Job Satisfaction Notes

Job Satisfaction

Learning Objectives

• Define job satisfaction.

• Explain why some employees are more satisfied than others.

• Discuss the importance of job satisfaction.

• Analyze the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance/commitment.

What Makes You Feel Satisfied in a Job?

• Consider past experiences (part-time job, internship, or volunteer) and identify factors that contributed to satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

How Satisfied Are Employees With Their Jobs?

• Explore employee sentiments regarding their jobs using online platforms like TikTok, Glassdoor.com, or Vault.com.

• Identify common themes and sentiments shared by employees about their job experiences.

What Does It Mean To Be Satisfied With a Job?

• Job satisfaction is a pleasurable emotional state arising from the evaluation of one's job or job experiences.

• It encompasses the feelings (emotional state) an employee has about their job, as well as their thoughts about the job.

• Job satisfaction is based on how you think about your job and how you feel about your job.

What Causes Employee Satisfaction

• Employees are satisfied when their jobs provide the things that they value.

• Value: Things that people consciously or unconsciously want or seek to attain.

How Does Value Effect Job Satisfaction

• Consider the kinds of things that you value in a job.

• Assess how these things increase or decrease your job satisfaction.

How Does the Value Percept Theory Explain Job Satisfaction

• Value-percept theory posits that people evaluate job satisfaction based on specific aspects of the job.

• Job: A collection of tasks, relationships, and rewards.

How to Calculate Value Fulfillment

• Value-percept theory: Job satisfaction depends on whether you perceive that your job supplies the things you value.

• Does your job supply what you value?

Commonly Assessed Work Values Categories and Specific Values

• Pay:

  • High Salary

  • Secure Salary

• Promotions:

  • Frequent Promotions

  • Promotions based on ability

• Supervision:

  • Good supervisory relations

  • Praise for good work

• Coworkers:

  • Enjoyable coworkers

  • Responsible coworkers

• Work Itself:

  • Utilization of ability

  • Freedom and independence

  • Intellectual stimulation

  • Creative expression

  • Sense of achievement

• Altruism:

  • Helping others

  • Moral causes

• Status:

  • Prestige

  • Power over others

  • Fame

• Environment:

  • Comfort

  • Safety

Facets of Job Affecting Job Satisfaction

• Which of these facets of the Job affects job satisfaction the most

Correlations between Satisfaction Facets and Job Satisfaction

• (Note: The specific correlations would be detailed in the slide images, which are not accessible here.)

Thinking of the different aspects of your job as a student

• Based on your experience, rate from highest to lowest which aspects of being a student will most likely be the strongest source of job satisfaction for you.

Student Job Satisfaction

• Grade:

  • Good grade

  • Fair grading

• Coursework

  • Utilization of ability

  • Intellectual stimulation

  • Creative expression

  • Sense of achievement

• Professor

  • Good relations

  • Praise for good work

  • Feedback on work

• Classmates

  • Friendly classmate

  • Dependable teammate

  • Great Teammates

• Developing Knowledge

  • Analytic Skill

  • Communication

  • Critical Ability

What Are the Psychological Effects of The Work Itself

• Meaningful of Work: How much the work contributes to the employee’s values and beliefs.

• Responsibility of outcome: How much the employee feels their input counts toward the quality of unit work.

• Knowledge of feedback: The employee has a preview of the feedback on the work outcome.

What is Job Characteristic Theory, And How Does It Explain Satisfaction Based on Work Itself

• Job enrichment theory is based on the idea that jobs are more enjoyable when work tasks are challenging and fulfilling.

• Characteristics that make some jobs more rewarding than others:

  • Variety

  • Identity

  • Significance

  • Autonomy

  • Feedback

• Other moderating factors include knowledge and skill, growth needs, and strength.

How Can An Organization Increase Employee Job Satisfaction

• Redesign Job

• Job Enrichment (expand duties and responsibilities, rotate tasks)

• Job Crafting (redefine job and task)

Why do Job Satisfaction Levels fluctuate?

• Satisfaction levels wax and wane as a function of mood and emotions. Even the most satisfied employees cannot be satisfied every minute of every day.

How Does Mood And Emotion Affect Job Satisfaction?

• Mood: A state of feeling that is often mild in intensity and lasts for an extended period, and is not explicitly directed at or caused by anything.

• Emotion: A state of feeling that is often intense, lasts for only a few minutes, and is clearly directed at or caused by someone or something.

Affective Event Theory

• Affective Event Theory states that workplace events can elicit affective reactions that can influence work attitudes and behavior.

• Workplace events, such as interactions with a supervisor, customer, or coworker, can evoke either negative or positive emotions.

The Different Kinds of Moods

• (Note: The specific moods would be detailed in the slide images, which are not accessible here.)

Different Kinds of Positive Emotions

• Joy: A feeling of great pleasure

• Pride: Enhancement of identity by taking credit for achievement

• Relief: A distressing condition has changed for the better

• Hope: Fearing the worst but wanting better

• Love: Desiring or participating in affection

• Compassion: Being moved by another’s situation

What Are Negative Emotions

• Negative Emotions

  • Anger: A demeaning offense against me and mine

  • Anxiety: Facing an uncertain or vague threat

  • Fear: Facing an immediate and concrete danger

  • Guilt: Having broken a moral code

  • Shame: Failing to live up to your ideal self

  • Sadness: Having experienced an irreversible loss

  • Envy: Wanting what someone else has

  • Disgust: Revulsion aroused by something offensive

Should Employers Demand Emotional Labor From Employees

• Feeling vs. showing

  • Emotional labor (expressing certain emotions in the job)

  • Emotional contagion (when one’s emotion affects/is transferred to others)

How does Job Satisfaction Affect Life Satisfaction

• The degree to which people feel a sense of happiness with their lives

• Job satisfaction is one of the strongest predictors of life satisfaction.

• An increase in job satisfaction has a stronger impact on life satisfaction than an increase in salary or income.