Study Notes on Organizational Behavior: Individual Attitudes and Behaviors

Organizational Behavior: Bridging Science and Practice

  • Authors: Talya Bauer & Berrin Erdogan
  • Publisher: FlatWorld 2018

Chapter 4: Individual Attitudes and Behaviors

  • Learning Objectives:
    • Identify major work attitudes affecting behaviors.
    • List key work behaviors for organizational performance.
    • Link between work attitudes and ethics.
    • Cross-cultural differences in job attitudes and workplace behaviors.

Understanding Work Attitudes

  • Definition of Attitude:
    • Opinions, beliefs, and feelings about various aspects of the environment.
  • Key Work Attitudes:
    • Job Satisfaction: Feelings towards one's job.
    • Organizational Commitment: Emotional attachment to the company.
    • Job Engagement: Investment of mental, emotional, and physical energies at work.

Enhancing Happiness at Work

  • Tips for Being Happier:
    • Cultivate a positive attitude.
    • Ensure a good fit with job and company.
    • Obtain accurate job information.
    • Build strong workplace relationships.
    • Recognize importance of job characteristics over pay.
    • Be proactive in organizational management.
    • Know when it’s right to leave the job.

Factors Influencing Work Attitudes

  • Key Factors:
    • Personality traits.
    • Fit between person and environment.
    • Job characteristics affecting satisfaction.
    • Psychological contract understanding.
    • Organizational justice perceptions.
    • Quality of work relationships.
    • External stress levels.
    • Work-life balance considerations.

Personality and Work Attitudes

  • Personality Impact:
    • Job satisfaction is partly influenced by personal traits and affective disposition.
    • Positive core self-evaluations correlate with favorable job attitudes.

Person-Environment Fit

  • Dimensions of Fit:
    • Person-Organization Fit: Alignment of individual’s characteristics and the company’s values.
    • Person-Job Fit: Compatibility of individual's skills and job demands.

Job Characteristics

  • Characteristics Promoting Satisfaction:
    • Variety of skills used.
    • Empowerment opportunities.
    • Continuous feedback.
    • Significance of tasks performed.

Psychological Contract

  • Definition:
    • Unwritten expectations between employee and employer.
  • Breach Consequences:
    • Occurs when expectations are not met, leading to dissatisfaction.

Organizational Justice

  • Importance of Fairness:
    • Fair treatment influences job satisfaction.
    • Includes company policies, supervisor treatment, and reward systems.

Work Relationships

  • Impact of Relationships:
    • Relationships with coworkers and managers are crucial for satisfaction and commitment.
    • Key aspects include compassion, social acceptance, and mutual respect.

Managing Stress in the Workplace

  • Job Stressors:
    • Negative stressors: Role ambiguity, conflict, and organizational politics.
    • Positive stressors: Timed pressure and high responsibility levels can enhance engagement.

Work-Life Balance

  • Expectations for Balance:
    • Employees desire balance, making personal life and work coexist harmoniously.
    • Poor balance can lead to stress and decreased job satisfaction.

Consequences of Positive Work Attitudes

  • Job Satisfaction vs. Job Performance:
    • Correlations vary; some indicate weak connections while others suggest strong ones.
  • Engagement Factors:
    • Job performance influenced less by satisfaction and more by professional ethics and desires for advancement.

Assessing Work Attitudes

  • Methods for Tracking Attitudes:
    • Attitude Surveys: Allows employees to express concerns.
    • Exit Interviews: Capture departing employees’ feedback for improvement.

Work Behavior Concepts

  • Defined Terms:
    • Job Performance: Success in fulfilling job description’s criteria.
    • Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB): Voluntary actions benefiting the organization.
    • Absenteeism: Unscheduled absence cases, affected by health and attitudes toward work.
    • Turnover: Employee departure from an organization; can be voluntary or involuntary.

Counterproductive Behaviors

  • Types Include:
    • Abusing others, production deviance, theft, sabotage, withdrawal behaviors.

Turnover Management

  • Reasons for Turnover:
    • Performance levels, work attitudes, stress, and tenure factors.
    • Job Embeddedness: Strength of connections can lower turnover rates.

Job Attitudes and Ethics

  • Ethical Work Environments:
    • Employees in ethical companies report higher satisfaction and commitment.
  • Whistleblower Dynamics:
    • Moderate commitment correlates with more likelihood to report unethical behavior.

Cultural Influence on Job Attitudes

  • Cultural Differences:
    • Individualistic vs. collectivistic attitudes impact job satisfaction and commitment differently.

Key Terms Recap

  • Attitude: Overall feelings towards environment aspects.
  • Job Satisfaction: Feelings about specific job roles.
  • Organizational Commitment: Emotional ties to the organization.
  • Job Engagement: Active involvement in work tasks.
  • Person-Job Fit: Compatibility with job demands.
  • Person-Organization Fit: Alignment with organizational values.
  • Psychological Contract: Expectations between employee and employer.
  • Turnover: The act of leaving an organization.
  • Job Embeddedness: Connections and sacrifices tied to the workplace.