spoken statements, and behaviors obtained directly from the main subjects, such as the head of the madrasah, educators, the deputy head of facilities and infrastructure, the deputy head of the curriculum, and administrative staff. Secondary data is data obtained from other sources, such as writings, recordings, images, or photos related to processes or activities related to organizational commitment to improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff. Both types of data complement and reinforce each other.

The data sources in this research are the subjects from whom the data was collected. All collected data are relevant to the research focus. The concept described by Lofland, as cited by Moleong, states that the primary data source in qualitative research is words and actions. In contrast, others are considered additional data, such as documents.

Miles and Huberman (2014) state that in the analysis of qualitative research data, three main steps occur in parallel, namely, 1) data condensation, 2) data display, and 3) drawing conclusions or verification. This is as described in the following diagram:

Figure 1 The Data Analysis Technique of Single-Site According to Matthew B. Miles and A. Michael Huberman (See in PDF File)

This research involves several stages, consisting of the pre-fieldwork stage, fieldwork stage, data analysis stage, and reporting stage.

1. The pre-fieldwork stage begins the research, where the researcher gathers relevant data sources and conducts an initial study of the research problem. Activities in this pre-fieldwork stage involve exploring the research background and assessing its usefulness in understanding the elements and natural conditions in the research setting.
2. The fieldwork stage is where the researcher collects data related to the research focus at the location. Data collection is done through interviews, observations, and document collection.
3. The data analysis stage is the stage where the researcher organizes the collected data systematically and in detail. The goal is to make the data more easily understood and explainable to others.
4. The reporting stage is the final stage, where the researcher compiles a written report containing the research results.

1. RESEARCH RESULTS

The attitude of organizational commitment is a crucial element that is highly important in management across various types or forms of organizations. In practice, the Principal of MAN 2 Blitar demonstrates highly effective leadership by fulfilling their role as the head of the madrasah with exceptional abilities in implementing the functions of POAC (Planning, Organization, Direction, and Control) within the institution. This includes planning that is developed by the head of the madrasah in collaboration with other staff members, including proposed programs and necessary actions to be taken or not taken.

Data obtained through interviews with the Principal of Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 2 Blitar provides information about the attitude of organizational commitment in enhancing the work productivity of educators and educational staff as follows:

“In summary, the steps in shaping the organizational personality at MAN 2 Blitar involve evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of previous work programs, assessing the madrasah’s conditions through evaluation, formulating objectives to strengthen the madrasah, implementing actions, evaluation, and follow-up plans. This process doesn’t involve just the head of the madrasah but also various stakeholders such as the administrative head, vice principals, staff, educators, educational staff, students, and the madrasah committee. The goal is to work together for the advancement of the madrasah, which is collectively owned, with the belief that good actions will benefit each individual in return.”

Based on the results of interviews and observations, it can be concluded that in the madrasah, each individual has personal expectations in organizing and educating, and they have their vision and mission to help the institution become more excellent and characterized, thus enabling effective competition in the future. In this context, the attitude of organizational commitment becomes necessary in the madrasah. Teachers play a crucial role in influencing students’ talents, interests, and character, and the successful implementation of organizational commitment contributes to the achievement of results in improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff.

The achievements that have been developed become a new spirit, along with transparent communication and strong organizational commitment, help realize the expected dreams of the madrasah. In shaping students’ character, teachers must demonstrate role models through their behaviour because teacher behaviour will serve as an example for students. Teachers are responsible for implementing specific values and personality goals. The relay process of organizational leadership at MAN 2 Blitar is an assessment tool for evaluating the organizational system. This aims to learn how to maintain and improve effectiveness, efficiency, and innovation within the madrasah.

Based on observations, it was also found that a cooperation-oriented approach focused on maintaining membership in the organization has significant value in designing plans considering various stakeholders in educational institutions. This is related to the goal of shaping the organizational personality, which includes noble moral values for educators and educational staff through implementing the Adiwiyata program, which focuses on environmental awareness at MAN 2 Blitar.

This cooperative orientation also reflects an innovative attitude applied collectively, creating a different atmosphere when entering the madrasah. Additionally, career guidance, discipline, and mental development for educators and educational staff help produce competent individuals so that the madrasah can better face government programs.

MAN 2 Blitar involves the entire madrasah community in various activities. The positive impact of an active and harmonious madrasah organization is felt. This is due to the various plants and flowers in the madrasah, giving the impression that the madrasah is always green, beautiful, and clean.

