April 10, 2023

Job Satisfaction

April 10, 2023

Topics

What is Job Satisfaction?

Work Values.

Work Attitudes.

Theories of Job satisfaction.

Potential Consequences of Job satisfaction.

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What is Job satisfaction?Job satisfaction has been defined

as a pleasurable emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences.

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Work ValuesA worker’s personal conviction about what

outcomes one should expect from his works and how one should behave at work.

The most general and long-lasting feelings and beliefs people have that contribute to how they experience work.

Values can be intrinsic (i.e., related to the nature of work itself) or extrinsic (i.e., related to the consequences of work).

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Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Work Values

Intrinsic ValuesInteresting workChallenging workLearning new

thingsMaking important

contributionsResponsibility and

autonomyBeing creative

Extrinsic ValuesHigh payJob securityJob benefitsStatus in wider

communitySocial contactsTime with familyTime for hobbies

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Work AttitudesCollections of feelings, beliefs, and thoughts

about how to behave that people currently hold about their jobs and organizations.

Compared to values, attitudes are◦ More specific◦ Not as long lasting

Specific work attitudes:◦ Job satisfaction is the collection of feelings and

beliefs that people have about their current jobs.◦ Organizational commitment is the collection

of feelings and beliefs that people have about their organizations as a whole.

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Theories of Job SatisfactionEach theory of job satisfaction takes into

account one or more of the four main determinants of job satisfaction and specifies, in more detail, what causes one worker to be satisfied with a job and another to be dissatisfied.

Influential theories of job satisfaction include◦ The Facet Model◦ Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory◦ The Discrepancy Model◦ The Steady-State Theory

These different theoretical approaches should be viewed as complementary.

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The Facet ModelFocuses primarily on work situation factors

by breaking a job into its component elements, or job facets, and looking at how satisfied workers are with each.

A worker’s overall job satisfaction is determined by summing his or her satisfaction with each facet of the job.

Sample job facets:◦ Ability utilization: the extent to which the job

allows one to use one’s abilities.◦ Activity: being able to keep busy on the job.◦ Human relations supervision: the interpersonal

skills of one’s boss.

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Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Theory

Hypothesized relationships between motivator needs, hygiene needs, and job satisfaction:◦When motivator needs are met,

workers will be satisfied; when these needs are not met, workers will not be satisfied.

◦When hygiene needs are met, workers will not be dissatisfied; when these needs are not met, workers will be dissatisfied.

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Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene TheoryEvery worker has two sets of needs or

requirements: motivator needs and hygiene needs.

Motivator needs are associated with the actual work itself and how challenging it is.◦Facets: interesting work, autonomy,

responsibilityHygiene needs are associated with the

physical and psychological context in which the work is performed.◦Facets: physical working conditions, pay,

security

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The Discrepancy ModelTo determine how satisfied they

are with their jobs, workers compare their job to some “ideal job.” This “ideal job” could be◦What one thinks the job should be like◦What one expected the job to be like◦What one wants from a job◦What one’s former job was like

Can be used in combination with the Facet Model.

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The Steady-State TheoryEach worker has a typical or

characteristic level of job satisfaction, called the steady state or equilibrium level.

Different situational factors or events at work may move a worker temporarily from this steady state, but the worker will eventually return to his or her equilibrium level.

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Potential Consequencesof Job SatisfactionPerformance: Satisfied workers are only slightly

more likely to perform at a higher level than dissatisfied workers.◦ Satisfaction is most likely to affect work behaviors when

workers are free to vary their behaviors and when a worker’s attitude is relevant to the behavior in question.

Absenteeism: Satisfied workers are only slightly

less likely to be absent than dissatisfied workers.

Turnover: Satisfied workers are less likely to leave the organization than dissatisfied workers.

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Determinants of Absence from Work

Motivationto Attend Workis Affected by

Job satisfactionOrganization’s

absence policyOther factors

Abilityto Attend Workis Affected by

Illness and accidents

Transportation problems

Family responsibilities

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Potential Consequencesof Job SatisfactionOrganizational citizenship behavior

(OCB): Satisfied workers are more likely to engage in this behavior than dissatisfied workers.◦ OCB: Behavior that is above and beyond the

call of duty but is nonetheless necessary for organizational survival and effectiveness Helping coworkers, spreading goodwill

Worker well-being: Satisfied workers are more likely to have strong well-being than dissatisfied workers.◦ Worker well-being: How happy, healthy, and

prosperous workers are

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Advice to Managers Do not assume that poor performers are dissatisfied with their

jobs or that good performers are satisfied with their jobs. Do not assume that workers who are absent are dissatisfied or

that they were not motivated to come to work. Absence is also a function of ability to attend.

Manage absenteeism. Don’t try to eliminate it, and keep in mind that a certain level of absence is often functional for workers and organizations.

Realize that turnover has both costs and benefits for an organization and that you need to evaluate both. In particular, before becoming concerned about worker turnover, examine the performance levels of those who quit.

If workers do only what they are told and rarely, if ever, exhibit organizational citizenship behavior, measure their levels of job satisfaction, identify the job facets they are dissatisfied with, and make changes where possible.

Even if job satisfaction does not seem to have an effect on important behaviors in your organization, keep in mind that it is an important factor in worker well-being.

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