JOB SATISFACTION: A CHALLENGING AREA OF

RESEARCH IN EDUCATION
Mrs. Gurinder Kaur is Lecturer in Education, SMDRSD College of Education,
Pathankot, Gurdaspur
Dr. Gursharan Sinh Kain!h is Director" G.A.D. Institute of Deelop!ent Studies,
"#$Preet Aenue, Ma%itha Road, P& 'aushera, A!ritsar$"#())*.
Indian Education Commission (1966) describes teacher as one of the most important
factors contributing to the national development. He is the pivot around which all the
educational programs such as curriculum s!llabus te"tboo#s evaluation etc.
rotate. $he best s!stem of education ma! fail to achieve the desire ends in the absence
of sincere competent and professionall! aware teachers. %ational &olic! on
Education (19'6) rightl! states ('o people can rise a+oe the leel of its teachers).
*s a person imbibes interprets and disseminates the relevant items of culture and
traditions of the past he creates new #nowledge promotes innovations criticall!
appraises the past and its traditions and cultures sifts the grain from the chaffe
strengthens social and economic fabrics of the nation. Education is basicall! the
influence which the teacher e"erts on the students entrusted to his care. Effective
teachers are re+uired in the classroom because even the best curriculum and most
perfect s!llabus remain ineffective in the absence of a good teacher. $he teaching
profession according to ,aniels (19-.) inherentl! entails certain well/#nown self
obvious and implicit obligations commitments and e"pectations from its members.
$he societ! bestows its trust on all the professionals to rise to the demands of the
profession. In order to perform his role of paramount and vital significance
effectivel! a teacher should be professionall! aware of professional demands and
obligations placed on him b! the profession. 0urther the role of teachers in
influencing the future of our advancing national development is becoming
increasingl! important. ,evelopment of the countr! re+uires a high rate of production
and fullest possible utili1ation of both human as well as material resources.
%owada!s there is however a general feeling that the teachers do not have
satisfaction in their 2ob. $here seems to be growing discontentment towards their 2ob
as a result of which standard of education are falling. $eachers are dissatisfied in spite
of different plans and programs which have been implemented to improve their 2ob.
3ob satisfaction consists of total bod! of feeling about the nature of 2ob promotion
nature of supervision etc. that an individual has about his 2ob. If the sum total of
influence of these factors gives arises to feelings of satisfaction the individual has 2ob
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satisfaction. 4nder such circumstances it is essential that the proper understanding
concerning satisfaction emanating from the 2ob life be obtained.
ATTEMPT TO DEFINE JOB SATSIFACTION
3ob satisfaction is a comple" variable and is influenced b! situational factors of the
2ob as well as the dispositional characteristics of the individual (5harma 6 7hosh8
9::6). It is defined as the positive emotional response to the 2ob situation resulting
from attaining what the emplo!ee wants from the 2ob. $his implies that 2ob
satisfaction can be captured b! either a one dimensional concept of 7lobal 3ob
satisfaction or a ;ulti ,imensional faceted construct of 2ob satisfaction capturing
different aspects of a 2ob satisfaction that can ver! independentl!. In this stud! 2ob
satisfaction is defined as member<s attitude towards their present wor#ing conditions.
3ob satisfaction is a pleasurable emotional state of the appraisal of one<s 2ob= an
effective reaction and an attitude towards one<s 2ob. %o doubt 2ob satisfaction is an
attitude but one should clearl! distinguish the ob2ects of cognitive evaluation which
are affect (emotion) beliefs and behaviours (>eiss H.;. 9::9). Hence 3ob
satisfaction is an attitude towards 2ob ta#ing into account feelings beliefs and
behaviours. *ccording to ,ictionar!.com 2ob satisfaction is an act of satisf!ing=
fulfillment= gratification. It is the state of being satisfied or contended. It is the cause
or means of being satisfied. *ccording to ,ictionar! of Education 2ob satisfaction is
the +ualit! state and level of satisfaction as a result of various interests and attitudes
of a person towards his 2ob. It is the desire or undesired with which emplo!ees view
their wor#. It e"presses the e"tent of match between the emplo!er<s e"pectations of
the 2ob and rewards that the 2ob provides.
$he term ?3ob 5atisfaction< however lac#s ade+uate definition (Hert1berg et al.
19@-) as well as a satisfactor! theor! about its meaning. $he difference in a broad
spectrum of views seems to be caused firstl! b! the various nature of 2obs that
individuals perform= secondl! the attempts to conceptuali1e 2ob satisfaction in a
variet! of wa!s b! different disciplines li#e &s!cholog! 5ociolog! Education and
;anagement etc. and finall! the variet! of methods emplo!ed b! various researchers
to stud! 2ob satisfaction. It is widel! accepted as ps!chological aspect of effective
functioning in an! profession. $he credit of this thought goes to Hoppoc#(19.@) who
commented that there were man! opinions about 2ob satisfaction but there were few
studies underta#en in this field. 0or him 3ob 5atisfaction was a combination of
ps!chological ph!siological and environmental circumstances that cause a person
truthfull! to sa! (I a! satisfied ,ith !- %o+.. $hus 3ob 5atisfaction is a favorableness
with which emplo!ees view their wor#.