Every Friday, a collective cleaning activity indeed takes place. All members of the madrasah community, including students, educators, staff, and others, participate in this activity. Two teachers assist each class, and tasks are assigned to clean various areas in the madrasah. The importance here is that this cleaning activity is consistent with effective learning processes according to the academic schedule.

Planning in the curriculum field is also crucial and should be noticed. The results of curriculum planning involving the Principal (Kamad) and all parties appointed to attend this meeting are evident in several tangible forms. The madrasah showcases students’ achievements in academic and non-academic fields through a row of trophies in front of the vice-principals office and various artworks in the madrasah corridors leading to the field and student classrooms.

Work productivity improvement is supported by a room used by the Adiwiyata team as a waste bank. Inside this room are several waste stacks, such as plastic bottles and cups. These wastes are collected from each class by students and then combined into one, resulting in a balance distributed to students at the end of each semester. In addition, there is also the management of a healthy canteen that involves active participation from students through the Adiwiyata team, with the support of several madrasah employees.

The Principal regularly evaluates the work programs that have been carried out before planning the next work program. In addition, the Principal also frequently conducts surprise inspections of students related to cleanliness issues and other matters. This action aims to ensure that the planned programs align with the previous plans. If there are discrepancies or deviations, corrective measures are promptly taken together to address the issues. Therefore, this process in shaping and maintaining membership in the organization becomes a key factor for the sustainability of subsequent processes.

There are several activity programs carried out, one of which is the Adiwiyata program. The Adiwiyata program is one of the initiatives of the Ministry of Environment aimed at increasing the knowledge and awareness of the madrasah community about the environment, with the hope that this will shape an environmentally caring character in efforts to preserve the environment. Under this program, it is desired that all madrasah members participate in various activities that support achieving a healthy environment and avoid negative impacts on the environment.

From observations and interviews, the following information was also obtained:

1. Organizational structure represents various components that form the madrasah institution. Each human resource within the madrasah has a specific role and function within the framework of this organizational structure.
2. The orientation in establishing the organizational structure is for the benefit of the madrasah, intending to place individuals with competence that aligns with their respective fields and expertise.
3. Implementing the organizational structure allows members of the madrasah to understand the roles and responsibilities of educational and educational staff. Placing individuals in positions that match their abilities can also serve as the basis for human resource management in determining the salaries of the respective employees.

Within the curriculum and student affairs program framework, the madrasah’s organizational system governs the policies of conduct applied by the madrasah from the moment students enter until they leave. This includes rules, internal activities, and extracurricular activities.

Based on the observations conducted by the researcher, it was also found that every morning, educational and educational staff gather at the madrasah’s gate to welcome students by implementing the 5S culture. When the school bell rings at 07:00 AM, all students are directed to go to the mosque to perform the Duha prayer together and read the Quran together. After that, students enter their respective classrooms under the guidance of the duty teacher while singing the Indonesian National Anthem and the MAN 2 Blitar school anthem. Then, the lessons begin. During the midday break, when it is time to leave the madrasah, the assigned teachers perform their duties.

The organizational system in MAN 2 Blitar is an excellent example of improving work productivity. Although, in general, the services provided by this madrasah may have similarities with other institutions, this madrasah has a unique identity for its members. This can be seen from the level of comfort and satisfaction experienced by educational staff, support staff, and students while in the madrasah. Some students even choose to continue extracurricular activities after school hours or create activities to fill their free time between school activities.

In implementing the Adiwiyata program, there is active participation from all members of the madrasah. This can be seen through tangible results such as environmental cleanliness and various academic and non-academic achievements attained by madrasah members. Moreover, a sense of ownership towards the madrasah naturally grows within them. Therefore, strong cooperation among madrasah members plays a crucial role in maintaining the culture and values present in the madrasah.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the research findings, the following conclusions can be drawn, the aspects of organizational commitment that play a role in improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff at MAN 2 Blitar are as follows:

1. The compelling aspect of organizational commitment emphasizes the importance of the involvement of the madrasah head in developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes, which are critical factors in achieving the goal of improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff, as well as creating a harmonious environment within the madrasah.
2. The normative aspect of organizational commitment involves the development of individual potential under the madrasah’s values, vision, mission, and objectives. This aims to create human resources capable of self-regulation and facing various challenges, thereby making the work productivity of educators and educational staff resilient and responsible.
3. The sustainability aspect of organizational commitment includes forming a nationalistic character, which serves as the basis for the madrasah’s efforts to maintain national unity. This is an integral part of improving the work productivity of educators and educational staff in achieving goals by establishing policies.

