Job Satisfaction


The concept of job satisfaction has been developed by different researchers over the past decades. The most widely used definition for job satisfaction is that of Locke (2000), who defines job satisfaction as "a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences". According to Hersen (2004), the majority of the studies have shifted their focus on defining job performance in terms of outcomes and behavior, since these are easier and more objective to define and to observe than personal traits (Hersen 2004). The Range of Affect Theory model introduced by Locke (2000) was another interesting model related with job satisfaction. According to the model, job satisfaction was determined by the discrepancy what one has in a job and what one wants in a job. Job satisfaction is kind of a measurement how happy employees are with their job and working environment.
According to Grigoroudis and Siskos (2009), job satisfaction can be defined as a gratification an employee feels regarding the work load and the current status of the specific person. Furthermore, Grigoroudis and Siskos (2009) had elaborated that a job satisfaction is different from one person to another. For an example, it is assumed that there are two different employees (Employee A and Employee B) who are performing similar job roles in an organization. But, one may be not satisfied with the current job tasks whereas another may be highly satisfied with the duties and responsibilities assigned to the person. Hence, critically argues that having satisfied jobs and satisfied employees alone won’t do any favor for the company. There are cases where all the employees are happy of what they are doing and the management is happy with the way things are going. As a result, there is not much organizational growth compared to the other firms in the same industry. Therefore, Grigoroudis and Siskos (2009) recommends having challenging job roles and responsibilities which continuously make employees think while they are enjoying their work roles. Otherwise, the organizational performances will go down, and difficult to sustain the business in the market.

Job satisfaction of employees can be considered by collecting of employees’ feeling about their job. While positive feelings towards their job, outcomes the satisfied employees negative feelings represent not satisfied employees which will directly impact on the organization. As identified by Locke in 2000, it has confirmed that job satisfaction is the basic attitude connected with employee behavior, especially their performances in the job and the employee turnover. As per the latest researchers it has been identified that the organizations commitment, working conditions and empowerment are the key attitudinal predictors for employee intentions and behavior (Porter,1967).
According to Two-factor theory motivational factors can be improved through employees’ achievements and there are mainly two kinds of needs as motivation and hygiene factors. Hygiene factors are those necessities that can be satisfied by particular conditions, such as regulations, company policies, personal relations, working conditions, and salaries. This theory suggests that job dissatisfaction normally arises in cases where hygienic factors do not exist. The supply of hygiene needs however does not necessarily translate to full satisfaction. Rather it tends to minimize the level of dissatisfaction.
As per Statt (2004), job satisfaction can be described in many ways and among them it can be basically describe as the attitudes and feelings an individual or staff has towards their work. Further employees feelings regarding recognitions and rewards within an organization have been identified as the basic motivation factors. Bit different to above Armstrong (2007) mentioned that the positive or favorable attitudes towards the job indicate job satisfaction and negative and unfavorable attitudes towards the job as job dissatisfaction.
Further job satisfaction has been defined as the employee’s achievement which in turns the success on the job. When an employee is motivated that increased the productivity as well as personal wellbeing. When a person enjoys performing a job, he does it the best possible way which will result a greater productivity. At the end he will be rewarded for the efforts made and the enthusiasm and happiness with his work. So it has been identified that the job satisfaction is the key ingredient which leads to recognition, income, promotion, and the achievement of other goals which gives the feeling of fulfilment for employees (Lambert et al. (2001).
As per (Kuo and Chen, 2004) job satisfaction may also differ based on the beliefs of employees about their current job. So, the people’s levels of degrees on the job satisfaction may vary from extreme satisfaction to extreme dissatisfaction. Further he has mentioned that as well as employees’ attitude about their jobs as a whole, they also can have attitudes about various aspects of their jobs such as the kind of work they do, relationship with co-workers, supervisors or subordinates and their pay.
(Aziri, 2008) has stated that job satisfaction represents a feeling that appears as a result of the perception which enables any material and psychological needs. Employee retention factors have a direct relationship with job satisfaction. If factors like good work environment, work life balance, promotion and compensation, etc co-exist in the organization it will not only help to attract new employees in to the organization but will also lead to the retention of the existing employees in to the organization. (Henderson, 2013). When it comes the service sector as per Anand in 2014 the quality of work life depends on the satisfaction in a job, autonomy to prioritize the work, challenging task, motivation by the organization and organizational commitment.


References

Armstrong, M. (2007). A handbook of employee reward management and practice. London: Kogan Page.
Aziri, B. (2011) JOB SATISFACTION: A LITERATURE REVIEW. Faculty of Business and Economics, South East European University, Ilindenska 1200, Tetovo, Makedonia.
Fong, S. and Shaffer, M. (2003) ‘The dimensionality and determinants of pay satisfaction: A cross-cultural investigation of a group incentive plan’, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 14(4), 559-580. 
Grigoroudis, E., and Siskos, Y., (2009). Customer Satisfaction Evaluation: Methods for Measuring and Implementing Service Quality, New York: Springer Science & Business Media
Henderson, M. (2013) ‘Career management strategies and perceived career success and satisfaction: Are women disadvantaged?’ Unpublished PhD Thesis, Claremont Graduate University, United States.
Hersen, M., (2004). Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment, Industrial, and Organizational Assessment, Vol 4, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons
Kuo, Y.-F., & Chen, L.-S. (2004). Individual demographic differences and job satisfaction among information technology personnel: An empirical study in Taiwan. International Journal of Management, 21(2), 221-231.
Lambert, E.G., Lynne Hogan, N., and Barton, S.M. (2001) ‘The impact of job satisfaction on turnover intent: A test of a structural measurement model using a national sample of workers’, The Social Science Journal, 38(2), 233–250.
Locke. Edwin A. (2000). What is Job Satisfaction?.
Porter, L., (1961). A study of perceived need satisfactions in bottom and middle management jobs, Journal of Applied Psychology, 45(1), pp.1-10.
Statt, D. (2004). Psychology and the world of work. Houndmills [u.a.]: Palgrave Macmillan.

