340 Attitudes and Job Satisfaction

Attitudes

Definition of Attitudes

• Attitudes are defined as evaluative statements or judgments concerning objects, people, or events. They reflect how an individual feels about something.

Three Components of an Attitude

Every attitude consists of three intertwined components:

• Cognitive Component: This segment represents the opinion or belief portion of an attitude.

  • Example: "I like qualitative subjects that involve discussion." This is a belief about a subject type.

• Affective Component: This is the emotional or feeling segment of an attitude.

  • Example: "I think it's going to be an interesting class." This reflects an emotional response or feeling towards the class.

• Behavioral Component: This component signifies an intention to behave in a certain way toward someone or something.

  • Example: "I am going to make this class a priority before work and socializing." This is a declared intention based on the cognitive and affective components.

Attitudes and Behavior: The Interplay

• The relationship between attitudes and behavior is not unidirectional; it's a dynamic interplay asking, "Which comes first?"

• Attitudes Sometimes Predict Behavior: An individual's attitudes can lead to specific behaviors.

  • Example: Research showing exercise is beneficial may lead to an attitude that exercise is good. This attitude then predicts the behavior of going for a walk later today.

• Behavior Sometimes Forms Attitudes: Conversely, engaging in a behavior can shape or reinforce an attitude.

  • Example: After experiencing a positive feeling from a walk, the behavior (walking) reinforces a positive attitude towards it, leading to the decision to make walking a priority.

Conflicting Attitudes: Cognitive Dissonance

• Cognitive Dissonance: This refers to the psychological discomfort experienced due to an incompatibility between two or more attitudes, or between behavior and attitudes.

  • Example (between attitudes): Holding simultaneously the attitudes "Chocolate cake tastes good" and "Chocolate cake is unhealthy" creates dissonance.

  • Example (between behavior and attitude): If an individual holds the attitude "Chocolate cake is unhealthy" but then engages in the behavior of eating chocolate cake, cognitive dissonance arises.

Job-Related Attitudes

Job Satisfaction

• Definition: Job satisfaction is a positive feeling about one's job resulting from an evaluation of its characteristics. It reflects an overall contentment with one's work.

Measuring Job Satisfaction

• Job satisfaction is typically measured using surveys.

• Survey Example: A common method involves a Likert scale, where respondents rate their satisfaction on a scale, e.g., from $1$ (Strongly Dissatisfied) to $5$ (Strongly Satisfied).

Example Survey of Academic Librarians Job Satisfaction

Below are mean scores and standard deviations (SD) for various facets of job satisfaction among academic librarians, illustrating how satisfaction can be quantified:

• Salary (Compensation): Mean $3.38$, SD $1.24$

• Training (Adequacy in Technology Use): Mean $3.19$, SD $1.27$

• Resources (Adequacy of Equipment/Tools): Mean $3.05$, SD $1.20$

• Job Security (Fear of Losing Job Due to Technology): Mean $4.11$, SD $0.90$

• Recognition (Value of Roles/Duties): Mean $4.17$, SD $0.98$

• Working Conditions (Satisfaction with Environment): Mean $3.22$, SD $1.25$

• Recommendation (Would Recommend Profession): Mean $4.24$, SD $0.82$

• Sense of Achievement (From Using Technology): Mean $4.09$, SD $0.88$

Causes of Job Satisfaction

Several factors contribute to an individual's level of job satisfaction:

• Job Conditions: The intrinsic nature of the work itself and the physical work environment play a significant role.

  • Examples: Spacious work areas, adequate lighting, comfortable workstations, and upgraded technology all positively influence satisfaction. The example of Zappos Work Station highlights an environment designed to foster satisfaction.

• Pay: Compensation is a notable factor, though its relationship with satisfaction can be complex.

  • Survey Data (Fall 2014 Nielsen Survey of $5,000$ U.S. Households):

    • Annual Income Over $125,000$: $61.6\%$ job satisfaction

    • Annual Income $35,000$ to $50,000$: $41.2\%$ job satisfaction

    • Annual Income $15,000$ to $25,000$: $36.3\%$ job satisfaction

    • Annual Income Less than $15,000$: $41.8\%$ job satisfaction

    • Note: While higher pay generally correlates with higher satisfaction, there isn't a perfect linear relationship, as observed in the lowest income bracket.

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Business initiatives that benefit society also contribute to employee satisfaction.

  • Categories of CSR: CSR efforts typically fall into three broad categories: social, environmental, and economic initiatives.

Outcomes of Job Satisfaction

High job satisfaction leads to several positive outcomes for both individuals and organizations:

• Job Performance: Satisfied employees tend to perform better in their roles.

• Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB): These are discretionary behaviors that are not part of an employee's formal job requirements but contribute to the organization's psychological and social environment.

• Customer Satisfaction: Employees who are satisfied with their jobs are more likely to deliver better service, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

• Life Satisfaction: Job satisfaction can positively spill over into an individual's overall life satisfaction.

The Impact of Job Dissatisfaction: Employee Responses

When employees are dissatisfied, they may respond in different ways, categorized into four types, often described by the Exit-Voice-Loyalty-Neglect (EVLN) framework:

• Exit: This response involves actively leaving the organization, such as looking for a new job or resigning. It is a destructive and active response.

• Voice: This is an active and constructive attempt to improve conditions, such as suggesting improvements, discussing problems with superiors, or engaging in union activity. It is a constructive and active response.

• Loyalty: This involves passively but optimistically waiting for conditions to improve, often by speaking up for the organization in the face of external criticism and trusting management to do the right thing. It is a constructive and passive response.

• Neglect: This is a passive response that allows conditions to worsen, manifested through reduced effort, increased absenteeism, or chronic lateness. It is a destructive and passive response.

Other Important Job Attitudes

Beyond job satisfaction, several other attitudes are crucial in organizational behavior:

• Job Involvement: The degree to which a person identifies psychologically with their job, considers their perceived performance level important to self-worth, and actively participates in their job.

• Psychological Empowerment: Employees' beliefs in the degree to which they affect their work environment, their competence, the meaningfulness of their job, and their perceived autonomy.

• Organizational Commitment: The degree to which an employee identifies with a particular organization and its goals and wishes to maintain membership in the organization.

• Perceived Organizational Support (POS): The degree to which employees believe an organization values their contribution and cares about their well-being.

• Employee Engagement: An individual's involvement, satisfaction, and enthusiasm for the work they do.

Implications for Managers

Effective management of attitudes has significant practical implications:

• Benefits of Satisfied Employees: Satisfied employees are generally:

  • Happier in their work and overall life.

  • More productive, contributing more effectively to organizational goals.

  • More likely to remain with the organization, reducing turnover costs.

  • More likely to display Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), contributing to a positive work environment.

• Measurability and Improvability: Job attitudes can be both measured and actively improved through management interventions and organizational practices.

• Positive Organizational Outcomes: Improving employee job-related attitudes will ultimately result in:

  • Greater organizational effectiveness.

  • Higher customer satisfaction, as employees are the front line of service.

  • Increased profits due to improved performance, retention, and customer loyalty.