You are on page 1of 33

Assignment Cover Sheet

Attach this cover to your assignment. There will be 10% marks deduction for submission after 30 days

and submission after 60 days will consider ‘F’.

PROGRAMME : EXECUTIVE MASTER BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

STUDENT INTAKE : JULY 2021

MODULE : ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

DUE DATE : 24TH OCTOBER 2021

DATE CLASSED : 26TH SEPTEMBER 2021

DATE SUBMITTED : 24TH OCTOBER 2021

FACILITATORS NAME : PUAN SUHANA SULAIMAN

STUDENT NAME : MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH

STUDENT NUMBER : UCMPB21302

IC/NO : 800825-08-5535

CENTRE : WINTECH ACADEMY SDN. BHD. BANGI

QUESTION MARK

1a

1b

2a

2b

TOTAL

FINAL MARK (60%)

1|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Table of Content Pages

Question 1 A 3 - 10

Question 1 B 11 - 15

Question 2 A 16 - 23

Question 2 B 24 – 32

References 33

2|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Question 1
An organization is an organized body of people with a particular purpose, for
example, the people in a business, a society or an association that work together
as a complex unit. People are regarded as the most important organization asset.
Thus, understanding how humans behave in organizations is imperative.
Personality also affects behaviour. Personality types affect human relationships.
People interact with each other on the basis of their personalities. The study of
personality are an important challenge for the organizational behaviour. From the
above statement you need to:-

a) Specify and explain what are the contributing disciplines that shaped
organizational behaviour (15 marks)

6 Contributing Disciplines to the Organization Behavior Field


There are some important disciplines in the organizational behavior field which developed
it extensively. Due to an increase in organizational complexity, various types of
knowledge are required and help in many ways.

3|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
6 Contributing Disciplines to the Organization Behavior Field are:

1. Psychology

Psychology has perhaps the first influence on the field of organizational behavior because
it is a science of behavior. A psychologist studies almost all aspects Of behavior.

Psychology deals with studying human behavior that seeks to explain and sometimes
change the behavior of humans and other animals.

Psychologists are primarily interested in predicting the behavior of individuals to a great


extent by observing the dynamics of personal factors.

Those who have contributed and continued to add to the knowledge of OB are teaching
theorists, personality theorists, counseling psychologists and primary, industrial and
organizational psychologists.

Some of the numerous areas of interest within the disciplines of psychology are:
• General Psychology
• Experimental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Consumer Psychology
• Personality and Social Psychology
• Industrial Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Consulting Psychology

4|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Understanding Psychological principles and its models help significantly in gaining the
knowledge of determinants of individual behavior such as

the learning process,


motivation techniques,
personality determinants and development,
perceptual process and its implications,
training process,
leadership effectiveness,
job satisfaction,
individual decision making,
performance appraisal,
attitude measurement,
employee selection,
job design and work stress.

2. Sociology

The major focus of sociologists is on studying the social systems in which individuals fill
their roles. The focus is on group dynamics.

They have made their greatest contribution to OB through their study of group behavior
in organizations, particularly formal and sophisticated organizations.

Sociological concepts, theories, models, and techniques help significantly to understand


better the group dynamics, organizational culture, formal organization theory and
structure, corporate technology, bureaucracy, communications, power, conflict, and
intergroup behavior.

5|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Psychologists are primarily interested in focusing their attention on individual behavior.

Key concepts of Sociology are;

Most sociologists today identify the discipline by using one of the three statements:

• Sociology deals with human interaction arid this communication are the key
influencing factor among people in social settings.
• Sociology is a study of plural behavior. Two or more interacting individuals
constitute a plurality pattern of behavior
• Sociology is the systematic study of social systems:

A social system is an operational social unit that is structured to serve a purpose.


It consists of two or more persons of different status with various roles playing a part in a
pattern that is sustained by a physical and cultural base.
When analyzing organizing as a social system, the following elements exist:

• People or actors
• Acts or Behavior
• Ends or Goals
• Norms, rules, or regulation controlling conduct or behavior
• Beliefs held by people as actors
• Status and status relationships
• Authority or power to influence other actors
• Role expectations, role performances, and role relationships.

Therefore, organizations are viewed by sociologies as consists of a variety of people with


different roles, status, and degrees of authority.