*ccording to Aulloc# (19@9) 7itmer (1966) and 5chul1 (19-.) 3ob 5atisfaction is an
attitude which results from a balance and summation of man! specific li#es and
disli#es e"perienced in connection with 2ob. Bat1ell (196C) remar#s that the term 2ob
satisfaction has been used in a variet! of wa!s inter changeabl! with 2ob morale
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vocational satisfaction and 2ob attitude b! various authors. 5iegel (1969) points out
those factors which ps!chologicall! satisf! the wor#er and which usuall! lie in the 2ob
but also +uite often lie outside the 2ob. He called such factors as intrinsic and e"trinsic
to the 2ob. Alum (196@) and Alum and %a!lor (196') consider 2ob satisfaction as a
generali1ed attitude of the individual resulting from man! attitudes in three areas
namel! specific 2ob factors individual characteristics and group relationship outside
the 2ob. 5mith et.al. (1969) however suggest that 3ob 5atisfaction is the emplo!ee<s
2udgment of how well his 2ob on the whole satisf!ing his various needs. He also
indirectl! refers to a fit between what the 2ob demands from the 2ob/doer in terms of
hisDher needs E material and non/material.
$iffin and ;c. Cormich<s (1969) recogni1ed that 2ob satisfaction is a function of need
satisfaction derived from or e"perienced in the 2ob. *ccording to Bochan (19-') 3ob
5atisfaction is the whole matri" of 2ob factors that ma#e a person li#e his wor#
situation and is willing to head for it without distaste at the beginning of his wor# da!.
$his means that 3ob satisfaction includes two aspects8 Fiving and en2o!ing the 2ob and
7oing to one<s 2ob with head erect and smiles. Gownstree ,ere# (19'1) defined 3ob
5atisfaction as the e"tent to which each person in each organi1ation obtains
satisfaction from the processes and content of his wor#. *ccording to &aul 5pecters
(19'@) (3ob 5atisfaction is li#ing of one<s 2ob and finding fulfillment in what !ou do.
It combines an individuals feeling and emotion about their and how their 2ob effect
their personal lines.) Arown (1996) notes that some emplo!ers have found that
satisf!ing or delighting emplo!ees is a prere+uisite to satisf! or delight customers
thus protecting the (bottom line). %o wonder Andrew Carnegie is +uoted as sa!ing8
Ta#e a$a% &% 'e(')e" *u! )ea+e &% ,a-!(ries" and
s((n rass $i)) r($ (n !he ,)((rs (, ,a-!(ries.
Ta#e a$a% &% ,a-!(ries *u! )ea+e &% 'e(')e and
s((n $e $i)) ha+e ne$ and *e!!er ,a-!(ries).
Arief (199') wrote (If a person<s wor# is interesting pa! is fair promotional
opportunities are good supervisor is supportive and co/wor#ers are friendl! then a
situational approach leads one to predict that sheDhe is satisfied with herDhis 2ob). In
simple words if the pleasures associated with one<s 2ob outweigh the pains there is
some level of satisfaction. $he Harvard &rofessional 7roup (199') sees 3ob
5atisfaction as the #e!ing radiant that leads to recognition income promotion and the
achievement of goals that leads to a general feeling of fulfillment. *ccording to latest
research done on 3ob 5atisfaction in *pril 9::- a new meaning to 3ob 5atisfaction
was given. (0ind meaning in !our wor# even if !our 2ob is un/challenging or menial
finding meaning will ma#e it much more bearable if indeed that is how !ou feel)
(that !our wor# is unbearable). $here are three levels of meaning that we as wor#ers
can obtain from our wor#.
%o meaning. >or# ma#es no sense to !ou.
>or# has meaning because it supports !ou and !our famil!.
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>or# ahas meaning in itself because !ou are contributing something great or
!ou are ma#ing the world a better place.
$he important thing here is that to some of us wor# has no meaning or the different
is that some people understand the meaning of their wor# and sadl! some don<t. Hnce
!ou have found !our own meaning for wor# then !ou are on the right trac# towards
happiness.
TEN .A/S TO MAINTAIN /OUR MEANING
Aelieve E Aelieve in what !ou are doing.
Ae honest E $rust in !ourself and in others.
,on<t be afraid E 0ear can and will hold !ou bac#. 5o overcome !our fears.
Ae Hb2ective E Foo# at the big picture.
Gespect ,ifferences E Ae non 2udgmental.
Fearn from !our mista#es.
5upport !our co/wor#ers.
Ae enthusiastic E Enthusiasm is contagious.
Ae Gesult Hriented E performance I potential minus interference.
>or# as part of a team.
