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JOB SATISFACTION

Job Satisfaction

DefinitionA pleasurable, positive emotional state resultingfrom the appraisal of one’s job or job experience

Measuring Job Satisfaction

Measuring Job Satisfaction

Standard Measures• Global measures

Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS: general) Faces

Job Descriptive Index (JDI: Work-in-general)

• Facet Measures Job Descriptive index (JDI: original)

Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS: facet)

Note. Standard measures of job satisfaction generally focuson the cognitive or affective evaluation of a job.

A General Model ofJob Satisfaction

Antecedents Job Satisfaction ConsequencesSituational CharacteristicsPersonal Characteristics

Person x Situation InteractionOrganizational outcomes

PerformanceAttendanceRetention

Personal OutcomesQuality of work life

Quality of lifeHealth and well-being

Theoretical Perspectives

1.Situational Perspective Job satisfaction is a reaction to the situation (e.g., Herzberg’s

concept of job enrichment) Job satisfaction is influenced by the reactions of others (e.g.,

Salancik & Pfeffer social information processing theory)2.Person Perspective

Satisfaction is influenced by personal dispostions (e.g., Staw &Ross, 1985; Arvey et al., 1989; Ilies & Judge, 2003)

3.Person-Situation Interaction Perspective Satisfaction is a joint function of the person and the situation (e.g.,Locke’s (1976) value theory; Loftquist & Dawis’s (1969) theory of

work adjustment)

Job Satisfaction andJob Performance

Hypothesis“Satisfied workers are productive workers.”

Empirical Evidence Narrative Reviews

Brayfield & Crockett (1955) -- "no appreciablerelationship"

Locke (1976) -- "job satisfaction has no direct effecton productivity"

Empirical Evidence

Meta-analyses 1.Vroom (1964) -- median r = .14

2. Iaffaldano & Muchinski (1985) -- sample weightedr = .17

3.Podsakoff & Williams (1986) -- corrected r = .214. Judge et al. (2001) – corrected r = .30 (.52 for

complex jobs)

Discussion QuestionWhy is the correlation between job satisfaction and

performance so weak?

Possible Answers1. Job satisfaction is just one of many

contributing factors – see Theory of PlannedBehaviour to illustrate

Discussion QuestionWhy is the correlation between job satisfaction and

performance so weak?

Possible Answers2. Problems with the measurement of job satisfaction• problem predicting specific behaviour from global

attitudes• Differential relevance of various facets of satisfaction

Discussion QuestionWhy is the correlation between job satisfaction and

performance so weak?

Possible Answers3. Problems with the measurement of job

performance• Organ (1977): satisfaction should be a better measure

of extra-role (OCB) than in-role performance• Bateman & Organ (1981): r = .41 with OCB

Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism

HypothesisSatisfied workers will attend more regularly

Empirical Evidence Meta-analyses report correlations between -.15 and -

.25 (e.g., Hackett & Guion, 1985; Scott & Taylor,1985)

Potential Explanations1. Problems with the measurement of absenteeism (e.g.,

voluntary vs. involuntary)2. Satisfaction is one of many factors influencing

attendance (see Steers & Rhodes’ model)

Job Satisfaction and Turnover

HypothesisSatisfied workers should be less likely to leave

Empirical Evidence Meta-analyses report correlations between -.20 and -.30

(e.g., Griffeth et al., 2000; Lee et al., 1999; Tett &Meyer, 1993)

Potential Explanations1. Problems with the measurement of turnover (e.g.,

voluntary vs. involuntary)2. Satisfaction is one of many factors influencing turnover

(see Hom & Griffeth, 1991, model)

Summary• Job satisfaction is an attitude that can affect work

behaviour and personal well-being• Job satisfaction can be enhanced by:

Improving work conditions (job, role, relationships,etc.) Selecting those who:

Are predisposed to be satisfied Fit with the job, culture, role, etc.

• Job satisfaction has modest but meaningful effectson performance, attendance, retention etc.

Effects are strongest for “volitional” behaviour (e.g.,OCB, voluntary absence, voluntary turnover)