6|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
The organization attempts to achieve certain generalized and specific objectives.

To attain some of the abstract ends such as the development of company loyalty, the
organization’s leaders appeal to the shared cultural base.

3. Social Psychology

It has been defined as the scientific investigation of how the thoughts, feelings, and
behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied the presence of
others.
It deals with how people are affected by other individuals who are physically present or
who are imagined to be present or even whose presence is implied.
In general, sociology focuses on how groups, organizations, social categories, and
societies are organized, how they function, how they change.
The unit of analysis is the group as a whole rather than the individuals who compose the
group.
Social Psychology deals with many of the same phenomena but seeks to explain whole
individual human interaction and human cognition influences culture and is influenced by
culture.
The unit of analysis is the individual within the group.
In reality, some forms of sociology are closely related to social psychology.

Social Psychologists study an enormous range of topics including conformity, persuasion,


power, influence, obedience, prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, sexism and racism,
small groups, social categories, inter-group behavior, crowd behavior, social conflict,
social change, decision making, etc.

Among them, the most important topics relevant to the organizational behavior field are
behavioral change, attitude change, communication, group process, and group decision
making.
7|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Social psychologists making significant contributions. Social psychologists making
significant contributions to measuring, understanding and improving attitudes,
communication patterns in how groups can satisfy individual needs and group decision-
making processes.

4. Anthropology

The main aim of anthropology is to acquire a better understanding of the relationship


between the human being and the environment.
Adaptations to surroundings constitute culture. The manner in which people view their
surroundings is a part of the culture.
Culture includes those ideas shared by groups of individuals and languages by which
these ideas are communicated. In essence, culture is a system of learned behavior.

Their work on culture and environment has helped us to understand differences in


fundamental values, attitudes, and behavior among people in different countries and
within different organizations.

Much of our current understandings of organizational culture, environments, and


differences between national cultures are the results of the work of anthropologists or
those using their methodologies.

The world is the laboratory of anthropologists, and human beings must be studied in the
natural habitat. Understanding the importance of studying man in natural settings over
time enables one to grasp the range of anthropology.

Familiarity within some of the cultural differences of employees can lead to greater
managerial objectivity and depth in the interpretation of behavior and performance.

8|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Anthropologists contribute to study some aspects of organizational settings – similar
values, comparative attitudes, cross-cultural analysis between or among the employees.

5. Political Sciences

Contributions of political scientists are significant to the understanding of behavior in


organizations. Political scientists study the behavior of individuals and groups within a
political environment.
They contribute to understanding the dynamics of power centers, structuring of conflict
and conflict resolution tactics, allocation of power and how people manipulate power for
individual self-interest.
In a business field, organizations wanted to attain supremacy in their field and indulge in
politicking activities to gain maximum advantages by following certain tasks like
Machiavellianism, coalition formation, malpractices, etc.
The knowledge of political science can be utilized in the study the behavior of employees,
executives at micro as well as macro level.

6. Economics

Economics contributes to organizational behavior to a great extent in designing the


organizational structure. Transaction cost economics influence the organization and its
structure.
Transaction costs economics implies cost components to make an exchange on the
market.
This transaction cost economics examines the extent to which the organization structure
and size of an organization varies in response to attempts to avoid market failures through
minimizing production and transaction costs within the constraints of human and
environmental factors.
Costs of transactions include both costs of market transactions and internal coordination.

9|Page
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
A transaction occurs when a good or service is transferred across a ‘technologically
separable barrier’ Transaction costs arise for many reasons.
So, we can assume that there are various types of disciplines that involve organizational
behavior. They, directly and indirectly, influence the overall activities of OB.

The major behavioral science disciplines that contributed to the development of


organizational behavior are psychology, sociology, anthropology, management and
medicine. All of these disciplines helped shape organizational behavior's theories on
learning, motivation, leadership and productivity.

10 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
b) Specify and explain seven major personality attributes influencing
organizational behaviour (15 marks)

1. Locus of control

A person’s perception of the source of his/her fate is termed locus of


control.

Internals: People who believe that they are masters of their own fate.

Externals: People who believe they are pawns of fate.

•Individuals who rate high in externality are less satisfied with their jobs,
have higher absenteeism rates, are more alienated from the work setting,
and are less involved on their jobs than are internals.

