DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT AMONG EMPLOYEES OF A MALAYSIAN PRIVATE BANK
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7si4.1655Keywords:
demographic, psychological empowerment, bank, MalaysiaAbstract
Psychological empowerment has garnered considerable scholarly interest due to its contribution to employee effectiveness, motivation, and organisational performance. While prior research has extensively examined empowerment from organisational and managerial perspectives, a critical gap remains in understanding demographic differences in psychological empowerment, particularly within non-Western organisational settings. Accordingly, this study examined differences in psychological empowerment across selected demographic characteristics among employees of a Malaysian private bank. Using a non-probability sampling design, a quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data were collected using Spreitzer's psychological empowerment measure. Questionnaires were administered through the human resources department of the participating bank, resulting in 432 responses from 900 questionnaires distributed. After data screening, 421 valid responses were retained for independent-samples t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicated that age and gender did not significantly differentiate employees' perceptions of psychological empowerment. However, significant differences were found for ethnicity (t = −3.762, p < 0.001) and organisational tenure (F = 7.552, p < 0.001). Employees belonging to the combined non-Malay ethnic group reported higher levels of psychological empowerment than Malay employees, contrary to previous empirical findings, while employees with longer organisational tenure reported greater psychological empowerment, a finding that corroborates previous empirical evidence. Despite its single-organisation focus, this study contributes to the psychological empowerment literature by demonstrating that demographic characteristics do not consistently differentiate employees' perceptions of psychological empowerment. Practically, the findings suggest that organisations should implement targeted empowerment initiatives, such as structured mentoring programmes that leverage the expertise of long-tenured employees to strengthen psychological empowerment among employees with shorter organisational tenure.
References
[1] Ahmad, A., Ambad, S.N.A., Syed Mohd, S.J.A.N., Lajuni, N. (2021): The moderation effect of job tenure on psychological empowerment and employee performance in Malaysia public sector. – International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences 11(4): 780-796.
[2] Bartram, T., Casimir, G. (2007): The relationship between leadership and follower in-role performance and satisfaction with the leader: The mediating effects of empowerment and trust in the leader. – Leadership & Organization Development Journal 28(1): 4-19.
[3] Brace, N., Kemp, R., Snelgar, R. (2006): SPSS for Psychologists: A Guide to Data Analysis Using SPSS for Windows. – Palgrave Macmillan, London. 450p.
[4] Cahya Asih, F.B., Izzati, U.A. (2026): The influence of psychological empowerment on workforce agility in employees: A lesson in improving human resource quality. – Journal of Educational Management Research 5(1): 607-622.
[5] Carless, S.A. (2004): Does psychological empowerment mediate the relationship between psychological climate and job satisfaction? – Journal of Business and Psychology 18(4): 405-425.
[6] De Lange, A.H., Taris, T.W., Jansen, P.G.W., Smulders, P., Houtman, I.L.D., Kompier, M.A.J. (2006): Age as a factor in the relation between work and mental health: Results from the longitudinal TAS study. – In: Houdmont, J., McIntyre, S. (eds.): Occupational Health Psychology: European Perspectives on Research, Education and Practice 1: 21-45.
[7] Dewettinck, K., Van Ameijde, M. (2011): Linking leadership empowerment behaviour to employee attitudes and behavioural intentions: Testing the mediating role of psychological empowerment. – Personnel Review 40(3): 284-305.
[8] Dimitriades, Z.S., Kufidu, S. (2004): Individual, job, organizational and contextual correlates of employment empowerment: Some Greek evidence. – Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies 9(2): 36-43.
[9] Ergeneli, A., Ari, G.S., Metin, S. (2007): Psychological empowerment and its relationship to trust in immediate managers. – Journal of Business Research 60(1): 41-49.
[10] Field, A. (2024): Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics. – Sage Publications, London 1144p.
[11] Hancer, M., George, R.T. (2003): Psychological empowerment of non-supervisory employees working in full-service restaurants. – International Journal of Hospitality Management 22(1): 3-16.
[12] Holdsworth, L. (2007): Empowerment, Satisfaction and Employee Well-Being: The Dilemma for Call Centres. – The University of Manchester, Manchester 200p.
