MNO1706 Attitude and Job Satisfaction

Components of Attitude

1) Cognitive Component

2) Affective Component

3) Behavioural Component

Cognitive Component

Refers to what a person thinks or believes about something.

• Involves knowledge, perceptions, and opinions.

• Answers the question: "What do I believe?"

Example: An employee believes that their company offers good career progression opportunites.

Affective Component

Refers to how a person feels about something emotionally.

• Involves emotions such as happiness, frustration, excitement, or dislike

• Answers the question: “How do I feel?”

Example: The employee feels proud and happy to work for the company

Behavioural Component

Refers to how a person intends to behave or actually behaves because of their attitude.

• Reflects actions or behavioural intentions.

• Answers the question: “What will I do?'“

Example: The employee works hard, recommends the company to others, and plans to stay with the organisation

Cognitive Dissonance

Refers to the discomfort experienced when a person's attitudes, beliefs, or values conflict with their behaviour, motivating them to reduce the inconsistency.

Example: Workplace

• An employee believes: "Honesty is important."

• But they: Falsify their work hours on a timesheet.

Because their behaviour conflicts with their belief, they experience cognitive dissonance (guilt or discomfort).

They may reduce the dissonance by:

• Changing their behaviour: Stop falsifying hours.

• Changing their belief: "Everyone does it, so it's not a big deal."

• Justifying the behaviour: "I worked overtime last week anyway.”

Job Satisfaction

Refers to the extent to which a person has positive feelings about their job.

Key Question: Do I like my job?

Example: An employee enjoys their tasks, colleagues, and work environment.

Job Involvement

Refers to the degree which a person identifies psychologically with their job and considers it an important part of their identity.

Key Question: “How important is my job to who I am?”

Example: An employee takes pride in their work and is deeply engaged in their role.

Organisational Commitment

Refers to the extent which an employee identifies with, is loyal to, and wants to remain in the organisation.

Key Question: “Do I want to stay with this organisation?"

Example: An employee is committed to the company and intends to build a long-term career there.

Benefits of Job Satisfaction

Higher productivity, lower absenteeism, lower turnover, better customer service, more helping behaviour.

Benefits of Job Involvement

Greater effort, higher motivation, better performance, more initiative, higher engagement

Benefits of Organisational Commitment

Lower turnover, higher loyalty, greater willingness to support organisational goals, reduced recruitment costs

Results of job dissatisfaction, low job involvement, or low organisational commitment

EVLN Model (Exit, Voice, Loyalty, Neglect)

Exit (Active + Destructive)

The employee leaves the organisation or plans to leave.

Examples:

• Resigning

• Looking for another job

• Requesting a transfer

• High turnover

Impact on the organisation:

• Increased recruitment and training costs

• Loss of experienced employees

• Lower team productivity

Voice (Active + Constructive)

The employee tries to improve the situation by speaking up.

Examples:

• Suggesting improvements

• Discussing problems with managers

• Filing complaints through proper channels

Impact on the organisation:

• Can lead to positive organisational change

• Helps management identify problems early

Voice is generally the most beneficial response because it aims to solve the problem rather than avoid it.

Loyalty (Passive + Constructive)

The employee stays and waits for conditions to improve.

Examples:

• Remaining patient during difficult periods

• Trusting management to make improvements

• Continuing to support the organisation

Impact on the organisation:

• Provides stability

• However, problems may remain unresolved if employees never speak up

Neglect (Passive + Destructive)

The employee remains in the organisation but reduces effort and engagement.

Examples:

• Increased absenteeism

• Coming in late

• Poor performance

• More mistakes

• Reduced motivation

Impact on the organisation:

• Lower productivity

• Poor service quality

• Lower team morale

• Potential safety or quality issues