•Internals, facing the same situation, attribute organizational outcomes to


their own actions. Internals believe that health is substantially under their
own control through proper habits; their incidences of sickness and, hence,
of absenteeism, are lower.

2. Problem Solving Style:

Individuals have their own style of solving their problems and making their decisions and
this style of their affects their personality in certain ways.

3 Achievement Orientation:

•Internals search more actively for information before making a decision, are more
motivated to achieve, and make a greater attempt to control their environment, therefore,

11 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
internals do well on sophisticated tasks. Internals are more suited to jobs that require
initiative and independence of
action.

•Externals are more compliant and willing to follow directions, and do well on jobs that are
well structured and routine and in which success depends
heavily on complying with the direction of others.

4. Machiavellianism

Named after Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote in the sixteenth century on how to gain and
use power.

•An individual high in Machiavellianism is pragmatic, maintains emotional distance, and


believes that ends can justify means. High Machs manipulate more, win more, are
persuaded less, and

persuade others more.

•High Mach outcomes are moderated by situational factors and flourish when they interact
face to face with others, rather than indirectly, and when the situation has a minimum
number of rules and regulations, thus allowing latitude for improvisation.

•High Machs make good employees in jobs that require bargaining skills or that offer
substantial rewards for winning.

5. Self-esteem

Self-esteem—the degree to which people like or dislike themselves.

12 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
•(SE) is directly related to expectations for success.

•Individuals with high self-esteem will take more risks in job selection and are more likely
to choose unconventional jobs than people with low self-esteem.

The most generalizable finding is that low SEs are more susceptible to external influence
than are high SEs. Low SEs are dependent on the receipt of positive evaluations from
others.

•In managerial positions, low SEs will tend to be concerned with pleasing others.

•High SEs are more satisfied with their jobs than are low SEs.

6. Self-monitoring

It refers to an individual’s ability to adjust his or her behavior to external, situational


factors. Individuals high in self-monitoring show considerable adaptability. They are highly
sensitive to external cues, can behave differently in different situations, and are capable
of presenting striking contradictions between their public persona and their private self.
•Low self-monitors cannot disguise themselves in that way. They tend to display their true
dispositions and attitudes in every situation resulting in a high behavioral consistency
between who they are and what they do.

•The research on self-monitoring is in its infancy, so predictions must be guarded.


Preliminary evidence suggests:

a. High self-monitors tend to pay closer attention to the behavior of

13 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
b. High self-monitoring managers tend to be more mobile in their careers

c. High self-monitor is capable of putting on different “faces” for different

7. Risk taking

•The propensity to assume or avoid risk has been shown to have an impact on how long
it takes managers to make a decision and how much information they require before
making their choice.

•High risk-taking managers made more rapid decisions and used less information in
making their choices.

•While managers in organizations are generally risk-aversive, there are still individual
differences on this dimension. As a result, it makes sense to recognize these differences
and even to consider aligning risk-taking propensity with specific job demands.

14 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
In conclusion, in this chapter we have reviewed major individual differences that affect
employee attitudes and behaviors. Our values and personality explain our preferences
and the situations we feel comfortable with. Personality may influence our behavior, but
the importance of the context in which behavior occurs should not be neglected. Many
organizations use personality tests in employee selection, but the use of such tests is
controversial because of problems such as faking and low predictive value of personality
for job performance. Perception is how we interpret our environment. It is a major
influence over our behavior, but many systematic biases color our perception and lead to
misunderstandings.

15 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Question 2
Studies show that there are differences in the way men and women process their
emotions which may lead to stress. As managers, we have to identify what is stress
and what the consequences of stress. Employee job satisfaction in an organization
is the main source of concern for management. Studies have shown that job
satisfaction can partially explain variations in employee’s commitment. Answer the
questions below:-

a) Explain stress, its consequences and how to analysed the impact of stress (15
marks)

What Is Stress?

Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or
psychological strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or
action.

Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way you respond to stress, however,
makes a big difference to your overall well-being.

16 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Sometimes, the best way to manage your stress involves changing your situation. At other
times, the best strategy involves changing the way you respond to the situation.
“Developing a clear understanding of how stress impacts your physical and
mental health is important. It's also important to recognize how your mental
and physical health affects your stress level.”