SIGNIFICANCE OF JOB SATISFACTION
3ob satisfaction has been the centre of the concentration for researchers over three
decades. $he reasons for such concentration are manifolds8
1. Job satisfation !as so"e re#ation wit! t!e "enta# !ea#t! of t!e $eo$#e
,issatisfaction with once 2ob ma! have especiall! volatile spillover effects on
man! other things such as famil! life leisure activities etc. ;an! unresolved
personalit! problems and malad2ustments arise out of person inabilit! to find
satisfaction in his wor#. Aoth scientific stud! and casual observation provide ample
evidence that 2ob satisfaction is important for the ps!chological ad2ustment and happ!
living of individual. * classic stud! b! *rthur Bornhausen provides empirical
evidence for the relationship between 2ob satisfaction and mental health. In fact 2ob
satisfaction and life satisfaction are ine"tricable bound.
%. Job satisfation !as so"e degree of $ositi&e orre#ation wit! $!'sia#
!ea#t! of indi&id(a#s
* stud! b! &almore has come to the conclusion that people who li#e wor# are
li#el! to live longer. Here the logic behind such result is that people with greater
satisfaction tend to have greater incomes and more education and thus coincidentl!
en2o! greater benefits which promote longevit!. Hn the other side of the coin it was
contended that chronic dissatisfaction with wor# represents stress which in turn
eventuall! ta#es its toll on the organi1ation. Emotional stress as ph!sicians contend
has been implicated as a contributor! factor in the genesis of h!pertension coronar!
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arter! disease digestive ailments and even some #inds of a cancer. $herefore 2ob
satisfaction is essential to maintain ph!sical health also.
). S$read goodwi## abo(t t!e organi*ation
0rom the point of view of an organi1ation people who feel positivel! about
their wor# life are more apt to voice ?favorable sentiments< about the organi1ation to
the communit! at large. >hen the goodwill of the compan! goes up new +ualified
and d!namic entrants show their interest in 2oining the organi1ation. $he organi1ation
thus will be in a position to en2o! the talents of people as 2ob satisfaction fosters a
pervasive residue of public goodwill towards the organi1ation.
+. Indi&id(a#s an ,#i&e wit!- t!e organi*ations
* happ! and satisfied individual can find it eas! to live within the organi1ation
as well as outside it. Hn the contrar! a chronicall! upset individual ma#es
organi1ation life ve"ations for others with whom he interacts.
.. /ed(es absenteeis" and t(rno&er
$he calculable costs/emplo!ee turnover and absenteeism are sufficient to
accept the importance of 2ob satisfaction. Higher 2ob satisfaction reduces labor
turnover and absenteeism and the managers are compelled if the! are unconvinced
about the merits of 2ob satisfaction to give priorit! and ade+uate weightage to 2ob
satisfaction. * serious conse+uence of 2ob dissatisfaction can be the emplo!ee
turnover.
%ow/a/da!s the concept of 2ob satisfaction is not onl! limited to emplo!ee sector but
covers all the sectors where there is involvement of the emplo!ees and wor#ers. 3ob
satisfaction is li#ing of once 2ob and its fulfillment what one do. It is ac+uiring an
increasingl! important role in modern societ! in which man spends most of his time
on his 2ob basicall! underta#en for pa!ment received in lieu of it. 3ob satisfaction is
important both to the emplo!ee as well as the emplo!er. 7reater 2ob satisfaction is
li#el! to lead eventuall! to more effective functioning of the individual and the
organi1ation as a whole. Infact wor#ing life is to be evaluated not simpl! in terms of
the amount of goods turned out the productive efficienc! and the profit it brings but
the level of satisfaction that the participants derive from it. 7enerall! wor# is
approached from three perspectives important for 2ob satisfaction. If !ou approach
wor# as a 2ob !ou focus primaril! on the financial rewards. $he nature of the wor#
has little interest for !ou and mone! is more important. If a 2ob with more pa! comes
!our wa! !ou<ll li#el! move on. If !ou approach wor# as a career !ou<re interested
in advancement. Jou want to climb the career ladder or be among the most highl!
regarded professionals. Jou are motivated b! the status prestige and power that come
with the 2ob. If !ou approach !our 2ob as a calling !ou focus on the wor# itself. Jou
wor# less for the financial gain or career advancement than for the fulfillment of
wor#. $he satisfied wor#er is in general a more fle"ible and better ad2usted who has
the capacit! to over come the effects of an environment. He is more realistic about his
own situation and goals. $he wor#er dissatisfied with his 2ob in contrast is often
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rigid infle"ible unrealistic in his choice of goals unable to overcome environmental
obstacles and generall! unhapp! and dissatisfied. Fac# of 2ob satisfaction can be a
significant source of dail! stress. $here can be various reasons of 2ob dissatisfaction
such as Aic#ering co/wor#ers supervisor= Conflict with !our supervisor= %ot having
necessar! e+uipment or resources to succeed= Fac# of opportunities for promotion=
Having little or no sa! in decisions that affect !ou= 0ear of loosing !our 2ob= >or# that
!ou find boring or overl! routine and >or# that doesn<t tap into !our education s#ills
or interests. * stud! of 2ob satisfaction classifies and categori1es the conditions and
factors that lead to 2ob satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Aesides one could reinforce
conditions that ma#e wor# more satisf!ing and fulfilling instead of dull and
disappointing.
