What do you mean by job satisfaction?

Job satisfaction or employee satisfaction is the feeling of pleasure, enjoyment, and fulfillment that workers derive from their job. It is the degree to which somebody knows that their job is worth doing. Job satisfaction also refers to the degree to which people’s jobs give them this feeling.

Put simply; job satisfaction is the pleasure we get from doing our job.

Teaching, for example, will not make you rich, but it will probably give you job satisfaction. You will get that feeling especially if you like to help people learn.

The Cambridge Dictionary has the following definition of the term:

“The feeling of pleasure and achievement that you experience in your job when you know that your work is worth doing, or the degree to which your work gives you this feeling.”

Determining levels of job satisfaction in a company is the job of human resources professionals. Specifically, those carrying out job analyses.

Concept of job satisfaction

The concept of job satisfaction varies considerably. Edwin A. Locke, an American psychologist and a pioneer in goal-setting theory, defined it as:

“A pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences.”

The responses are based on two dimensions i.e. constructive/destructive and activity/passivity.

Exit:

Individual starts searching a new job and resign from the current job.

Voice:

Employees tries to improve working conditions. In the process suggestion to management are submitted, increased union activates and communication is important.

Loyalty:

Workers behave passively in situation like external criticism. They wait for things to improve on their own.

Neglect:

Deliberately and consciously allow conditions to worsen by long absenteeism, lack of interest for quality control, targets, quota, etc. They put in reduced efforts and display lack of interest

Job Satisfaction – How to Increase Job Satisfaction?

In case the employers want to create job satisfaction for their employees, they should keep the following things into consideration:

1. Grievance-Handling Procedure:

It is desirable that the complaints of the workers are heard patiently and the problems solved as far as possible. Factories in which the workers’ demands/ grievances are not handled properly suffer because the workers lose confidence in the manage­ment and become frustrated.

2. Satisfactory Future:

Every worker is definitely concerned about his/her future prospects. If the factory rules clearly lay down the conditions for promotion and advancement, and if the worker gets the expected promotion and improvement in pay scales at the right time, then he/ she feels more satisfied with his/her job and becomes confident of his/her future.

If on the other hand, the worker feels that even good work will not be rewarded, then he/she becomes frustrated and slack in his/her work.

3. Testing the Worker’s Ability and Progress:

Every worker, whether in a factory or in an office, desires that he/she should be paid according to his/her ability. If he/she has undergone some new training or has increased his/her ability to work in some way, then he/she should be com­pensated for his/her better ability through a rise in salary.

Organisations in which the manage­ment keeps an eye on the ability and progress of its workers normally provide a high degree of job satisfaction to their workers. It is necessary that the management should give the workers some opportunity of progressing higher and higher.

If, on the other hand, the organisation does not pay any attention to the abilities and increased efficiency of its staff, it suffers in the long run because the workers also lose interest in their jobs and do not often try to improve their level of efficiency. This happens because they feel that an increase in qualifications or efficiency is not related to progress or promotion.

4. Respect for Creative Suggestions:

Generally speaking, a worker working under a particular set of conditions is best qualified to say how and where improvements can be made. If workers are encouraged to suggest ways and means of improving productivity and the conditions of work, they often come with very valuable ideas.

This helps in increasing job satisfaction because when the worker is praised for giving a good practical idea, he/she tends to pay more attention to his/her work in order to win more praise. If suggestions are neglected, then the worker feels dissatisfied and over a period of time his/her creativity is killed.

5. Cordial Analysis or Evaluation of Work Performance:

In every organisation, the manager or the supervisor has to offer critical comments of the work performed by the worker because he/ she must point out the worker’s mistakes and try to eliminate them. If this criticism is offered in a cordial and friendly way, more as a suggestion than criticism, then his/her job satisfaction is also thereby maintained. But if the worker is humiliated or bitterly criticised for his/her mistakes, then he/she loses his/her peace of mind.

6. Increase in Wages:

Rules governing increases in salary should be clear and explicit and should be acted upon impartially and regularly. If the worker gets the anticipated increase in salary at the right time, then he/she feels satisfied with his/her job. If this does not happen, then dissatisfaction is the result. Increase in salary is, in fact, the most important factor in job satisfaction.

7. Praise for Good Performance:

If workers are not praised for exceptional performance in their work, then they lose interest in it and as a result, the organisation suffers. Generally, the worker prefers to work well and remain occupied than merely to pass the time allotted to him/her.

If he/she is also encouraged in his/her work by an occasional word of praise and respect, then he/she is further motivated to maintain a high level of efficiency and in fact to improve it. If he/she is not praised for his/her work, then his/her enthusiasm and zeal imme­diately fall.

8. Promotion According to Ability:

In every organisation, some people get retired after com­pletion of their service period, leaving scope for promotion for the junior employees. If promotion is based upon the ability of the worker, then the worker’s mental satisfaction is maintained. If, on the other hand, promotion depends upon other factors such as casteism and personal favour, then the workers interest in his/her work declines.

