Job satisfaction is related to the positive feeling an employee perceives about

one’s job resulting from an evaluation of its characteristics. Jobs require

interaction with co-workers and bosses, following organizational rules and
policies, meeting performance standards, living with working conditions. It has
been identified that a positive relationship exists between a person’s job
satisfaction level and holding of positive feelings about the same concerned job
whereas a person dissatisfied with his job carries negative feelings about the job
and organization. Every organization works towards having satisfied
employees.

When employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, lack job involvement and are
low in their commitment to the organization, a wide variety of consequences
follows in. Dissatisfied employees may engage in psychological withdrawal,
physical withdrawal or even acts of aggression and retaliation for presumed
wrongs. Satisfied employees may provide acts of consumer service beyond the
call of duty, have sparkling work records, and actively pursue excellence in all
areas of their jobs. The consequences of job dissatisfaction are very long term in
nature. The negative effects of job turnover on organizations may include
increased costs in recruiting, selecting and training new employees,
demoralization of remaining employees, negative public image of the
organization, disruption of day-to-day activities and decreased organizational
opportunities to pursue future growth strategies. Thus it is important to have a
thorough understanding of the factors that lead to job satisfaction and
dissatisfaction so that it would help in putting a stop on the negative
consequences associated with job dissatisfaction.

Some specific outcomes of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction in a workplace

are explained as under:

Job Satisfaction and Job Performance

The relationship between Job satisfaction and Job performance was described as
the “Holy Grail”. The satisfaction-performance relationship is more complex
that the simple path of “satisfaction leads to performance.” Thus it is wrong to
assume that high satisfaction always leads to high employee performance.
Satisfied workers actually may be high, average or even low producers will tend
to continue the level of performance that brought them satisfaction before also.
The study of the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance has a
very controversial history. In 1930s the Hawthorne studies conducted helped the
researchers in becoming aware of the effects of employee attitudes on their
work performance.
One way to view this dimension is in believing the relationship that high
performance contributes to high job satisfaction. This sequence states that better
performance typically leads to higher economic, sociological and psychological
rewards. If these rewards are seen in a fair light then the overall employee
satisfaction improves. On the other hand if these rewards are seen inadequate
for one’s level of performance then dissatisfaction tends to arise. It is important
for managers to devote its efforts to aid its employee performance, which will
likely produce satisfaction as a by product.

Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)

Job satisfaction is considered to be a major determinant of an employee’s

organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). A modest relationship exists
between job satisfaction and OCB. Satisfied employees seem more likely to talk
positively about the organization, help others, and go beyond the normal
expectations in their job. They are also very likely to go beyond the formal
requirements of the job just in order to reciprocate their positive experiences.
They voluntarily engage in behaviors that work in favor of the organization.

Job Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is a very important requirement for many firms. Their

performance gets marked by keeping their customers satisfied and happy.
Employees of service based organizations often interact with their customers,
thus the satisfaction of these employees is very important in order to keep the
customers loyalty to the concerned organization. Satisfied employees increase
customer satisfaction and loyalty. Service organizations know that satisfied and
loyal customers are highly dependent on how frontline employees deal with
their customers. Satisfied employees are more likely to be friendly, upbeat and
responsive in nature which the customers appreciate. Since satisfied employees
have high retention rate, customers are more likely to encounter familiar faces
and receive experienced service. All these qualities build customer satisfaction
and loyalty. The dissatisfied customers can increase an employee’s job
dissatisfaction in a similar fashion.

Many service based companies like, FedEx, Southwest Airlines, Four Seasons

Hotels and American Express very customer oriented companies who go out of
their way in order to please their customers. In order to provide that great
impeccable service to their customers they focus on building employee
satisfaction- recognizing that employee satisfaction will go a long way towards
contributing to their goal of having happy customers. These firms seek to hire
upbeat and friendly employees, train the employees in the importance of
customer service, reward customer service, provide positive work climates and
track employee satisfaction on a regular basis through various attitude surveys.

Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism/Tardiness

A consistent negative relationship exists between satisfaction and absenteeism.

Dissatisfied employees are more likely to be absent at their work, other factors
have an impact on the relationship and reduce the correlation coefficient.
Employees who have less job satisfaction tend to be absent more often. But this
connection is not sharp for a couple of reasons. Some absences are caused by
legitimate medical reasons and therefore a satisfied employee may have a valid
absence at times. Tardiness is another way by which employees may exhibit
their dissatisfaction with job conditions. A tardy employee is one who arrives
late at work. Tardiness is a type of short period absenteeism ranging from a few
minutes to several hours for each event, and it is another way by which
employees withdraw from active involvement in the organization. This may
impede the timely completion of work and disrupt productive relationships with
coworkers.

