Running head: EMPLOYEE STATISFACTION 1
Employee Satisfaction
Liberty University
Kimberly Jones
EMPLOYEE SATIFACTION 2
Abstract
Part of an organizations success revolves around the employee’s attitude and job satisfaction.
Sometimes when employees are miserable with their employment it will show through their
performance and the organizations turnover rate. In some instances, job satisfaction can make or
break a company as well as hinder their success. The performance and attitude of the employees
should be a top priority of management. Management should guide their workers into improving
personal and organizational success. It plays a huge role in defining the attitudes of personnel
and their career satisfaction. When employees are satisfied, it shows through their job
performance. This also increases the value of their work. Job satisfaction and attitude may not
fall entirely on the managers but also on the employees. If employees like their work, they will
not need exterior incentive from supervision, nonetheless instead the gratification they get from
finishing their work will stimulate them (Robbins, 2004).
Job satisfaction is a person’s overall happiness with their employment. Its effect on
production will either be a positive or negative one. The linking between job productivity and job
satisfaction is not essentially dependable. One could attain high job output without having the
satisfaction in their work; this usually happens when the employee is motivated by money.
Another motivator for employees is knowing their hard work will lead to a promotion in the
future. Employees might also increase their output due to the satisfaction they get from their
work. A motive for job satisfaction can also come from an employee receiving a good benefits
package, recognition for their performance and wages. It improves career satisfaction if an
employee knows they are being treated equally and receiving fair wages for their hard work at
the end of the day.
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Summary
GEO Group Inc. provides complementary, turnkey solutions for numerous government
partners worldwide across a spectrum of diversified correctional and community reentry
services. GEO aspires to be the world's leading provider of evidence-based rehabilitation across a
diversified spectrum of correctional and community reentry services. They have over 140
facilities throughout the United States and over 23,000 employees. The company has a very high
turnover rate due to the lack of structure. The company is highly political and doesn’t really
value the field employees as much as they value how the company looks on the outside. The pay
is lower than it should be for this line of work. What good is having a contract renewed or
opening a new facility if you can’t keep a full staff to run it. Working in the corporate office is
much different than working in the field and I must say the treatment and recognition is also
different.
GEO’s Organizational Challenges
Rarely do they offer the proper training, you sit through two weeks of training that
doesn’t prepare for you the actual job you signed up for. As a result, the employees quit because
they aren’t equipped to do the job they thought they were being trained to do. It may take six
months to a year to learn and perfect the job and once the job is done with perfection no one
acknowledges the good job that is performed you are only reprimanded if you do something
wrong. As a result, the morale is low which causes the job performance to be lower with the
morale.
Franco, Mora, & Perduri (2015) states, development organizations approaches have seen
organizations struggle with various encounters. Some of the problems can be unique to the
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industry as every organizations have uncommon issues. However, many of the issues can be
challenging to address and some repeated acts across organizations of all businesses and scales.
Here are just a few of the common business trials GEO could address to make a
difference: Linking core competencies, business needs, effective performance management
systems, and human resources approaches (Franco, Mora, & Perduri, 2015)
1. Implementing and designing tools such as incentive, performance management, planning,
goal setting compensation, training business, and performance rubrics
2. Designing organizational structure that supports the objectives of the organization as well
as the employees
3. Creating critical competencies needed to achieve goals
4. Creating and applying cost-effective and incentive compensation plans
5. Providing resources to assist employees with staying focused, improving goal
achievement, and involvement at the organization
6. Aligning mission and vision with the culture and goals of the business
7. Developing approaches for managing that are aligned with the business goals (Franco,
Mora, & Perduri, 2015).
The Major Issues at GEO
Organizational Life Power and Politics
Barney (2013) articulates, that there are limited business activities more susceptible to a
credibility gap than the way in which administrator’s process organizational life. A sense of
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doubt occurs when executives claim to make decisions in rationalistic relations despite the fact
most participants and observers recognize that politics and personalities play an important role.
Barney (2013) ask, where does the fault lie? In the concept which deals with that decisions
should be nonpersonal and rationalistic? Or in the practice which treats business establishments
as political structures?
Other complications establishments have been sociotechnical, problem-solving
instruments, reward systems, systems, and so on, which are all considered political structures.