0ISTO/1
Hne of the biggest preludes to the stud! of 2ob satisfaction was the Hawthorne 5tudies
of 199C/19.. primaril! credited to Elton ;a!o of the Harvard Ausiness 5chool. He
sought to find the effect of various conditions on wor#ers productivit! and reveals
that novel changes in wor# conditions temporaril! increase productivit! #nown as
Hawthorne effect. Aut it was later found that such increase resulted not from the new
wor# conditions but from the recognition one gets in wor#. *pparentl! people wor#
for purposes other than pa! which paved the wa! for researches to investigate other
factors in 2ob satisfaction.
*ccording to *B* $a!lorism 5cientific ;anagement had a significant impact on 2ob
satisfaction. 0rederic# >inslow $a!lor argued that the single best wa! is to perform
an! given wor# tas#. $his wor# contributed to a change in industrial production
philosophies causing a shift from s#illed labour and piece wor# towards the more
modern approach of assembl! lines and hourl! wages. $he initial use of scientific
management b! industries greatl! increased productivit! because wor#ers were forced
to wor# at a faster pace. However wor#ers became e"hausted and dissatisfied thus
leaving researchers to answer 2ob satisfaction alternativel!.
;aslow<s Hierarch! of %eeds $heor! laid the foundation for another school of
thought of 2ob satisfaction theor!. *ccordingl! people see# to satisf! five specific
needs in life namel! ph!siological needs safet! needs social needs self/esteem
needs and self/actuali1ation needs. $his serves as a good basis from which earl!
researchers developed 2ob satisfaction theories.
T0EO/IES OF JOB SATISFACTION
Affet T!eor'
Edwin *. Foc#e<s Gange of *ffect $heor! (19-6) is arguabl! the most famous
3ob 5atisfaction $heor!. $he main premise of this theor! is that satisfaction is
determined b! a discrepanc! between what one wants in a 2ob and what one has in a
2ob. 0urther the theor! states that how much one values a given facet of wor# (e.g.
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the degree of antinom! in a position) moderates how satisfiedD dissatisfied one
becomes when e"pectations areD aren<t met. >hen a person values a particular facet of
a 2ob his satisfaction is more greatl! impacted both positivel! (when e"pectations are
met) and negativel! (when e"pectations are not met) compared to one who doesn<t
value that facet.
Dis$ositiona# T!eor'
*nother well/#nown 2ob satisfaction theor! is the ,ispositional $heor! which
suggests that people have innate dispositions that cause them to have tendencies
toward a certain level of satisfaction regardless of one<s 2ob. $his approach becomes
a notable e"planation of 2ob satisfaction in light of evidence that 2ob satisfaction tends
to be stable over time and across careers and 2obs.
* significant model that narrowed the scope of the ,ispositional $heor! was
the Core 5elf/Evaluations ;odel proposed b! $imoth! *. 3udge in 199'. 3udge
argued that there are four Core 5elf/Evaluations that determine one<s disposition
towards 2ob satisfaction8 self/esteem general self/efficac! locus of control and
neuroticism. $his model states that higher levels of self/esteem (the value one place
on hisDher self) and general self/efficac! (the belief in one<s own competence) lead to
higher wor# satisfaction. Having an internal locus of control (believing one has
control over herDhis own life as opposed to outside forces having control) lead to
higher 2ob satisfaction. 0inall! lower levels of neuroticism lead to higher 2ob
satisfaction.
Two2Fator T!eor'
0redric# Hert1berg<s $wo 0actor $heor! (also #nown as ;otivator H!giene
$heor!) attempts to e"plain satisfaction and motivation in the wor#place. *ccording
to this satisfaction and dissatisfaction are driven b! motivation and h!giene factors.
;otivating factors are those aspects of the 2ob that ma#e people want to perform and
provide people with satisfaction e.g. achievement in wor# recognition promotion
opportunities. $hese motivating factors are considered to be intrinsic to the 2ob or the
wor# carried out. H!giene factors include aspects of the wor#ing environment such as
pa! compan! policies supervisor! practices and other wor#ing conditions. >hile
Hert1berg<s model has stimulated further research but unable to reliabl! motivatingD
h!giene factors. 0inall! the model fails to specif! how motivatingD h!giene factors
are to be measured.
JOB C0A/ACTE/ISTICS MODE3
Hac#man and Hldham proposed the 3ob Characteristics ;odel to stud! how
particular 2ob characteristics impact on 2ob outcomes including 2ob satisfaction.
*ccording to this model five core 2ob characteristics (s#ill variet! tas# identit! tas#
significance autonom! and feedbac#) impact three critical ps!chological states
(e"perienced meaningfulness e"perienced responsibilit! for outcomes and
#nowledge of the actual results) which in turn influence wor# outcomes (2ob
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satisfaction absenteeism wor# motivation etc.). $hese five core 2ob characteristics
can be combined to form a ;otivating &otential 5core (;&5) for a 2ob which can be
used as an inde" of how li#el! a 2ob is to affect an emplo!ee<s attitudes and
behaviours.