Job Satisfaction and Turnover

Satisfaction is also negatively related to turnover, but the correlation is way

stronger than that in the case of job satisfaction and absenteeism. Yet there are
various factors such as labor-market conditions, expectations about alternative
job opportunities, and length of tenure with the organization are important
constraints on the actual decision to leave one’s current job for some other
work. Evidence indicates that an important moderator of the satisfaction-
turnover relationship is the employee’s level of performance i. e, it is said that
level of satisfaction is less important in predicting turnover for superior
employees as compared to the poor performers. But studies suggest that job
satisfaction should be more important in influencing poor performers to stay
than the superior performers because regardless of level of satisfaction, the high
performers are likely to remain with the organization only on account of receipt
of recognition, praise and other rewards.

Job Satisfaction and Withdrawal Behaviors

Dissatisfied employees are more likely to quit their jobs or be absent than
satisfied employees. Job satisfaction shows correlations with turnover and
absenteeism. It also appears to be related to other withdrawal behaviors like
lateness, unionization, grievances, drug abuse, theft or decision to retire. Using
different methods that statistically measure the financial impact of employee
attitudes on organizations, practitioners can reveal costs of low job satisfaction
and the value of improved employee attitudes on such outcomes as absenteeism
and retention.

Job Satisfaction and Workplace Deviance

Job dissatisfaction predicts a lot of specific behavior, including unionization

attempts, substance abuse, stealing at work, undue socialization and tardiness.
Researchers say that these behaviors are indicators of a broader syndrome that is
usually termed as deviant behavior in the workplace. If the employees do not
like their work environment then they world respond in some way which could
either be in favor or not in favor of the organization. If the employers want to
control the undesirable consequences of job dissatisfaction, they have to attack
the source of the problem i. e. the dissatisfaction rather than trying to control the
different responses.
What is a Group?

Groups where people get along, feel die desire to contribute to the team, and are
capable of coordinating their efforts may have high-performance levels. Group can
be defined as a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent
interaction, mutual influence, the common feeling of camaraderie, and who work
together to achieve a common set of goals.

Groups may be classified according to many dimensions, including function, the

degree of personal involvement and degree of organization.

Types of Groups are;

Formal Group.
Informal Group.
Managed Group.
Process Group.
Semi-Formal Groups.
Goal Group.
Learning Group.
Problem-Solving Group
Friendship Group.
Interest Group.
Let’s look at the

Formal Groups
Formal groups are created to achieve specific organizational objectives.
Usually, they are concerned with the coordination of work activities.

People are brought together based on different roles within the structure of the
organization. The nature of the task to be undertaken is a predominant feature of
the formal groups.

Goals are identified by management and short and rules relationships and norms
of behavior established. Formal groups chain to be related to permanent
although there may be changes in actual membership.

However temporary formal groups may also be created by management, for

example, the use of project teams in a matrix organization.

Informal Groups
Within the formal structure of the organization, there will always be an informal
structure.

The formal structure of the organization and system of role relationship, rule,
and procedures, will be augmented by interpretation and development at the
informal level.

Informal groups are based more on personal relationships and agreement of

group’s members than on defined role relationships. They serve to Satisfy
psychological and social needs not related necessarily to the tasks to be
undertaken.

Groups may devise ways of attempting to satisfy members’ affiliations and

other social motivations that are lacing in the work situation, especially in
industrial organizations.
Managed Group
Groups may be formed under a named manager, even though they may not
necessarily work together with a great deal. The main thing they have in
common, at least the manager and perhaps a similar type of work.

Process Group
The process group acts together to enact a process, going through a relatively
fixed set of instructions. The classic environment is a manufacturing production
line, where every movement is prescribed.

There may either be little interaction within process groups or else it’ is largely
prescribed, for example where one person hands something over to another.

Semi-Formal Groups
Many groups act with less formality, in particular where power is distributed
across the group, forcing a more collaborative approach that includes-
negotiation rather than command and control.

Families, communities and tribal groups often act as semi-formal ways as they
both have nominal leaders yet members can have a high degree of autonomy.

Goal Group
The goal group acts together to achieve a shared objective or desired outcome.
Unlike the process groups, there is no clear instruction on how they should
achieve this, although they may use some processes and methods along the way.