9. Job Satisfaction

Job Characteristics (Hackman & Oldham, 1976)
- Characteristics influence psychological states, which in turn affect job satisfaction.
- Research supports the link between perceived job characteristics and job satisfaction, but not necessarily objective characteristics.
- Pay: Salary is more important when compared to people in similar jobs rather than different jobs.
- Justice: Distributive and procedural justice are related to global and facet satisfaction.
Personality
- Negative or positive affectivity.
- Locus of Control: Individuals with an external locus of control tend to be less satisfied.
- Gender: Few gender differences in job satisfaction.
- Age: Curvilinear relationship – job satisfaction is lowest between ages 26 and 31.
- Culture and ethnicity also play a role.

A pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences (Locke’s Value Theory).
Job satisfaction arises when a job is meaningful, the individual feels responsible for the outcomes, and has knowledge of the results of their work (Job Characteristics Model - JCM, Hackman & Oldham).
Job satisfaction is partly a stable trait. Individuals with positive core self-evaluations (e.g., high self-esteem, emotional stability) are more likely to experience job satisfaction (Dispositional Approach, Judge et al.).

Locke’s Value Theory:
- Satisfaction arises when there is a match between what an individual values in a job and what they actually perceive to be receiving.
- Dissatisfaction occurs when expectations or values are unmet.
Herzberg’s Hygiene Factors:
- Job satisfaction is influenced by motivator factors (e.g., achievement, recognition, the work itself).
- Hygiene factors (e.g., salary, company policies, working conditions) prevent dissatisfaction but do not create satisfaction.
- Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not opposites. The presence of motivators leads to satisfaction.
- Absence of motivators does not necessarily cause dissatisfaction; dissatisfaction is caused by poor hygiene factors.
Job Characteristics Model:
- This theory emphasizes core job dimensions like :
  - skill variety,
  - task identity,
  - task significance,
  - autonomy, and
  - feedback as drivers of satisfaction.

Approach :
- Focuses on how much people like their jobs.
- Easy to measure and central in many theories.
  - Global Approach: Overall satisfaction with work.
  - Facet Approach: Satisfaction with aspects of the job.

Match between the individual and the job.
People differ in their reactions to the same situation.
- Characteristics of the person act as a moderator.
  - Moderator: A variable that affects the relationship between two other variables.

Self-report survey using standard scales.
Standard Scales:
- Job Descriptive Index (JDI): Measures 5 facets of job satisfaction.
- Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ): Measures global job satisfaction.
- Job In General (JIG): Measures global job satisfaction.
Triangulation of data is important.
- using more than one assessment approach to gain a more complete and accurate understanding of a person's job satisfaction

Job Performance: More evidence suggests that performance causes satisfaction.
Turnover: Dissatisfied people are more likely to quit.
Absence: Very small correlation; other factors are more important.
Health and Well-Being: Relates to physical symptoms and negative emotions.
Life Satisfaction: Influenced by job satisfaction.
Spillover, compensation, and segmentation hypotheses.
- Spillover Hypothesis: Satisfaction or dissatisfaction from one life domain (e.g., job) affects other domains (e.g., general life satisfaction).
- Compensation Hypothesis: Dissatisfaction in one domain is compensated by seeking greater satisfaction in another.
- Segmentation Hypothesis: Different life domains are kept separate, with little to no impact between them.

Three Components of Organizational Commitment:
- Acceptance of organizational goals.
- Intention to stay on the job.
- Willingness to work hard.
Three Types of Organizational Commitment (Meyer & Allen):
- Affective: Liking the job.
- Continuance: Needing the job.
- Normative: Feeling obligated to stay on the job.

Karina (35 years old) has worked for 8 years in a financial technology company.
She was recognized as an accomplished employee and received the "Employee of the Year" award.
However, in the last 6 months, Karina has shown changes: she often goes home on time, rarely takes initiative, and seems less enthusiastic about her work.
Factors that Emerged:
- Karina feels her work is no longer challenging and often does the same thing repeatedly.
- Her supervisor rarely provides feedback or rewards for her achievements.
- Salary and office facilities are quite good, even above average.
- Colleagues are quite supportive, but Karina no longer feels "meaningful" in her job.
- Karina is a perfectionist and has high self-efficacy.

Questions from the Case Study: