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Employee Satisfaction

Introduction

This section examines the factors related to job satisfaction and the relationship

between satisfaction and performance. Job satisfaction is of great importance to

managers because of its relationship to a variety of worker perceptions, behaviors, and

behavioral intentions.

Factors in employee satisfaction

Job satisfaction is an attitude formed about the experience of work. This attitude

includes three components: cognitions—what a person thinks about the job experience;

affects—what a person feels about the job experience; and behaviors—actual behavior

on the job or intentions to behave in a certain way. There are a variety of factors which

may contribute to job satisfaction: characteristics of the job itself; relationships with

coworkers, supervisors, and clients; characteristics of the groups of which workers may

be a part; and characteristics of the roles workers fill. Non-work factors, such as life

satisfaction, may also impact on job satisfaction.

The characteristics of the job which influence satisfaction are variety—the opportunity

to use a variety of skills and abilities in job performance; identity—the opportunity to

perform a whole, identifiable piece of work; significance—the perception that the work

performed or product produced is important to someone; autonomy—the ability to

exert control over the job; and feedback—information regarding level of job

performance. These characteristics are moderated by individual personality differences.

That is, not all workers respond in the same way to these job characteristics.

On-the-job relationships contribute to job satisfaction. If relationships with coworkers,

supervisors, or clients are poor, job satisfaction will suffer. Related to these

relationships are characteristics of groups to which workers may belong. If the norms

of the group are inconsistent with personal norms, job satisfaction could suffer. If, on

the other hand, the group is cohesive and works well together, job satisfaction will be

enhanced.

Experiences on and off the job are not easily separated. Thus, satisfaction with life in

general may contribute to job satisfaction. If a worker is dissatisfied with non-work

issues, that dissatisfaction could spill over to attitudes and feelings about work.

Personality differences are also related to job satisfaction. Workers who are generally

cheerful, enthusiastic, and confident are more likely to experience higher levels of job

satisfaction than workers who characteristically experience negative mood states.

Job satisfaction may be viewed as an overall phenomenon or as being comprised of

facets which contribute to the overall sense of satisfaction. Intrinsic job satisfaction is

related to the job itself while extrinsic job satisfaction is related to issues not directly

related to the job such as pay or benefits.

The satisfaction – performance link

The relationship between job satisfaction and job performance is not fully understood.

At one point in time, it was thought that job satisfaction led to increased performance;

later, it was thought that high levels of performance led to increases in satisfaction.

Discovering the satisfaction-performance relationship has been difficult because job

performance may be measured subjectively (which is based on the feelings or

perceptions of a supervisor or worker) or objectively (which is based on measures of

quantity or quality).

If satisfaction leads to increases in performance, then managers should ensure that

workers are satisfied with both the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of work. If, on the

other hand, increased performance leads to job satisfaction, then managers should act

as facilitators of work by ensuring that workers have all the resources required to

perform effectively. Because the relationship is not fully understood, managers should

employ both strategies: ensure that the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of job satisfaction

are addressed and that workers are provided with the tools, training, and other

resources that will support increases in job performance.