JOB SATISFACTION AND EMOTIONS
;ood and emotions are the raw materials which cumulate to form the
affective element of 2ob satisfaction while wor#ing. ;oods tend to be long lasting
with wea#er state of uncertain origin. Hn the other hand emotions are more intense
short/lived and have a clear ob2ect or cause. &ositive and negative emotions are
significantl! related to overall 2ob satisfaction. 0re+uenc! of e"periencing net positive
emotion will be a better predictor of overall 2ob satisfaction.
Emotion regulation and emotion labor are also related to 2ob satisfaction.
Emotion wor# or management refers to various efforts to manage emotional states and
displa!s. Emotion regulation includes all the conscious and unconscious efforts to
increase maintain or decrease one or more components of an emotion. *lthough
earl! studies of the conse+uences of emotional labor emphasi1ed its harmful effects
on wor#ers studies of wor#ers in a variet! of occupations suggest that the
conse+uences of emotional labor are not uniforml! negative. It was found that
suppression of unpleasant emotions decreases 2ob satisfaction and the amplification of
pleasant emotions increases 2ob satisfaction. $here are two t!pes of model for
understanding how emotion regulation relates to 2ob satisfaction.
1. E"otiona# Dissonane8 / Emotional ,issonance is a state of discrepanc!
between public displa!s of emotions and internal e"periences of emotions that often
follows the process of emotion regulation. Emotional dissonance is associated with
high emotional e"haustion low organi1ational commitment and low 2ob satisfaction.
9. Soia# Interation Mode#8 / $a#ing the social interaction perspective
wor#ers< emotion regulation might beget responses from others during interpersonal
encounters that subse+uentl! impact their own 2ob satisfaction. 0or e"ample8 the
accumulation of favourable responses to displa! of pleasant emotions might positivel!
affect 2ob satisfaction. &erformance of emotional labor that produces desired
outcomes could increase 2ob satisfaction.
/E3ATION BET4EEN JOB SATISFACTION AND PE/FO/MANCE
%on financial rewards (appreciation of one<s performance due recognition
more responsibilities respect and regard recognition of s#ills and talent etc.) often
have more impact than financial recognition in attaining 2ob satisfaction. In the
contemporar! wor#place of toda! leaders are empowering emplo!ees flattening
organi1ations encouraging staff participation in decision ma#ing enhancing
productivit! and shifting from 9D@ to 9CD- with onl! one ob2ective of attaining high
performance outcomes for the organi1ation. ;an! leaders in their +uest for
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organi1ation success often overloo# one ver! valuable motivational tool in their
arsenal i.e. 2ob satisfaction. (www.e"presscomputeronline.com)
Staff rewards
Gewarding staff appropriatel! is important. E"perienced human resources
consultancies and practitioners who are engaged in staff selection assessment and
recruitment are often able to evaluate and assess the needs and wants of individuals
fairl! accuratel!. A! having them especiall! those with man! !ears of e"pertise and
e"perience organi1ations can develop strategic and creative benefits and wages to
attract retain and motivate talent who will achieve high performance for the
organi1ations and 2ob satisfaction for themselves. 3ob satisfaction is often achieved
where performance is recogni1ed b! appropriate
Strong "oti&ator
3ob 5atisfaction is often a strong motivator in wor# endeavors. Gesearch has
shown that 3ob 5atisfaction can lead to high 2ob performance especiall! for
professionals and high/level emplo!ees commonl! #nown as talent. *s 2obs and wor#
in the new econom! shift to professionali1ed #nowledge based info/tech info/com
and bio/science characteristics 2ob satisfaction will increasingl! become a #e! driver
of individual motivation and effort. Gesearch has also shown that there e"ists a
relationship between individual performance measured at a certain time and later 2ob
satisfaction. However this relation is conditional to performance being famil!
rewarded in appropriate form as perceived b! the recipient.
5(a#it' of wor62#ife
Hne of the hallmar#s of a sociall! responsible organi1ation is its success in
achieving not onl! high performance outcomes but also in helping its team members
e"perience a high level of 3ob 5atisfaction. Kualit! of wor#/life (K>F) is a #e!
indicator of the overall +ualit! of human e"perience at the wor#place. K>F e"presses
a clear wa! of thin#ing about people their wor# and the organi1ation in which their
careers are fulfilled. K>F establishes a clear ob2ective that high performance can be
achieved with high 2ob satisfaction.
0ig! 7ob satisfation
*chieving high 2ob satisfaction needs some simple strategies. Hffer !our team
members a variet! of meaningful tas#s. Gepetitive routine wor# often leads to 2ob
dissatisfaction. *s a leader thin# about introducing application of creativit! in their
wor#. Gotate the staff of different tas# at regular intervals so that their wor# remains
challenging. If !ou have to supervise do it unobtrusivel!. 7ive more responsibilit! b!
empowering !our tea# members. *llow them opportunit! to self.