9. Proper Quantum of Work:

If job satisfaction is to be maintained, it is essential that the expected quantity of work does not exceed the individual’s ability to complete it. If he/she has to work more than he/she comfortably can for a long time, then he/she is bound to become disgusted, depressed and tired.

10. Equal Wages for Equal Work:

Labour unions in almost every industry are demanding that there should be equal pay for equal work. In any factory or office, a worker must be paid as much as other workers are being paid in his/her or other organisations for similar work. The worker feels satisfied if this equality is maintained. If it is not, then the worker loses his/her satisfaction.

11. Freedom to Seek Help in Solving Problems:

Very often the worker is faced by problems in his/her work that he/she cannot solve alone. In such a case, he/she should be free to seek help and guidance from other workers or his/her superiors. If it is so, then the worker gets more job satisfaction.

12. Absence of Unnecessary Intervention and Criticism:

No individual wants to sacrifice his/ her self-respect. If the worker is unnecessarily shown disrespect or abused, then he/she quickly becomes dissatisfied. Hence, he/she should be protected from useless interruptions and criticism.

13. Satisfactory Hours of Work:

The hours of work in any factory or office should be convenient and so arranged as to offer the least possible inconvenience to the largest number of employ­ees. If this is not looked into, the workers become dissatisfied.

14. Availability of Leaves and Rest:

In every industrial organisation, the workers should be given the proper amount of rest and holidays on festivals and other occasions of social celebrations. Nowadays, workers are allowed to avail themselves of around 10 casual leaves and 30 earned leaves every year in addition to the weekly holiday.

Holidays given on festivals and on occa­sions of general celebration are in addition to this. Female workers are allowed fairly long leaves during pregnancy. It is generally seen that workers feel satisfied if the management in any organisation follows a liberal policy towards leaves to workers.

It is evident from this description of factors influencing job satisfaction that it necessitates the creation of certain conditions of work. Different factors may be important in different situations. An increase in wages is a common factor which is important everywhere.

Promotion is another factor which plays an important role in maintaining or destroying job satisfaction. Apart from this, other factors may be more or less important, depending upon the situation.

For example, an organisation in which the workers educational degrees have great importance should also see to it that the worker is promoted when he/she adds to his/her qualifications. Finally, it can be said that job satisfaction depends on all those factors which influence morale.

Job Satisfaction and Productivity – Relationship

For a number of years both social scientists and managers believed that high job satisfaction led to high performance. Not only did this belief fit into the value system of the human relations movement but there also appeared to be some research data to support this point.

In the Western Electric studies, the evidence from the Relay Assembly Test Room showed a dynamitic tendency for increased employee productivity to be associated with an increase in job satisfaction.

But many later studies have now established that the above belief is not correct. According to Victor Vroom, job satisfaction rather than causing performance is caused by it. He points out that good performance leads to various kinds of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards which in turn lead to satisfaction. This is shown in the Fig. 16.1.

As shown in the above figure performance may lead to two types of rewards intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic rewards are subject to fewer disturbing influences and thus are likely to be more directly related to good performance. This connection is indicated in the figure by a semi-wavy line.

Extrinsic rewards are subject to a number of disturbing influences and thus are imperfectly related to good performance. This is indicated in the figure by a wavy line.

The rewards do not directly lead to satisfaction but moderated by the individual’s perception of what he considers to be a fair level reward. Job satisfaction is closely affected by the amount of rewards an individual derives from his job as well as what he, considers to be a fair level of rewards. Job performance is closely affected by the basis of attainment of rewards.

Job satisfaction describes how content an individual is with his or her job. The happier people are within their job, the more satisfied they are said to be. Job satisfaction is not the same as motivation, although it is clearly linked. Job design aims to enhance job satisfaction and performance methods include job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment.

Other influences on satisfaction include the management style and culture, employee involvement, empowerment and autonomous work groups. Job satisfaction is a very important attribute which is frequently measured by organizations. The most common way of measurement is the use of rating scales where employees report their reactions to their jobs.

Questions relate to rate of pay, work responsibilities, variety of tasks, promotional opportunities the work itself and co-workers. Some questioners ask yes or no questions while others ask to rate satisfaction on 1 -5 scale (where 1 represents “not at all satisfied” and 5 represents “extremely satisfied”).

Job Satisfaction – Top 3 Theories: Content, Process and Situational Theories

There are numerous theories attempting to explain job satisfaction, but three conceptual frameworks seem to be more prominent.

The first is content theory, which suggests that job satisfaction occurs when one’s need for growth and self-actualization are met by the individual’s job. The second conceptual framework is often referred to as process theory, which attempts to explain job satisfaction by looking at how well the job meets one’s expectations and values. The third conceptual group includes situational theories, which proposes that job satisfaction is a product of how well an individual’s personal characteristics interact or mesh with the organizational characteristics.

