LECTURE NOTE – DHM 4013 KOLEJ UNITI

CHAPTER 5: JOB SATISFACTION

5.0 Introduction

Job satisfaction is a feeling, an emotional response, to the work we do and the environment
in which we do that work. The feelings we experience can be positive ones, where we
experience job satisfaction or they can be negative, where we experience job dissatisfaction.

Job satisfaction is the favourableness or unfavourableness with which the employees view
their work. It also refers to how employees like and are satisfied with their job.

When employees are happy with their job, it can improve their lives and this would have a
spill-off effect for society. People feel a sense of accomplishment and worth in performing a
satisfying job and this feeling spills over into their lives outside the work environment.

5.1 Measuring job satisfaction

There are two methods that are most widely used by organizations to measure job
satisfaction: the single global rating and the summation of job facets.

Table 5.1: Two popular methods to measure job satisfaction

Methods Descriptions

Single global rating A response to one question only.

It identifies key elements in the job and asks for the
Summation of job facets
employee’s feelings.

a) Single global rating – a method of asking about the satisfaction level of an employee by
asking one broad question. Job satisfaction can be verified by asking simple questions
such as “Choose one of the following statements which best tells how well you like your
job: I hate it, I dislike it, I do not like it, I am indifferent to it, I like it, I am enthusiastic
about it, I love it”.

b) Summation of job facets – a method of measuring job satisfaction where employers

would ask employees of their satisfaction levels based on different job facets.
Employers can also gauge job satisfaction levels by examining employees’ satisfaction
based on different aspects of their jobs, for example by asking “How do you feel about
your career advancement prospects in this position?”

Different organization would use different scales in measuring employee job satisfaction
levels.

c) Another widely used method is the Job Description Index (JDI), which contains five
measurement scales with seventy-two items in all, which are then answered in term of
‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘uncertain’.

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JDI measured by means of:

• Work on present job – responsibility, interest and growth.
• Supervision on present job – technical help and social support.
• Co-worker on present job – social harmony and respect.
• Opportunities of promotions – chances for further advancement.
• Present pay – adequacy of pay.

5.2 Determinant of job satisfaction

Among the factors affecting employee job satisfaction are:

a) The nature of the job

Each employee is unique. Accordingly, each employee has his or her own work
preferences and knowledge that he or she wishes to share with the organization.
Therefore, employers need to ensure that an employee’s personality fits the job.

Employers also need to create opportunities for their employees to show their abilities
in performing their jobs.

For example, let’s say a fresh graduate who is very jovial and loves meeting people
accepts a job as a store operations assistant in one of the manufacturing companies in
town. Being desperate for a job, she accepted the job without considering the job
description and needs. After three months of counting and balancing stocks in the store
room, she feels unhappy and starts to play truant at work. The supervisor eventually
realizes this and calls the employee for a discussion. The employee then admits that
she is not happy as she only deals with stock and wishes to do other jobs which would
allow her to mingle around with office mates.

b) Pay and benefits

Pay in term of monetary value is usually most important factor determining whether an
employee feels satisfied or otherwise with a job. However, this is usually only true for
new employees to the organization and for new comers to the working world.

Apart from the pay, there are other benefits which would affect employees’ job
satisfaction levels such as compensation benefits which may include medical
coverage, traveling allowances, holiday packages offered as incentives to employees,
offices spaces which is given by rank and etc.

c) Opportunities for promotions

Different organizations practice different ways in promoting their employees. Promotion

is basically a way to encourage and motivate an employee to work hard and stay
competitive in the organization.

However, if the promotion process is very rigid and not employee-friendly then this
would make an employee feel dissatisfied and unhappy. Opportunities for promotions

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also need to be free from biasness and discrimination.

d) Supervisors and managers

Previous research has proven that employees who are supervised by bad or
unprofessional bosses tend to be four times more likely to feel dissatisfied and tend to
leave the organization eventually. Supervisors and managers need to remember that
with a competitive work force, they need to be professional in their work. Commands
and communication need to be clear and informative. Employees look up to their
supervisors and managers for instruction and guidance in completing tasks or
assignments. However, if the relationship between both parties is not in good terms,
then this would affect the satisfaction level of the employee.

e) Co-workers and office mates

Employees spent a minimum of 10 hours a day in the office. And that is on a five-day-
a-week basis. During these hours spent, employees work as a team and tap on each
other’s skills and knowledge to get things done. Therefore, having co-workers and
office mates who understand and respect each other would foster a positive and
productive work culture, particularly in workplace which relies heavily on effective team
work. This is because employees with a cognitive impairment such as autism spectrum
disorder or a psychiatric condition like anti-social personality disorder are more likely to
create an unsociable or uncooperative attitude at work.

f) Combination of all factors

The combination of all the previous factors above would definitely complicate things
and that would have an impact on job satisfaction levels.

For instance, low salaries, bossy superiors; unsupportive co-workers along with
unchallenging, routine work would have bigger aggregate impact on satisfaction levels
compared to each factor’s individual effect.

5.3 Effect of job satisfaction

A healthy job satisfaction level in employees would consequently lead to many positive
effects for both employees and their organizations. Among the effects of employee job
satisfactions are:

• Promotes good health as employees have less stress.