Effeti&e o""(niation a"ong e"$#o'ees
4nclear targets and ob2ectives and poor communication can contribute to
dissatisfaction and eventuall! lead to poor wor# performance. If !ou are administering
rewards ma#e sure that the! match their e"pectations. If their e"pectations are
unrealistic ta#e time to ma#e comparison to e+uivalent and comparable 2obs and
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broad wor# related environmental conditions to similar emplo!ers. E"plain this to
!our team members.
3ob 5atisfaction needs effective communication about the tas#s which have to
be done. $he team member must #now the performance achieved in relation to the
target. Gegular wor# appraisal should therefore be provided. ;ore importantl! the!
must have an awareness of departmental and organi1ational changes which affects
their 2ob. Change agents should periodicall! meet team members to share the progress
on changes in the tas#s no matter how small the! are. Critical to this is listening to
emplo!ees< feedbac# and their perception as it is more li#el! to affect their 2ob
satisfaction and wor# perforce.
Organi*ationa# benefits
Improved 2ob satisfaction in the wor# place reduces social problems. $he
creative aspects of achieving satisfaction will reduce if not overcome boredom and
monoton! in wor# ph!sical strain and mental stress. $his will have a lower
absenteeism rate and lower staff turn/over which translated into lower losses less
late/coming fewer grievances and more effective cost control. 5atisfied team member
are generall! more committed to the wor# place success than those non 2ob
satisfactors. * satisfied team member is more li#el! to perform well cheerfull! than
other emplo!ees.
3ob 5atisfaction is an emotion a feeling an attitude and a matter of perception.
It arises from the emplo!ee<s appraisal of e"perience at wor#. It involves li#es and
disli#es as well as needs and wants both internal and e"ternal. *s an emplo!er or
leader if !ou fail to meet them there is a high probabilit! !ou will also not achieve
high performance. Creating 2ob satisfaction remains a challenge for man! human
resources ;anagers. *n e"perienced business partner speciali1ed in human resource
management can greatl! help in meeting this challenge. *chieving high 2ob
satisfaction for emplo!ees or team members is pre/re+uisite for becoming mar#et
Leader and a Cha&'i(n0
ST/ATEGIES TO IMP/O8E 1O9/ JOB SATISFACTION
,epending on the underl!ing cause for 2ob dis/satisfaction there ma! be
several wa!s to increase 2ob satisfaction.
1. Set new !a##enges. If !ou<re stuc# in a 2ob because of lac# of education or a
downturn in the econom! it doesn<t mean !our wor# has to become drudger!.
>ith a little imagination !ou can create new challenges and ma#e the best of
the 2ob !ou have. Here are some ideas that ma! help8
I"$ro&e 'o(r 7ob s6i##s. Imagining !ourself in !our dream 2ob !ou
might envision !ourself as an e"cellent pro2ect manager/a confident
communicator and a highl! organi1ed person. >h! not wor# on these s#ills in
!our present 2obL
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De&e#o$ 'o( own $ro7et. $a#e on a pro2ect that can motivate !ou and
give !ou a sense of control. 5tart small such as organi1ing a wor#/related
celebration before moving on to larger goals. >or#ing on something boost
!our confidence.
Mentor a o2wor6er. Hnce !ou<ve mastered a 2ob !ou ma! find it.
Aecoming routine. Helping a new co/wor#er or an intern advance his or her
s#ills can restore the challenge and the satisfaction !ou desire.
%. Beat t!e boredo"
,oes !our 2ob seem boring sometimesL ,o !ou run out of things to doL If so
!our abilities ma! not match !our responsibilities. Here are some suggestions8
Brea6 ($ t!e "onoton'. $a#e advantages of !our wor# brea#s. Gead. Fisten
to music. 7o for a wal#. >rite a letter.
Cross2training. ,oes !our wor# consist of repetitive tas#s such as entering
data or wor#ing on as assembl! lineL $al# with !our boos about training for a
different tas# to combat boredom. Hnce !ou have completed the training !ou
can switch bac# and forth.
8o#(nteer for so"et!ing different. If !ou hear that !ou compan! is
launching a new pro2ect volunteer for the wor# team.
Beep in mind that boredom can literall! be deadl! if !our 2ob involves
wor#ing with machiner! or caring for people. If !our mind wanders to the point that
!ou put
). Sta' Positi&e
4se positive thin#ing to reframe !our thoughts about !our 2ob. Changing !our
attitude about wor# won<t necessaril! happen overnight or increase !our 2ob
satisfaction overnight. Aut if !ou<re alert to the view of wor# that brings !ou down
!ou can improve !our 2ob satisfaction. $r! these techni+ues.
Sto$ negati&e t!o(g!ts. &a! attention to the messages !ou give !ourself.
>hen !ou catch !ourself thin#ing !our 2ob is terrible stop the thought in its
trac#s.
P(t t!ings in $ers$eti&e. Gemember ever!one encounters good da!s and
bad da!s on the 2ob.