This simply means that organizations function by allocating power and setting a stage for the
exercise of power. Consequently, individuals who are very driven to use and secure power find a
hospitable and familiar environment in business (Dandridge, Mitroff, & Joyce, 2013).
At the same time, officials are cautious to identify the place of power both in business
relationships and in individual motivation. By some means, power and politics are an unhealthy
difference of opinion. And in connecting these words to the play of personalities in
establishments, some supervisors remove themselves into the protection of organizational logics
(Dandridge, Mitroff, & Joyce, 2013). I will recommend in this article, Dandridge, Mitroff, &
Joyce (2013), they recognition of the position of personality aspects and a complex use of the
limitations and strengths of individuals in decisions on power distributions can improve the value
of organizational life (Dandridge, Mitroff, & Joyce, 2013).
Facts About Organization’s Problems
Adler (2012) implies many influential leaders know that accomplishing high performance
in an institution encompasses hard labor. For example, managers who effectively implement a
business plan to produce continual progress, revenues, and high customer satisfaction are
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believed to have the highest level of business insight and commitment. Less well known is that
the hardest part of achieving a high level of performance is addressing the “easy-going” human
problems that lie beneath organizational life (Adler, 2012).
Adler (2012) states, it is common for the senior manager to accept as true that the human
practices — dare I say feelings — that go together with their work and are not only unconnected
to their professional lives, but are uninvited components of it — ones to be aggressively evaded
(Adler, 2012).
The reality is that successful and high-performance change outcome from a manager’s
ability to realign, acknowledge and address the assumptions that underlie an establishment’s core
behaviors and beliefs, that they generate. It is the individual and shared feelings about purpose,
identity, sense of belonging, and insights of fear, effectiveness, competence, failure, etc. that
outline how institutions behave and in so doing, their capability to succeed and execute (Adler,
2012).
The common pieces of a society — including its goals, structure, business processes,
mission, and approaches for distributing resources, among others, are all founded upon the
shared assumptions about “soft” issues, such as interpersonal relationships, group identity, and
agreed upon social norms of “inappropriate” and “appropriate” activities. These fundamentals
outline the establishment’s culture, and thereby define the organization itself (Adler, 2012).
Key Issues that Merit Discussion
Culture and Leadership Role
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The culture of all organization results from the definitions, goals, and values that are
continuously and historically authorized and passed on to new affiliates as “the accurate way to
do things” by management (Barney, 2013). The ability to create, manage, and, when necessary,
destroy the culture in an organization is arguably the only role that is unique to its leaders. This
aspect of leadership is woefully underemphasized the popular “how to” literature and even less
frequently practiced by leaders themselves (Barney, 2013). Cultural issues are most effectively
identified and addressed by a joint effort of outsiders and insiders to the organization.
An establishment’s basic rhythms of activities are often taken for granted by its members,
that they are likely to have dropped out of awareness by all. This makes its main cultural
elements almost impossible to discern by the organization itself. Hiring outside assistance with
cultural issues is justifiably the most effective way to bring awareness and mastery to what is
difficult to distinguish with internal resources alone (Barney, 2013).
Barney (2013) also states, an organization’s culture governs its ability to compete, adapt,
and achieve at the highest level, and consequently is a foundation to an establishment’s victories
and failures. The belief that an uncomplaining application of logic is the best method to guide the
strategy and operation of an organization is a misrepresentation (Barney, 2013).
Problem Solving Approach
Culture
The differences in culture affect people’s attitudes and their responses. Different cultures
have different approaches which can sometimes cause confusion. Some cultures do not allow
their employees to work long hours. This may very well affect a person if a transfer occurs and
they get to a work place that requires them to work longer. They may develop an undesirable
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attitude towards work. In some cultures, people are risk takers (Kinicki, & Fugate, 2016). They
like doing things past their abilities. They achieve fulfillment both in work and in life. There is
no better incentive to improve their work productivity than this. In others, workers are reliable.
Their attitude towards work is generally an encouraging one (Kinicki & Fugate p. 485, 2016).
