sesi 9 - job satisfaction

What is Job Satisfaction? (Definition)

Job satisfaction refers to a positive emotional state that arises when people evaluate their job or job experiences and feel good about them. This idea comes from Locke’s Value Theory, which says:

  • You feel satisfied when what you value in a job matches what you’re actually getting.

  • If there's a mismatch, you feel dissatisfaction.

Additionally, the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) by Hackman & Oldham suggests that job satisfaction emerges when the job is:

  • Meaningful

  • You feel responsible for the outcomes

  • You have knowledge of your performance results

Lastly, the Dispositional Approach (Judge et al.) adds a personality layer. It says:

  • Some people are just more inclined to be satisfied at work because they have positive core self-evaluations, such as:

    • High self-esteem

    • Emotional stability

Antecedents (What Affects Job Satisfaction)

There are job factors, personal factors, and social/cultural factors:

  1. Job Characteristics (Hackman & Oldham, 1976)

    • It's not the objective job features, but how people perceive them that predicts satisfaction.

    • Examples:

      • Skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feedback (from JCM)

    • Pay: People compare their salary with others in the same job, more than with those in different jobs.

    • Justice:

      • Distributive justice (fairness of outcomes)

      • Procedural justice (fairness of the process)

      • Both relate to global and facet satisfaction.

  2. Personality

    • People high in positive affectivity tend to feel satisfied.

    • People high in negative affectivity often feel less satisfied.

  3. Locus of Control

    • Those with an internal locus of control (believe they control their own fate) are more satisfied than externals.

  4. Gender

    • Few consistent gender differences in satisfaction.

  5. Age

    • Curvilinear pattern: Satisfaction tends to dip between ages 26 to 31.

  6. Culture and Ethnicity

    • Cultural and ethnic background may shape how satisfaction is experienced or expressed.

Theories of Job Satisfaction

Let’s break these down simply:

  1. Locke’s Value Theory

    • Satisfaction = Match between values and job reality

    • Dissatisfaction = Unmet expectations

  2. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

    • Two kinds of job features:

      • Motivators (make you satisfied): Achievement, recognition, work itself

      • Hygiene factors (prevent dissatisfaction but don’t make you satisfied): Salary, company policy, working conditions

    • Key idea: The absence of motivators ≠ dissatisfaction; dissatisfaction is due to poor hygiene.

  3. Job Characteristics Model (JCM) – Hackman & Oldham

    • Five core job dimensions:

      • Skill variety - The job requires different skills and talents, so the employee doesn't do the same thing all the time.

      • Task identity - The employee completes a whole, identifiable piece of work from start to finish.

      • Task significance - The job has a big impact on others — the work feels meaningful and important.

      • Autonomy - The employee has freedom and control over how to do the work.

      • Feedback - The job gives clear information about how well the employee is doing.

    • These influence three psychological states → lead to job satisfaction.

Measurement of Job Satisfaction

Two main approaches:

  1. Global Approach

    • Overall, how satisfied are you with your job?

  2. Facet Approach

    • Looks at different parts or facets like:

      • Pay

      • Supervision

      • Co-workers

      • Work itself

      • Promotion

Standard Surveys Used:

  • Job Descriptive Index (JDI) – Measures 5 facets

  • Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ)

  • Job In General (JIG)

  • Global Job Satisfaction Scales

Note: Psychologists use triangulation (combining multiple methods) to get a more accurate measure.

Person-Job Fit

This concept refers to how well a person’s characteristics match the job.

  • People react differently to the same job — that’s where individual differences come in.

  • Moderator: A variable that affects how strongly one variable influences another.

    • For example, a person’s positive personality might buffer the effects of a boring job.

Effects of Job Satisfaction

Why does job satisfaction matter?

  1. Job Performance

    • There's stronger evidence that performance leads to satisfaction, rather than the other way around.

  2. Turnover

    • Dissatisfied people are more likely to quit.

  3. Absenteeism

    • Very weak correlation—other things like health or personal life matter more.

  4. Health and Well-being

    • Dissatisfaction is linked to physical symptoms and negative emotions.

  5. Life Satisfaction

    • There’s a connection between how satisfied you are with your job and with life in general.

  6. Spillover, Compensation, Segmentation Hypotheses

    • Spillover: Work satisfaction affects life satisfaction

    • Compensation: People may seek satisfaction in life to make up for dissatisfaction at work

    • Segmentation: Work and life are independent

Organizational Commitment (Meyer & Allen)

There are three types of commitment:

  1. Affective Commitment

    • You stay because you like the job or the organization.

  2. Continuance Commitment

    • You stay because you need the job (e.g., financial reasons).

  3. Normative Commitment

    • You stay because you feel obligated or it’s the right thing to do.

Organizational commitment includes:

  • Acceptance of organization’s goals

  • Intention to stay

  • Willingness to put in effort

Case Study: Karina

Karina’s case is here to apply everything:

  • She's a high achiever with high self-efficacy (she believes she can succeed).

  • Lately she’s unmotivated and not engaged.

Let’s diagnose:

  1. Unmet Values (Locke)

    • She wants challenge and meaning — her job is now repetitive.

    • She doesn't get feedback or recognition (missing motivators).

  2. Herzberg’s Theory

    • Motivators missing: No achievement or recognition

    • Hygiene factors okay: Good salary, facilities, supportive coworkers

  3. Job Characteristics Model

    • Low task significance: Doesn’t feel her work is meaningful.

    • Low autonomy: Repetitive tasks suggest limited freedom.

    • Low feedback: No response from her supervisor.

Summary Cheat Sheet

  • Definition: Emotional state from job appraisal (Locke)

  • Main Theories: Locke’s Value, Herzberg’s Two-Factor, JCM

  • Antecedents: Personality, job characteristics, justice, age, culture

  • Measurement: Global vs. facet; JDI, MSQ, JIG

  • Outcomes: Performance, turnover, health, life satisfaction

  • Commitment: Affective, continuance, normative

  • Karina’s Case: Lacking motivators & core job dimensions → dissatisfaction