3oo6 for t!e si#&er #ining. (Geframing) can help !ou find the good in a bad
situation. 0or e"ample !ou receive a less than perfect performance appraisal
and !our boss warns !ou to improve or move to another 2ob. Instead of ta#ing
it personall! or loo#ing for another 2ob right awa! loo# for the silver lining.
,epending on where !ou wor# the silver lining ma! be attending continuing
education classes or wor#ing closel! with a performance coach and having the
satisfaction of showing !our boss that !ou<re capable of change.
11
3earn fro" 'o(r "ista6es. 0ailure is one of the greatest learning tools but
man! people let failure defeat them. >hen !ou ma#e a mista#e at wor# learn
from it and tr! again. It doesn<t mean that !ou<re a failure
Be gratef(#. 7ratitude can help !ou focus on what<s positive about !our 2ob.
*s# !ourself (>hat am I grateful for at wor# toda!L) find at least one thing
!ou are grateful for and savor it.
>hether !our wor# is a 2ob a career or a calling !ou can ta#e steps to restore
meaning to !our 2ob. ;a#e the best of difficult wor# situations b! being positive.
,oing so will help !ou manage !our stress and e"perience the rewards of !our
profession. *pparentl! assuring 2ob satisfaction over the long term re+uires careful
planning and effort both b! emplo!ers and emplo!ees. 5#ills should be given to
emplo!ees so that the! can perform those tas#s more efficientl! and effectivel! thus
relieving boredom and gains recognition. Emplo!ees should be creative read! to ta#e
initiative and wor# in team as large part of success in 2ob is the abilit! to wor# well
with others to get the 2ob done. Emplo!ees should #now how to accept people with
their difference and imperfection and how to give and receive criticism constructivel!
in the same organi1ation. Fastl! emplo!ees and emplo!ers should learn to de/stress.
$he! should plan to avoid burnout b! developing health! stress management
techni+ues. Creating a good blend of factors that contribute to a stimulating
challenging supportive and rewarding wor# environment is vital. Aecause of the
relative prominence of pa! in the reward s!stem it is ver! important that salaries be
tied to 2ob responsibilities and that pa! increases be tied to 2ob responsibilities and
that pa! increases be tied to performance rather than seniorit!.
Re,eren-es
1. *nand 5.&. (5chool $eachers8 3ob 5atisfaction vs E"troversion and
%euroticism) Indian Edu-a!i(na) Re+ie$ Mol.NII= 19-- pp.6'/-'.
9. *braham G. (1999). $he impact of emotional dissonance on organi1ational
commitment and intention to turnover. J(urna) (, 1s%-h()(% 1.. pp.CC1/
CC@.
.. *#rom.(19'.) * stud! of 2ob satisfaction and dissatisfaction among 0acult!
;embers in $eachers $raining Institute in $hailand. DA I CC89 C6'/* 19'..
C. *shforth A.E. and Humphre! G.H. (199.). Emotional labor in service roles8
the influence of identit!. A-ade&% (, Manae&en! Re+ie$ 1' pp.''/11@.
@. Ahu!an A. and Choudhar! ;. (Correlates of 2ob satisfaction among college
teachers) Indian J(urna) (, 1s%-h(&e!r% and Edu-a!i(n Mol. NNNIII (9)=
9::9 pp.1C./1C6.
12
6. Ahandari Gavinder Bumar &atil %.H. (3ob 5atisfaction of >omen $eacher)
Edu Tra-#s Mol/' %o.11 &age C9 / CC 3ul! 9::9.
-. Aindu C.;. (Gelationship between 2ob satisfaction and stress coping s#ills of
&rimar! 5chool $eachers) Edu Tra-#s Mol/6 %o.9 &age .C E .6 3anuar! 9::-.
'. Aiswas &.C. and ,e $. (* stud! of 2ob satisfaction of secondar! teachers in
relation to variables) 3ournal of Educational Gesearch and E"tension
Mol...%o. 3anuar! 199Cpp.1@.:16.
9. Arief 199' cited in >eiss H.; (9::9). (,econstructing 2ob satisfaction
separating evaluations beliefs and affective e"periences). Hu&an Res(ur-es
Manae&en! Re+ie$" 19 1-./19C p.1-C.
1:. Arief *& Goberson F. (19'9) (3ob attitude organi1ation8 an e"plorator!
stud!). J(urna) (, A'')ied S(-ia) 1s%-h()(% 198 -1-/-9-.
11. Auch ;.A. Se-(nd Sur+e% (, Resear-h in Edu-a!i(n Aaroda 5ociet! of
Education for Educational. Gesearch and ,evelopment ;.5. 4ni. Aaroda
19-1.
19. Chandraiah B. (Effect of age on 2ob satisfaction among college teachers)
The Crea!i+e 1s%-h()(is! Mol. MI (169)= 199C pp.@./@6.
1.. Chattopadh!a! &.B and Ahattachar!a B. (Impact of personalit!
characteristics and mode of ad2ustment to 2ob satisfaction of secondar! school
teachers). S(-ia) S-ien-e In!erna!i(na) J(urna) Mol. NMIII(1)= 9::9 pp.6C/
-1.