[13] Huang, X., Shi, K., Zhang, Z., Cheung, Y.L. (2006): The impact of participative leadership behavior on psychological empowerment and organizational commitment in Chinese state-owned enterprises: The moderating role of organizational tenure. – Asia Pacific Journal of Management 23(3): 345-367.
[14] Keqin, M., Jianjun, M. (2024): Exploring communal harmony of Malaysia’s culturally and religiously diverse society. – AL-ITQAN: Journal of Islamic Sciences and Comparative Studies 9(2): 106-121.
[15] Khoury, S.Z. (2024): The Relationship Between Psychological Empowerment and Demographic Variables Among Secondary Public-School Educators. – Cornerstone University, Michigan 125p.
[16] Koberg, C.S., Boss, R.W., Senjem, J.C., Goodman, E.A. (1999): Antecedents and outcomes of empowerment: Empirical evidence from the health care industry. – Group & Organization Management 24(1): 71-91.
[17] Llorente-Alonso, M., García-Ael, C., Topa, G. (2024): A meta-analysis of psychological empowerment: Antecedents, organizational outcomes, and moderating variables. – Current Psychology 43: 1759-1784.
[18] Mangundjaya, W.L., Arumi, M.S., Wicaksana, S.A. (2024): How diversities in demographic have related to psychological empowerment? – Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental 18(7): 1-20.
[19] Matthews, R.A., Diaz, W.M., Cole, S.G. (2003): The organizational empowerment scale. – Personnel Review 32(3): 297-318.
[20] Miller, P.A., Goddard, P., Laschinger, H.K.S. (2001): Evaluating physical therapists' perception of empowerment using Kanter's theory of structural power in organizations. – Physical Therapy 81(12): 1880-1888.
[21] Nwanzu, C.L., Babalola, S.S. (2024): Psychological empowerment as moderator of the relationship between core self-evaluation and proactive work behaviour. – Cogent Business & Management 11(1): 1-17.
[22] Obi, G.V. (2021): Gender perceptions of psychological empowerment in the workplace: A comparative analysis from two cultures. – International Journal of Business and Social Science Research 2(7): 1-7.
[23] Özaralli, N. (2003): Effects of transformational leadership on empowerment and team effectiveness. – Leadership & Organization Development Journal 24(6): 335-344.
[24] Pallant, J. (2020): SPSS Survival Manual: A Step by Step Guide to Data Analysis Using IBM SPSS. – Routledge, London 378p.
[25] Panagiotis, G., Leonidas, H., Eugenia, P. (2011): The impact of leaders' humor on employees' psychological empowerment: The moderating role of tenure. – Journal of Managerial Issues 23(1): 83-95.
[26] Pitts, D.W. (2005): Leadership, empowerment and public organizations. – Review of Public Personnel Administration 25(1): 5-28.
[27] Rasheed, R., Rashid, A., Tunio, M.N., Amirah, N.A. (2026): Measuring the impact of leadership attributes on employee engagement through psychological empowerment: A study from the pharmaceutical industry. – Evidence-based HRM: A Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship 14(1): 154-170.
[28] Rattanasuk, D., Khuwatsamrit, K. (2021): Causal model of psychological empowerment among people with spinal cord injury in Thailand. – Orthopaedic Nursing 40(3): 136-143.
[29] Spreitzer, G.M. (1995): Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement and validation. – Academy of Management Journal 38(5): 1442-1465.
[30] Spreitzer, G.M. (1996): Social structural characteristics of psychological empowerment. – Academy of Management Journal 39(2): 483-504.
[31] Steegh, R., Van De Voorde, K., Paauwe, J., Sharp, Y.S. (2026): How the agile way of working relates to adaptivity and work engagement: The role of psychological empowerment and Product Owner support. – European Management Journal 15p.
[32] Tahir, M.A., Rana, S.A. (2013): Balochistan: An evaluation of the level of psychological empowerment and well-being among Baloch and other ethnic groups. – The Dialogue 8(1): 85-97.
[33] Tuuli, M.M., Rowlinson, S. (2009): Empowerment in project teams: A multilevel examination of the job performance implications. – Construction Management and Economics 27(5): 473-498.
[34] United States Bureau of the Census (1992): Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1992. The National Data Book. – U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 979p.
[35] Yukl, G. (2002): Leadership in Organizations. – Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 508p.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 AZZARINA ZAKARIA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