Communication
Communication is how information is transported between employee’s and management
or between employees and co-workers. It is important that personnel is able to approach the
management team when complications arise. Having a good form of open communication should
have a positive outcome on the employee’s job satisfaction. Employee’s need to be able to voice
their concerns without being penalized. When all the employee’s needs are being met, they can
accomplish their responsibilities proficiently. This increases job output and in turn expands the
worker's attitude (Farrell & Petersen, 2014). Communication is very important in the workplace.
Employees should establish a respectable rapport with one another in order to communicate and
work through issues proficiently. Respect is an important feature in communication and should
be established early on. In every organization, respect needs to be at the forefront of how they
communicate (Farrell & Petersen, 2014).
Work environment
An inspiring work environment enhances employee’s attitude and performance. This is
dependent on management, other employees, and available resources made to them. If an
establishment takes care of their staffs by providing all required resources, then their production
will expand (Farrell & Petersen, 2014). When job productivity increases the company profits and
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performance, in turn, insures that employees are paid regularly with the possibility of wage
increases. When the company achieves their goals, the employees are pleased. A good
performance in the organization gives the personnel an encouraging attitude that improves their
individual performance (Kinicki & Fugate p. 542, 2016). When employees are content and
happy, job productivity increases. Job satisfaction advances and the employee’s relationships
with clients progresses. A good working connection such as that one will increase the sales of
goods and services. Some company’s offer their employee's bonuses especially during the
holidays (Kinicki & Fugate, 2016). This acts as an inspiration to the labors and develops a
rapport with supervision. In departments such as marketing and sales, worker’s performance can
improve if given commission or bonuses when they bring in added sales customers. With this
information, the worker’s performance is certain to advance considerably (Kinicki & Fugate,
2016).
Recommendation Plans for the Problems
. Mohrman & Lawler (2012) states, good problem-solving plan take some attention and
time more of the latter than the former. However, less time and attention than is vital by a
problem not well solved. What it really takes is a willingness to slow down and put things into
perspective. A problem is like going driving around a curvy mountain road. If you take it at the
right speed, you will find yourself in a good place for the straight path that follows in the end
but if you take it too fast and you will lose control. Trying to find a solution that works for
everyone isn’t going to be easy, you may have to circle back to an earlier step. For example, if
you're having trouble selecting an option, you may have to go back to thinking about the interests
(Mohrman & Lawler, 2012). This technique can be used between two people, in a large group, or
by one person who is challenged with a grim decision. The more important and difficult the
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problem is, the more necessary and helpful it is to use a well-organized process. If one is just
trying to choose where to go out for have lunch, they probably do not need to go through all the
steps (Mohrman & Lawler, 2012).
Steps for an Effective Problem-Solving Process
Detect the issues
Remember everyone has their own view on what the issues are and should be able to
voice them in the proper setting.
Be clear about if whether there is a problem and know what the problem is as well as
suggest a solution.
Detach the listing of issues from the identification of interests.
Recognize everyone's interests
This is a critical step that is usually missing that should be implemented.
Interests are the needs that you want to be satisfied by any given solution. We often
ignore our true interests as we become attached to one solution when there are so many.
This is the time for active listening. Put down your differences for a while and listen to
each other with the intention to understand.
Separate the naming of interests from the listing of solutions and be clear on the
difference.
List the probable solutions
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• Separate the list of options from the evaluation of the options.
• This is the time to do some brainstorming there is always room for change and growth
Evaluate the possibilities
What are the advantages and disadvantages? Honestly!
Separate the assessment of options from the selection of options.
Create some options
What is the best option, in the balance?
Is there a way to "bundle" many options together for a more satisfactory solution?
Record the contracts
Even if you have a good memory, do not rely on it keep records.
Writing details down will allow you to refer back and help you think things through and
focus on the suggestions.
Come to an agreement on evaluation
Conditions are always subject to change.
Create contingency agreements about possible future situations.
Monitor compliance and follow-through.
Generate prospects to evaluate the agreements and their implementation (Mohrman &
Lawler, 2012).