1C. ,eighton F.C. (The En-%-)('edia (, Edu-a!i(n) Mol. IN $he ;acmillan
Compan! and $he 0ree &ress %ew Jor# 19-1.
1@. ,har 4. and 3ain G. (3ob Involvement 5atisfaction and some demographic
correlates). Indian J(urna) (, 1s%-h()(% Mol. NNNNNNMII (1'9)= 1999
pp.@/1:.
16. 0ried J. and 0erris 7.G. (19'-) ($he validit! of the 3ob Characteristics
;odel8 * review and meta/anal!sis). 1ers(nne) 1s%-h()(% C:(9) 9'-/.99.
1-. 0isher ,. (9:::). ;ood and emotions while wor#ing8 missing pieces of 2ob
satisfactionL J(urna) (, Orani2a!i(ns Beha+i(ur 91 1'@/9:9.
1'. 7o!al B.F. (A S!ud% (, 3(* sa!is,a-!i(n a&(n !ea-her). ;.&hil. (Edu.)
$hesis 7%,4 *mritsar 199@.
13
19. 7upta 5.&. (A S!ud% (, 3(* sa!is,a-!i(n a! !hree )e+e)s (, !ea-hin). &h.,.
(Edu.) ;eerut 4ni. 19':.
9:. Hac#man 3.G. and Hldman 7.G. (19-6). ;otivation through the design of
wor#8 $est of a theor!. Orani2a!i(na) Beha+i(ur and Hu&an 1er,(r&an-e
16 9@:/9-9.
91. Baur A. (3ob satisfaction of Home 5cience $eachers8 its relationship with
personal professional and organi1ational characteristics.) &h.,.(Edu.) &4
Chandigarh19'6
99. ;orris3.*.. and 0ieldman ,.C. ;anaging emotions in the wor#place.
3ournal of ;anagerial Issues Mol.9 pg. 9@-/9-C199-.
9.. ;organ F.;. (9::9). (* longitudinal anal!sis of the association between
emotion regulation 2ob satisfaction and intentions to +uit). J(urna) (,
Orani2a!i(na) Beha+i(ur" Mol. 9. 9C-/969.
9C. &ugliesi B. (1999). ($he Conse+uences of Emotional Fabor8 Effects on >or#
5tress 3ob 5atisfaction M(!i+a!i(n and E&(!i(n) Mol. 9.(9).
9@. Gafaeli *. and 5utton G.I (19'9). ($he e"pression of emotion in
organi1ational life). Resear-h in Orani2a!i(na) Beha+i(ur 11 1/C9.
96. 5avri (Gelationship between 2ob satisfaction and life satisfaction among A.$.
*ssistant $eacher) Edu Tra-#s Mol/' %o.9 &age .-/C: ;a! 9::9.
9-. 5hu#ia Go! Chaudhar! (&rofessional *wareness Mis/O/vis 3ob 5atisfaction of
College and 4niversit! $eachers in *ssam. Edu Tra-#s Mol/6 %o.- &age .9 /
.@ ;arch 9::-.
9'. 5harma 4. (;easurement of teacher effectiveness and its relationship with
2ob satisfaction and attitude towards the profession). Trends in Edu-a!i(n
Mol. NNII (9)= Hct. 1991 pp.@1/@'.
99. 5udarara2an 5 6 Ga2asar#ar (3ob satisfaction of teachers of the *nnamalai
4niversit!). E4'eri&en!s in Edu-a!i(n Mol. NIN(1)= 3an. 1991 pp.19/9..
.:. 4smani5.%. &ande! 5.%. and *H;E, 3asim ($eachers 3ob 5atisfaction in
relation to their personalit! t!pe and t!pe of school.) Edutrac#s vol. @%o.6
pg..6/.' feb 9::6.
14
.1. >eiss H.;. (9::9). (,econstructing 2ob satisfaction8 separating evaluations
beliefs and affective e"periences). Hu&an Res(ur-es Manae&en! Re+ie$
19 1-./19C.
.9. >eiss H.;. Cropan1ano G. (1996). (*ffective events theor!8 a theoretical
discussion of the structure causes and conse+uences of affective e"periences
at wor#). Resear-h in Orani2a!i(na) Beha+i(ur '8 1/-C.
... >eiss H.;. %icholas 3.&. ,aus C.5. (1999). (*n e"amination of the 2oint
effects of affective e"periences and 2ob beliefs on 2ob satisfaction and
variations in affective e"periences over time) (rani2a!i(na) *eha+i(ur and
Hu&an De-isi(n 1r(-esses -'8 1/9C.
4ebsites:
1. www.e"presscomputeronline.com
9. www.management.helporgDprsnPwillD2obPstf!.htm
.. www.mavoclinic.comDhealthD2obsatisfaction
C. www.stress.about.comDodDworpplacestressDaD2obsatisfaction.htm.
@. www.wi#ipidea.orgDwi#eD2obsatisfaction
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