Job satisfaction and its relationship to job commitment and job motivation


The definition of job satisfaction is how content a person is with their job.  The happier a person is with their job, the more satisfied they are to be.  Other influences on satisfaction include the management style and culture, employee involvement, empowerment and autonomous work position. 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.  (Wikipedia)


There are four types of job satisfaction models:  Affect Theory, Dispositional Theory, Motivator-Hygiene Theory, and the Job Characteristics Model.  It is argued that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory which stems from a motivation theory laid the foundation for job satisfaction theory.  This theory explains that people seek to fulfill 5 needs in life which include psychological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization.  This model served as a basis for job satisfaction theories.


Affect Theory is the most famous of the job satisfaction models.  It was created by Edwin A. Locke and the main premise of his theory was that satisfaction is determined by a discrepancy between what one wants in a job and what one has in a job.  The theory goes on by stating that how much one values a given facet of work moderates how satisfied or dissatisfied one becomes when expectations are or are not met.


Dispositional Theory states that people have innate dispositions that cause them to have tendencies toward a certain level of satisfaction, regardless of one’s job.  This approach becomes a definition of job satisfaction when job satisfaction becomes stable over time and across careers and jobs.


Motivator-Hygiene Theory was formulated by Frederic Herzberg.  It attempts to explain satisfaction and motivation in the workplace.  This theory states that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are driven by variable factors- motivation and hygiene factors.  Basically an employee’s job motivation to work is related to the jobs satisfaction of a subordinate.  Hygiene factors include features such as pay, company policies, supervisory practices and other working conditions.


The Job Characteristics Model is widely used as a framework to study how job characteristics impact on job outcomes, including job satisfaction.  The model states that there are five core job characteristics- skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback- that impacts three critical psychological states- meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of actual results, which in turn influences work outcomes0 job satisfaction, absenteeism, work motivation.


An article on Job Satisfaction on Academic Leadership.org stated the following:


Organisations have been described as a social arrangement for the controlled performance of collective goals (Stewart, 1973).  They exist basically for two reasons: to maximize profit or share holder value, (Huczynski and Buchanan, 1991). Latest trends in management encourage the integration of the needs of employees with that of organizations. Maximizing profit through growth/expansion and increased share value should not be the only motivation for organizations. Investment in people should be at the fore of business strategy and in developing human resources which invariably benefits the respective organizations. The role and effective use and management of human resources in enhancing organizational performance therefore cannot be over emphasized.  (Academic Leadership)


Job satisfaction and motivation needs are important in the workplace especially during the twenty-first century because workers are more knowledgeable through education about their rights in the work place.  An organization’s size, type and technology affect its ability to satisfy or motivate its employees.  Macro factors like politics, legal environment, and economic conditions can affect an organization’s ability to satisfy its employees as well as affect worker satisfaction.  The Labor market conditions and employment patterns also affects how far an organization is willing to satisfy their employees.


A happy and motivated work force can help sustain productivity.  Job satisfaction plays an important role in employee commitment and in reducing employee absenteeism and boredom at work.  Job satisfaction can lead to cost reduction by reducing absences, errors and turnovers which leads to greater productivity and economic and industrial growth which is the underlying drive for many companies.


Employees satisfaction and their will to work are linked to how enriched their jobs are, the job design, level of empowerment, training, performance appraisal, incentives, and flexible working hours among others.  Relationships between job satisfaction and motivation cannot be overlooked.  Companies who want to be successful must realize the interrelatedness of job satisfaction and job motivation.  They must ensure that the employee’s needs and aspirations are a fit with the organization’s goals.


References:


Job Satisfaction and Motivation:  Understanding its impact on employee commitment and organizational performance.  Academic Leadership Live.  Volume 8, Issue 4.  23 September, 2010.  Retrieved on 24 May, 2011 from http://www.academicleadership.org/article/job-satisfaction-and-motivation-understanding-its-impact-on-employee-commitment-and-organisational-performance


Job satisfaction.  Wikipedia.  Retrieved 24 May, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_satisfaction



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