• Helps create good working relationship among office staff and organization members.
• Creates healthy working culture whereby employees think strategically toward the
organization’s benefit.
• Develop a learning organization that promotes knowledge management and sharing
among employees.
• Allows employees to enjoy quality of life during and after working hours.

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5.4 Expression of dissatisfaction

Job dissatisfaction leads to employees behaving negatively.

If an employee is unhappy in his or her current role that would mean that the employee is
feeling dissatisfaction. That dissatisfaction would then be reflected in the employee’s
behaviour. Among the symptoms of job dissatisfaction are:

a) Being aggressive in communication and interaction

People who are not happy tend to be rude and crude. When this happens, it adversely
affects the relationships among employees. Some may be too frank while others may
send inappropriate emails which would hurt the other employees’ feelings.

b) Portraying self-centre behaviour

Another behaviour that is symptomatic of job dissatisfaction is being self-centre,

whereby the employee would only think of and undertake tasks that are important to
them without considering what his or her colleagues feel and what the effects are to the
organization.

For example, the marketing department of Casa Sdn. Bhd. is working around the clock
to achieve their sales target. Therefore, all team members have agreed to work
according to a schedule drawn up by the manager. In the schedule, the 12 team
members are divided into two groups and they are required to work on weekends
alternately. During these weekends, the employees would be organizing roadshows
and events to create product awareness among potential customers. However, Emily
who is the most senior marketing staff member in the team refused to work on
weekends. As a senior staff, she believes that she should be excluded from organizing
roadshows and working in the field. On weekends when she is required to work, she
would turn off her handphone so that no one would be able to reach her.

c) Disrespecting office mates and co-workers

Disrespecting towards office mates and co-workers can come in many forms. Some
employees may express his or her dissatisfaction by showing it openly while others
may ignore responsibilities assigned to them as part of a team.

Other examples include coming to meetings without preparing necessary information

and showing disrespect by not following agreed timelines. Many dissatisfied employees
would even show disrespect by ignoring outright their bosses’ or managers’
instructions.

d) Playing truant at work

Some dissatisfied employees may start being absent from work without giving any
reason or by giving barely acceptable reasons such as experiencing menstrual

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headaches (even though the pain is bearable and can be overcome by taking
paracetamol). Some may even provide unrealistic reasons such as traffic jams, sick
pets, etc.
However, some unhappy employees may turn up for work but goes missing from their
work stations. These employees would then appear an hour before working end, for
example.

In addition, some may start doing other tasks unrelated to work during working hours
such as blog-hopping, playing games online or conducting their part-time business
activities.

e) Avoiding social activities within the office and organization

A good manager would ensure that there are some social activities for all employees in
the department to participate in.

This is because social activities allow employees to interact and communicate with
each other in a more relaxing environment. Social activities also allow managers and
employees to get to know each other better. Among the activities that are usually held
are teambuilding exercises, annual dinners, celebrating employee birthdays, tea
parties, bicycle rides, morning exercise activities and etc.

However, dissatisfied employees would just avoid these events as they would say that
the events are not work-related.

f) Criticizing in unproductive manner

Dissatisfied employees would voice out their unhappiness and start criticizing the
management. They would discuss with their co-workers, supervisors and their unions
in a negative manner.

This create a snowball effect, whereby employees who may not have been aware of
what the dissatisfied employee going through would consequently have access to the
negative issues raised by the dissatisfied employee.

For example, Emma who has been working with JMart for the past five years is not
satisfied with the bonus amount she received. Although the bonus amounts are private
and confidential as stated in the bonus announcement letter, Emma found out that Kay,
who is her a much more junior employee that she is, has received an extra two months’
bonus compared to what is Emma getting. Emma then calls up Dian from a different
department and begins complaining about the issue. Consequently, Dian, who all this
while thought that bonuses are given equally across the board grows suspicious and
begins to have negative feelings toward her colleagues.

g) Leaving the organization

Dissatisfied employees would start searching for alternatives and would leave the
organization when the opportunity to do so arises. They may even leave the

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organization even though the salary in new job is lower than what they are currently
receiving. When this happens, the organization not only loses the employee but also
the knowledge and experience that the employee has.

5.5 Providing meaning and joy at work

It is vital that manager to create and provide meaning and joy to all employees in their jobs.

• It would be quite challenge for managers to ensure that each employee is satisfied and
happy with the job and the organization as different employees come with different
needs and wants. However, should a manager be able to identify the needs and wants
of each employee, the organization would then have a strong team to support the
organization.
• Employees who are happy and satisfied also would definitely assist and go the extra
mile for the organization. This is because the feeling of satisfaction and joy would
create a positive atmosphere and work culture as well as improve the working
relationship in the organization. This would then keep the turnover rate and the
resignation numbers low.
• In any organization, all employees work to achieve the organization’s objectives which
have been drawn earlier. These objectives can only be achieved if the employees are
committed and focused on the work given to them. So, having a team that is happy and
satisfied with their work would be an added advantage for the organization as
motivated employees hold the competitive edge against the competitor.
Therefore, managers need to be sensitive towards each and every employee’s behaviour.
This is because the employees’ behaviours are signals or indicators of each employee’s
satisfaction level.