Signs

Stress can be short-term or long-term. Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic
stress can take a serious toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health effects.

Some common signs of stress include:

• Changes in mood
• Clammy or sweaty palms

17 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
• Decreased sex drive
• Diarrhea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Digestive problems
• Dizziness
• Feeling anxious
• Frequent sickness
• Grinding teeth
• Headaches
• Low energy
• Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
• Physical aches and pains
• Racing heartbeat
• Trembling

Identifying Stress

Stress is not always easy to recognize, but there are some ways to identify some signs
that you might be experiencing too much pressure. Sometimes stress can come from an
obvious source, but sometimes even small daily stresses from work, school, family, and
friends can take a toll on your mind and body.

If you think stress might be affecting you, there are a few things you can watch for:

• Psychological signs such as difficulty concentrating, worrying, anxiety, and


trouble remembering
• Emotional signs such as being angry, irritated, moody, or frustrated
• Physical signs such as high blood pressure, changes in weight, frequent colds
or infections, and changes in the menstrual cycle and libido
• Behavioral signs such as poor self-care, not having time for the things you
enjoy, or relying on drugs and alcohol to cope.

18 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Causes

There are many different things in life that can cause stress. Some of the main sources
of stress include work, finances, relationships, parenting, and day-to-day inconveniences.

Stress can trigger the body’s response to a perceived threat or danger, known as the
fight-or-flight response.2 During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenaline and
cortisol are released. This speeds the heart rate, slows digestion, shunts blood flow to
major muscle groups, and changes various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the
body a burst of energy and strength.

“Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run away
when faced with danger, the fight-or-flight response is now activated in
situations where neither response is appropriate—like in traffic or during a
stressful day at work.”

When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via
the relaxation response.3 But in cases of chronic stress, the relaxation response doesn't
occur often enough, and being in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight can cause
damage to the body.

Stress can also lead to some unhealthy habits that have a negative impact on your health.
For example, many people cope with stress by eating too much or by smoking. These
unhealthy habits damage the body and create bigger problems in the long-term.

Types of Stress

Not all types of stress are harmful or even negative. Some of the different types of
stress that you might experience include:

19 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
• Acute stress: Acute stress is a very short-term type of stress that can either be
positive or more distressing; this is the type of stress we most often encounter in
day-to-day life.

• Chronic stress: Chronic stress is stress that seems never-ending and


inescapable, like the stress of a bad marriage or an extremely taxing job; chronic
stress can also stem from traumatic experiences and childhood trauma.

• Episodic acute stress: Episodic acute stress is acute stress that seems to run
rampant and be a way of life, creating a life of ongoing distress.
• Eustress: Eustress is fun and exciting. It's known as a positive type of stress that
can keep you energized. It's associated with surges of adrenaline, such as when
you are skiing or racing to meet a deadline.

Impact of Stress

The connection between your mind and body is apparent when you examine the impact
stress has on your life.

Feeling stressed out over a relationship, money, or your living situation can create
physical health issues. The inverse is also true. Health problems, whether you're dealing
with high blood pressure or you have diabetes, will also affect your stress level and your
mental health. When your brain experiences high degrees of stress, your body reacts
accordingly.

Serious acute stress, like being involved in a natural disaster or getting into a verbal
altercation, can trigger heart attacks, arrhythmias, and even sudden death. However, this
happens mostly in individuals who already have heart disease.5

20 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Stress also takes an emotional toll. While some stress may produce feelings of mild
anxiety or frustration, prolonged stress can also lead to burnout, anxiety disorders, and
depression.

Chronic stress can have a serious impact on your health as well. If you experience chronic
stress, your autonomic nervous system will be overactive, which is likely to damage your
body.

Stress-Influenced Conditions

• Diabetes
• Hair loss
• Heart disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Obesity
• Sexual dysfunction
• Tooth and gum disease
• Ulcers

Treatment

Stress is not a distinct medical diagnosis and there is no single, specific treatment for
it. Treatment for stress focuses on changing the situation, developing stress coping
skills, implementing relaxation techniques, and treating symptoms or conditions that
may have been caused by chronic stress.