Comments

  1. Chandran Thivajanaarthan23 November 2019 at 06:00

    Agree. Job satisfaction further implies enthusiasm and happiness with one’s work. Job satisfaction is the key ingredient that leads to recognition, income, promotion, and the achievement of other goals that lead to a feeling of fulfillment (Kaliski,2007).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:12

      Agreed Chandran, the most widely used definition for job satisfaction defines as "a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences" (Locke, 2000).

      Delete
  2. Jehan Saduk29 November 2019 at 06:47

    Hi Duminda. Yes, the importance of job satisfaction cannot be overstated. In addition to reducing employee turnover, absenteeism and therefore costs, companies can observe an increase in productivity, employee morale and greater knowledge sharing among employees (Bathena, 2018).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:20

      Agreed Jehan, an individual’s job or the characteristics of the organization that
      the individual works for predominantly determines job satisfaction (Jex, 2002).

      Delete
  3. Nayani Poornima30 November 2019 at 18:55

    A well-structured article where a job is the most important fact of all individuals. Satisfaction is the emotion feeling after satisfying the feeling. Job satisfaction is known as comfort receive for an employee by doing a job. Positive job satisfaction will lead to increase productivity since the employee considered as a core asset of any organization while satisfying a core asset organization may earn higher productivity (Ali,2016).

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    Replies
    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:13

      Yes Nayani, job satisfaction has emotional, cognitive and behavioral components (Bernstein & Nash, 2008).

      Delete
  4. Anjula Pathirana1 December 2019 at 07:08

    Hi Dumindu, I agree with your detailed description. Further, Warr, Cook and Wall (1979) first created this job satisfaction measure as a comprehensive instrument which workers at all levels can easily complete and is psycho metrically accurate. A single Overall Job Satisfaction index or separate Intrinsic and Extrinsic Job Satisfaction indices can be scored. Further, Intrinsic Job Satisfaction covers the effective reactions of individuals to job features that are integral to the work itself (e.g. variety, opportunity to use one's skills, autonomy); whereas Extrinsic Job Satisfaction covers features that are external to the work itself (e.g. pay, management of the company) (Stride, Wall and Catley, 2007).

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:14

      Agreed Anjula, there are two types of job satisfaction based on the level of employees'
      feelings regarding their jobs. The first, and most studied, is global job satisfaction, which refers to employees' overall feelings about their jobs (Mueller & Kim, 2008).

      Delete
  5. J.Radchika3 December 2019 at 07:48

    Job satisfaction is a worker’s sense of achievement and success on the job. It is generally perceived to be directly linked to productivity as well as to personal well-being. Job satisfaction implies doing a job one enjoys, doing it well and being rewarded for one’s efforts. Job satisfaction further implies enthusiasm and happiness with one’s work. Job satisfaction is the key ingredient that leads to recognition, income, promotion, and the achievement of other goals that lead to a feeling of fulfillment (Kaliski,2007).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:16

      Agreed Radchika, job satisfaction represents a combination of positive or negative feelings that workers have towards their work (Davis & Nestrom, 1985).

      Delete
  6. Yohan Gunasinghe3 December 2019 at 15:03

    Studies show between different countries, there are variations in job satisfaction. Significantly where macro level culture, political factors and economic factors, labour policies, work culture and expectations, all the above factors will form an attitude towards the work(Rouleau et al(2012)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sheron Joseph4 December 2019 at 10:51

    Furthermore, Hoppock defined job satisfaction as any combination of psychological, physiological and environmental circumstances that cause a person truthfully to say I am satisfied with my job (Hoppock, 1935). According to this approach although job satisfaction is under the influence of many external factors, it remains something internal that has to do with the way how the employee feels. That is job satisfaction presents a set of factors that cause a feeling of satisfaction.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mizni Farook5 December 2019 at 09:58

    Agree with your Blogs furthermore, the scene of achievement of the employee is called job satisfaction therefore, it generates productivity and job Security (Aziri, 2011).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:22

      Agreed Mizni, there are four personal and work outcomes: internal work motivation, growth
      satisfaction, general satisfaction, and work effectiveness for Job satisfaction (Hackman and Oldham, 1980).

      Delete
  9. Thilana Rajamanthri9 December 2019 at 04:34

    Hi Dumindu, Valid points. Job satisfaction can be defined also as the extent to which a worker is content with the rewards he or she gets out of his or her job, particularly in terms of intrinsic motivation (Statt, 2004).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dumindu Ranasinghe2 February 2020 at 10:19

      Agreed Thilana, employees look at their work experiences in terms of liking or disliking and develop feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction regarding their job, as well as the organization in which they work (Jex, 2002).

      Delete

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