1. Content Theories:

The earliest content theory was Abraham Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs”. Maslow’s (1954) traditionalist views of job satisfaction were based on his five-tier model of human needs. At the lowest tier, basic life sustaining needs such as water, food, and shelter were identified. The next level consisted of physical and financial security, while the third tier included needs of social acceptance, belonging, and love.

The fourth tier incorporated self-esteem needs and recognition by one’s peers and at the top of the pyramid was reserved for self-actualization needs such as personal autonomy and self-direction. According to Maslow, the needs of an individual exist in a logical order and that the basic lower level needs must be satisfied before those at higher levels. Then, once the basic needs are fulfilled, they no longer serve as motivators for the individual.

The more a job allows for growth and acquisition of higher level needs, the more likely the individual is to report satisfaction with his or her job. Furthermore, the success of motivating people depends on recognizing the needs that are unsatisfied and helping the individual to meet those needs.

Building on the theories of Maslow, Frederick Hertzberg (1974) suggested that the work itself could serve as a principal source of job satisfaction. His approach led to the two- continuum model of job satisfaction where job satisfaction was placed on one continuum and job dissatisfaction was placed on a second. Hertzberg’s theory recognized that work characteristics generated by dissatisfaction were quite different from those created by satisfaction.

He identified the factors that contribute to each dimension as “motivators” and “hygiene”. The motivators are intrinsic factors that influence satisfaction based on fulfillment of higher level needs such as achievement, recognition, and opportunity for growth. The hygiene factors are extrinsic variables that such as work conditions, pay, and interpersonal relationships that must be met to prevent dissatisfaction. When hygiene factors are poor, work will be dissatisfying.

However, simply removing the poor hygiene does not equate to satisfaction. Similarly, when people are satisfied with their job, motivators are present, but removing the motivators does not automatically lead to dissatisfaction. Essentially, job satisfaction depends on the extrinsic characteristics of the job, in relation to the job’s ability to fulfill ones higher level needs of self-actualization. Hence the two continuum model of Hertzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene theory.

2. Process Theories:

Process theories attempt to explain job satisfaction by looking at expectancies and values. This theory of job satisfaction suggests that workers’ select their behaviours in order to meet their needs. Within this framework, Adams’ (1963) and Vroom (1982) have become the most prominent theorists. J. Stacy Adams’ suggested that people perceive their job as a series of inputs and outcomes.

Inputs are factors such as experience, ability, and effort, while outcomes include things like salary, recognition, and opportunity. The theory is based on the premise that job satisfaction is a direct result of individuals’ perceptions of how fairly they are treated in comparison to others. This “equity theory” proposes that people seek social equity in the rewards they expect for performance. In other words, people feel satisfied at work when the input or contribution to a job and the resulting outcome are commensurate to that of their co-workers.

According to Milkovich and Newman (1990), this social equity is not limited to others within the same workplace, and the equity comparisons often reach into other organizations that are viewed as similar places of employment.

Vroom’s (1964) theory of job satisfaction was similar in that it looked at the interaction between personal and workplace variables; however, he also incorporated the element of workers’ expectations into his theory. The essence of this theory is that if workers put forth more effort and perform better at work, then they will be compensated accordingly. Discrepancies that occur between expected compensation and actual outcome lead to dissatisfaction.

If employees receive less than they expect or otherwise feel as if they have been treated unfairly, then dissatisfaction may occur. Conversely, overcompensation may also lead to dissatisfaction and the employee may experience feelings of guilt. The compensation does not have to be monetary, but pay is typically the most visible and most easily modified element of outcome. Salary also has significance beyond monetary value and the potential to acquire material items, and Gruenberg (1979) notes that it is also an indication of personal achievement, organizational status, and recognition.

Vroom’s theory also goes one step further to incorporate an individual’s personal decision making within the work-place. Vroom (1982) explained that employees would choose to do or not do job tasks based on their perceived ability to carry out the task and earn fair compensation. To illustrate and clarify his ideas, Vroom generated a three- variable equation for scientifically determining job satisfaction.

Expectancy is the first variable, and this is the individual’s perception of how well he or she can carry out the given task. Instrumentality is the second variable of the equation, and this refers to the individual’s confidence that he or she will be compensated fairly for performing the task. Valence is the third variable, which considers the value of the expected reward to the employee.

In Vroom’s formula each variable is given a probability value, and when all three factors are high, workers will be more satisfied and have more motivation. If any of the factors are low, work performance and employee motivation will decline.

3. Situational Theories:

The situational occurrences theory emerged in 1992, when Quarstein, McAfee, and Glassman stated that job satisfaction is determined by two factors: situational characteristics and situational occurrences. Situational characteristics are things such as pay, supervision, working conditions, promotional opportunities, and company policies that typically are considered by the employee before accepting the job.

The situational occurrences are things that occur after taking a job that may be tangible or intangible, positive or negative. Positive occurrences might include extra vacation time, while negative occurrences might entail faulty equipment or strained co-worker relationships. Within this theoretical framework, job satisfaction is a product of both situational factors and situational occurrences.

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