Job satisfaction of frontline enforcement officers: a study of job demands, resources, stressors (JDRS) among officers of Indian Customs

Abstract

"The enforcement and regulatory public services, operating in a highly sensitive context with national security implications, display high job demands relative to resources. This study examines it through Frontline Customs Officers (FCO) serving as the first public interface at international airports in India. The FCO job revolves around facilitation, revenue, and preventive roles involving high stakes, risks, and pressures to meet growing public expectations for higher service standards (Shome, 2013). The study employed the job demands, resources and stressors (JDRS) framework (Demerouti, et al., 2001; Pandey, 2017) to identify variables, including public service motivation, and their relationship with burnout and job satisfaction. The study adopted a sequential mix-method research design (Johnson, Onwuegbuzie, & Turner, 2007). In qualitative phase 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted in multiple airport locations. Focussed group discussions, interviews of supervisors, various policy documents and reports were used for triangulation. The comprehensive model that emerged indicated job context dominated by high demands, resources inadequacy, and unique stressors leading to burnout, impacting job satisfaction. Subsequently, in quantitative phase, a questionnaire was developed and administered to a subset (n=373) of FCO population in various international airports across India. Linear regression analysis was employed to test the hypothesised model. Findings suggest high and time-sensitive job demands and stressors associate positively with burnout, while job resources including public service motivation (PSM) are 4 negatively associated with burnout. Job demands including affective demands impact job satisfaction indirectly mediated through burnout. Job resources, PSM, and job stressors directly impact job satisfaction and also exhibit indirect effects mediated through burnout. Hence, the resource augmentation, along with realignment of the HRM framework applicable to FCO and regulations, with a thrust on context-specific infrastructural upgrades, capacity building, PSM reinforcement, and ease of business process may help reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction of FCO. This comprehensive study of Customs expands scope and applicability of JDRS framework, adds to understanding about PSM for civil servants, and looks at India specific PSM measures. Finally, based on findings, insights and expert analysis, corrective policy pathways for resource augmentation, realigning human resource framework and review of specific regulations to reduce FCO burnout and enhance job satisfaction are suggested."