Some interventions that may be helpful include therapy, medication, and


complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Psychotherapy

21 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Some forms of therapy that may be particularly helpful in addressing symptoms of
stress including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based stress
reduction (MBSR). CBT focuses on helping people identify and change negative
thinking patterns, while MBSR utilizes meditation and mindfulness to help reduce
stress levels.

Medication

Medication may sometimes be prescribed to address some specific symptoms that are
related to stress. Such medications may include sleep aids, antacids, antidepressants,
and anti-anxiety medications.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Some complementary approaches that may also be helpful for reducing stress include
acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage, yoga, and meditation.

Although stress is inevitable, it can be manageable. When you understand the toll it
takes on you and the steps to combat stress, you can take charge of your health and
reduce the impact stress has on your life.

Learn to recognize the signs of burnout. High levels of stress may place you at a high
risk of burnout. Burnout can leave you feeling exhausted and apathetic about your
job.6 When you start to feel symptoms of emotional exhaustion, it's a sign that you
need to find a way to get a handle on your stress.
22 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Try to get regular exercise. Physical activity has a big impact on your brain and your
body. Whether you enjoy Tai Chi or you want to begin jogging, exercise reduces stress
and improves many symptoms associated with mental illness.

Take care of yourself. Incorporating regular self-care activities into your daily life is
essential to stress management. Learn how to take care of your mind, body, and spirit
and discover how to equip yourself to live your best life.

Practice mindfulness in your life. Mindfulness isn't just something you practice for 10
minutes each day. It can also be a way of life. Discover how to live more mindfully
throughout your day so you can become more awake and conscious throughout your
life.

23 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
b) Elaborate 4 major principles on how to promote job satisfaction and 4 ways to
improve job satisfaction? (15 marks)

There are a number of factors that influence job satisfaction. A number of research studies
have been conducted in order to establish some of the causes that result in job
satisfaction. These studies have revealed consistent correlation of certain variables with
the job satisfaction.

These factors can be explained with the help of the chart:

These factors can be discussed in detail as follows:

A. Organisational Factors:

Some of the organisational factors which affect job satisfaction are:

1. Salaries and Wages:

Wages and salaries play a significant role in influencing job satisfaction. This is basically
because of a few basic reasons. Firstly, money is an important instrument in fulfilling one’s
24 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
needs. Money also satisfies the first level needs of Maslow’s model of satisfaction.
Secondly, employees often see money as a reflection of the management’s concern for
them. Thirdly, it is considered a symbol of achievement since higher pay reflects higher
degree of contribution towards organizational operations.

Non-monetary benefits are also important, but they are not as influential. One reason for
that is that most of the employees do not even know how much they are receiving in
benefits. Moreover, a few tend to under value there benefits because they do not realize
their monetary value. The employees, generally, want a pay system which is simple, fair
and in line with their expectations.

2. Promotion Chances:

Promotional chances considerably affect the job satisfaction because of the


following reasons:

Firstly, Promotion indicates on employee’s worth to the organization which is highly


morale bossing. This is particularly true in case of high-level jobs.

Secondly, Employee takes promotion as the ultimate achievement in his career and when
it is realized, he feels extremely satisfied.

Thirdly, Promotion involves positive changes e.g., higher salary, less supervision, more
freedom, more challenging work assignments, increased responsibilities, status and like.

3. Company Policies:

Organizational structural and policies also play on important role in affecting the job
satisfaction of employees. An autocratic and highly authoritative structure causes

25 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
resentment among the employees as compared to a structure which is more open and
democratic in nature.

Organizational policies also govern the human behavior in the organizations. These
policies can generate positive or negative feelings towards the organization. Liberal and
fair policies usually result in more job satisfactions. Strict policies will create
dissatisfaction among the employees because they feel that they are not being treated
fairly and may feel constrained.

Thus, a democratic organizational structure with fair and liberal policies is associated with
high job satisfaction.

B. Work Environmental Factors:

The work environmental factors include the following important factors:

1. Supervision:

Supervision is a moderately important source of job satisfaction. There are two


dimensions of supervisory styles which affect the job satisfaction:

First is Employee Centeredness:

Whenever the supervisor is friendly and supportive of the workers there is job satisfaction.
In this style, the supervisor takes personal interest in employee’s welfare.