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Problem Solving Frame work
My Personality Style
Kroeger, Thuesen, and Rutledge (2012) defined me as an INFJ’s as having “leadership
qualities that are prized in our society” (p.324). Therefore, I am viewed as a natural leader
because I can see things as continuously and in search of new approaches because I am not a fan
of ineffectiveness. Although I have several strong points that serve in businesses exceptionally
well, I also have several weaknesses that I need to work on in social and interpersonal
relationships. This is particularly true in a place of work that is male dominated with few women
leaders. Males find it challenging to combine their independence and freedom to the typical
female role. Female colleagues have viewed me as reserved and conceited. Kroeger et al (2012)
articulate, “especially for INFJ females, it is lonely at the top” (p. 326).
Kroeger et al (2002) states, “by improving your understanding of the needs and
behavioral preferences in your work life, you can harness the differences of the people within
your organization” (p. 12). As an INFJ, I have always been an observer. I view myself as seeing
associates in a different way so that I can advance my future communications with others.
Utilizing the information of my type will allow me to deal with rough situations on the job.
Whether it is resolving issues with my co-workers or communicating more effectively with my
managers.
Utilizing My Strengths
Feeling trapped at work can be an unpleasant experience, especially since we spend so
much of our time at work. Personally, I want to look back on each day and can feel a sense of
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accomplishment – I want to know that I contributed. But when I feel stuck, it is unsatisfying,
discouraging and can zap any energy or passion I need to move forward.
Feeling stuck can show up in many ways – when a person feels like they are in a dead-
end job; when changes in the business lead to changes in your team and you are left doing work
you don’t enjoy or feel equipped to handle; when you have a vision for something you want to
achieve, but a lack of resources stands in the way of you moving ahead.
Regardless of the version of “stuck” I have experienced in my years of working for many
different organizations, it didn’t take long for me to figure out that no one outside of myself
could free me. My attitude and my approach is what makes all the difference, so it is up to me to
fix what needs to be fixed, accept what is – whether I like it or not – and do what I can with
excellence. I have always found the story of Joseph encouraging when I found myself stuck.
Joseph had a dream that his brothers would one day bow down to him (Genesis 37:5-8
NKJV). I can only imagine his shock when his brothers turned around and sold him into slavery
(Genesis 37:26-28 NKJV). Here are some of the insights I have gained from this story:
Preserve a Positive Attitude
Joseph was sold to Potiphar, captain of the guard under Pharaoh. Now, I am pretty sure
this is not what Joseph imagined he would be doing. However, he did it faithfully and the Bible
says that, even as a slave, Joseph prospered. Even after he went to prison for being wrongfully
accused of mishandling Potiphar’s wife, Joseph continued to find favor with the warden.
Do Your Work as if You are Working for God
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Joseph spent years of his life in prison as slave. I’m pretty sure he often wondered how
God was going to fulfill his dream. But no matter what he was faced with, Joseph continued to
do what was in front of him with excellence and faithfulness.
Trust God
In the end, not only did God free Joseph, He saw to it that Joseph was promoted to the
highest position next to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:41-45 NLB). His dream became a reality and his
brothers did bow down to him (Genesis 42:6 NLB). What Joseph’s brothers intended for his
harm, God used for good to save many lives (Genesis 50:20 NLB).
When I reflect on the experiences I have had, I can see where God has used things I have
endured to prepare me for where I am now. If you ever feel trapped, the best approach is to keep
a positive attitude, do everything with excellence and trust God to guide you through as you seek
Him. Our success comes from God and His plans will always prevail (Isaiah 14:27 NLB). He
truly does use all the circumstances of our lives for good (Romans 8:28 NLB).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is up to both management and their subordinates to resolve the issue of
job satisfaction and positive attitude. As the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. I
believe wages is the biggest cause for job dissatisfaction which causes employees to become
disgruntle and make life at work miserable. When setting wages, administration needs to take the
cost of living into consideration as well as put themselves in the shoes of the employee’s making
low wages and maybe they will understand the plight of the staff and do better. I might argue that
it is up to the worker to warrant that they achieve job satisfaction from their corporation, as they
are the only ones in control of their performance and attitude. It is also possible to say that all the
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obligation is totally on the management team. They set the tone of the atmosphere in which the
employee’s work. The administration holds the power to control employee time, benefits, wages,
and advancement. Outside influences such as the social situations, environment, and culture also
affect the employee attitude and job satisfaction
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