The researcher also provides recommendations based on the research findings, including:

1. The head of the madrasah at MAN 2 Blitar is advised to continue actively supporting organizational commitment to enhance the work productivity of educators and educational staff. It is hoped that the aspects of organizational commitment, attitudes, and loyalty to the organization applied by the madrasah leadership towards educators and educational staff can improve. Conversely, educators and educational staff can provide the same level of support.
2. For educators and educational staff, it is essential to implement professional and broad-minded actions to enhance work productivity. This will ensure that the organizational commitment policy system remains effective, efficient, and competitive while upholding noble values and shared goals.
3. For future researchers, this research is expected to serve as a valuable source of knowledge and a reference for further research. The research findings can be used to better understand this topic or expand it into other research areas that can enrich the existing research findings.

REFERENCES

1. Arqawi, S. M., Al-Hila, A. A., Abu Naser, S. S., & Al Shobaki, M. J. (2018). Beyond the interactive and procedural justice of the heads from departments and their relationship to organizational loyalty from the point of view of the faculty staff. International Journal of Academic Management Science Research (IJAMSR), 2(10), 1-8.
2. Daft, R. L. (2012). Era Baru Manajemen. Jakarta: Salemba Empat.
3. Dalgic, R. U. (2021). Relationship Between School Principals’ Strategic Leadership Characteristics and School Teachers’ Organizatıonal Commitment Levels. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research Vol. 91, 105 – 126.
4. Gordon, J. R. (2002). Organizational Behavior, A. Diagnnostic Approach. New Jersey, USA.: Prentce Hall Int’l Inc.
5. Miles, M. H., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis, A Methods Sourcebook, Edition 3. USA: Sage Publication. Terjemahan Tjetjep Rohindi Rohidi, UI-Press.
6. Putra, Y. D., & Soband, A. (2019). Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia Sebagai Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Produktivitas Kerja Pegawai Dinas Pendidikan di Kota Bandung, di publikasikan Jurnal Manajemen Penddikan dan Perkantoran. Jurnal Manajemen Penddikan dan Perkantoran,Vol 4, No 1.
7. , M., Porter, L. W., & Steeras, R. (2002). Organizational Linkages : the Psychology of Commitment, Absenteeism, and Turnover. San Diego, California: Academic Press.
8. Stephen, R. (2015). Perilaku Organisasi. Jakarta: Salemba Empat.
9. (2018). Metode Penelitian Pendidikan. Bandung: Alfabeta.
10. (2005). Metode Penelitian Pendidikan: Kompetensi dan Praktiknya. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
11. Sumantri, M. S. (2015). Strategi Pembelajaran. Depok: PT. Rajagrafindo.
12. (2013). Manajemen Berbasis Sekolah dari Teori Sampai dengan Praktik. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
13. Verawati, Y., & Utomo, J. (2011). Pengaruh Komitmen Organisasi, Partisipasi, dan Motivasi Terhadap Kinerja Karyawan. Jurnal Analisis Manajemen Vol. 5, No. 2.
14. Weiner, Y. (1982). Commitment in Organizations: A Normative view. Academy of Management Review.
15. (2011). Manajemen Kinerja. Jakarta: Rajawali Press.
16. Widjaja, W. A. (2008). Komunikasi dan Hubungan Masyarakat. Jakarta: Bumi Aksara.
17. (2007). Perbedaan Persepsi Atribut Pekerjaan dan Kepuasan Kerja dalam Perspektif LakiLaki, Perempuan, Tua, dan Muda terhadap Profesi Akuntansi (Studi Empiris pada Profesi Akuntansi di Propinsi Lampung). Semarang: Universitas Diponegoro.
18. Zeithaml, V. A., & Bitner, M. J. (2011). Service Marketing Strategy. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
19. (2011). Desain Pendidikan Karakter, Konsepsi, dan Aplikasinya dalam Lembaga Pendidikan. Jakarta: Kencana Prenada Media Group.
20. (2014). Peranan Komitmen Organisasi dan Employee Engagement terhadap Kesiapan Karyawan untuk Perubahan. Jurnal Psikologi, Vol. 41, No. 1, 17-33.