Second is Participation:

The superiors who allow their subordinates to participate in decisions that affect their own
jobs, help in creating an environment which is highly conducive to job satisfaction. Thus,

26 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
the supervisors who establish a supportive personal relationship with subordinates and
take personal interest in them, contribute to the employees’ satisfaction.

2. Work Group:

The nature of the work group or team will have effect on job satisfaction in the
following ways:

(i) A friendly, and co-operative group provides opportunities to the group members to
interact with each other. It serves as a source of support, comfort, advice and assistance
to the individual group members. If on the other hand, the people are difficult to get along
with, the work group will have a negative impact on job satisfaction.

(ii) The work group will be even a stronger source of satisfaction when members have
similar attitudes and values. In such a group, there will less friction on day to day basis.

(iii) Smaller groups provide greater opportunity for building mutual trust and
understanding as compared to larger groups.

Thus, the group size and quality of interpersonal relations within the group play a
significant role in worker’s satisfaction.

3. Working Conditions:

Good working conditions are desirable by the employees, as they lead to more physical
comfort. People desire that there should be a clean and healthy working environment.
Temperature, humidity, ventilation, lighting and noise, hours of work, cleanliness of the
work place and adequate tools and equipment are the features which affect job
satisfaction. While the desirable working conditions are taken for granted and may not
contribute heavily towards job satisfaction. Poor working conditions do become a source
of job dissatisfaction.
27 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Simply because they lead to physical discomfort and physical danger. Moreover, all the
employees are not satisfied or dissatisfied by favourable or unfavourable work
environment as shown in the figure given below.

As shown in the figure, all the four employees are dissatisfied when the working conditions
are unfavourable. However, as the working conditions start becoming favourable, the job
satisfaction of employee A and B increases sharply while employees C and D have only
minor increase in satisfaction.

C. Work Itself:

The content of the work itself plays a major role in determining the level of job satisfaction.

Some of the aspects of the work which affect job satisfaction are:

(i) Job Scope:

It provides the amount of responsibility, work pace and feedback. The higher the level of
these factors, higher the job scope and higher the level of satisfaction.

28 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
(ii) Variety:
A moderate amount of variety is very effective. Excessive variety produces confusion and
stress and a too little variety causes monotony and fatigue which are dis-satisfiers.

(iii) Lack of Autonomy and Freedom:

Lack of autonomy and freedom over work methods and work pace can create
helplessness and dissatisfaction. Employees do not like it when their every step and every
action is determined by their supervisor.

(iv) Role Ambiguity and Role Conflict:

A work which is very interesting and challenging and provides status will be providing
satisfaction to the employees as compared to work which is boring and monotonous.

D. Personal Factors:

Personal attributes of the individuals also play a very important role as to whether they
are satisfied at the job or not. Pessimists and people with negative attitudes will complain
about everything including the job. They will always find something wrong in every job to
complain about.

Role ambiguity and role conflict also lead to confusion and job dissatisfaction because
employees do not know exactly what their task is and what is expected of them.

(v) Interesting Work:

Some of the important personal factors are:

1. Age and Seniority:

With age, people become more mature and realistic and less idealistic so that they are
willing to accept available resources and rewards and be satisfied about the situation.
With the passage of time, people move into more challenging and responsible positions.

29 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
People who do not move up at all with time are more likely to be dissatisfied with their
jobs.

2. Tenure:

Employees will longer tenure are expected to be highly satisfied with their jobs. Tenure
assures job security, which is highly satisfactory to employees. They can easily plan for
their future without any fear of losing their jobs.

3. Personality:

Some of the personality traits which are directly related to job satisfaction are self
assurance, self esteem, and maturity, and decisiveness, sense of autonomy, challenge
and responsibility. Higher the person is on Maslow’s needs hierarchy, the higher is the
job satisfaction. This type of satisfaction comes from within the person and is a function
of his personality. Accordingly, in addition to providing a healthy work environment,
management must ensure that the employee is happy with himself and has a positive
outlook on life.

An employee’s overall satisfaction with his job is the result of a combination of factors –
and financial compensation is only one of them. Management’s role in enhancing
employees’ job satisfaction is to make sure the work environment is positive; morale is
high and employees have the resources they need to accomplish the tasks they have
been assigned.

Optimal Working Conditions &

Because employees spend so much time in their work environment each week, it’s
important for companies to try to optimize working conditions. Such things as providing
spacious work areas rather than cramped ones, adequate lighting and comfortable work
stations contribute to favorable work conditions. Providing productivity tools such as
upgraded information technology to help employees accomplish tasks more efficiently
contributes to job satisfaction as well.

30 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Opportunity for Advancement

Employees are more satisfied with their current job if they see a path available to move
up the ranks in the company and be given more responsibility and along with it higher
compensation. Many companies encourage employees to acquire more advanced skills
that will lead to the chance of promotion. Companies often pay the cost of tuition for
employees taking university courses, for example. During an employee’s annual
performance review, a supervisor should map out a path showing her what she needs to
accomplish and what new skills she needs to develop in order to be on a track to
advancement within the organization.

Respect from Co-Workers

Employees seek to be treated with respect by those they work with. A hostile work
environment – with rude or unpleasant coworkers – is one that usually has lower job
satisfaction. Managers need to step in and mediate conflicts before they escalate into
more serious problems requiring disciplinary action. Employees may need to be reminded
what behaviors are considered inappropriate when interacting with coworkers.

Financial Rewards

Job satisfaction is impacted by an employee’s views about the fairness of the company
wage scale as well as the current compensation she may be receiving. Companies need
to have a mechanism in place to evaluate employee performance and provide salary
increases to top performers. Opportunities to earn special incentives, such as bonuses,
extra paid time off or vacations, also bring excitement and higher job satisfaction to the
workplace.

31 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
Researchers have noted that job satisfaction measures vary in the extent to which they
measure feelings about the job or cognitions about the job.

This could be the job in general or their attitudes towards specific aspects of it, such as
their colleagues, pay or working conditions.

Also, the extent to which work outcomes meet or exceed expectations may determine the
level of job satisfaction.

However, it is not only about how much an employee enjoys work.

It is a combination Of intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction: Intrinsic job satisfaction is


when workers consider only the kind of work they do, the tasks that make up the job.

Extrinsic job satisfaction is when workers consider the conditions of work, such as their
pay, coworkers, and supervisor.

To sum up, we can say that job satisfaction describes how content an individual with his
or her job and also implies doing a job one enjoys, doing it well, and being suitably
rewarded for one’s efforts.

Job Satisfaction is the extent to which a staff member has favorable or positive feelings
about work or the work environment.

32 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)
1) My learned lecturer Puan Suhana Binti Sulaiman
2) The module of Organizational Behavior by Universiti Malaysia Pahang
3) https://www.ripublication.com/gjfm-spl/gjfmv6n6_12.pdf
4) https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-orgbehavior/chapter/1-2-understanding-
organizational-behavior/
5) https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c3e7/84574933f0c48ff61c31ec6a7898722e1450.pdf
6) Batt R. 2002. Managing customer services: Human resource practices, quit rates, and
sales growth. Academy of Management Journal 45: 587-597
7) https://www.ripublication.com/gjfm-spl/gjfmv6n6_12.pdf
8) https://present5.com/a-basic-ob-model-individual-level-%E2%80%A2/
9) https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/obcourseweir/chapter/12-3-organizational-politics/
10) https://www.slideshare.net/PratikshaDekate/organisational-behaviour-12075479
11) https://www.slideshare.net/aceboado/fundamentals-of-organizational-behavior
12) https://workplacepsychology.net/2010/02/05/implementing-change-and-overcoming-
resistance/
13) https://www.chiefmotivatingofficers.com/9-misconceptions-about-obm/
14) Bruch, J., & Bellgran, M. (2014). Integrated portfolio planning of products and
production systems. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 25(2), 155-174.
15) Frederick, P. R. (2014). Organisational Behaviour and its Role in Management of
Business. Global Journal of Finance and Management, 563-568.
16) James P. Guthrie, D. K. (2004). Peeling Back the Onion Competitive Advantage
Through People. Human Resources Management Commons, 04 – 09
17) Carolyn M. Youssef, F. L. (2007). Positive Organizational Behavior in the Workplace.
Journal of Management, 774.

33 | P a g e
MOHD FARIZ MEAH BIN HUSSAIN MEAH (UCMPB21302)

You might also like