A Critical Review of Attributes for Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is viewed in different perspectives from various angles. Some believe it is simply how content an individual is with own job, in other words, whether or not they like the job or individual aspects or facets of jobs; such as nature of work or supervision. There are several factors affecting the job satisfaction of an employee. Much Research has been done to identify the real cause for Job Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction.                                                      

The reasons people can feel happy or content in their work can often be quite complicated. For some, it is the moral reward of doing good, others are happy to simply make a living, still others appreciate the good career opportunities their positions offer or their relationships at work. To define job satisfaction has been a challenge for the researchers. It is very important for employers since satisfied employee has been more committed towards the organization.

Job satisfaction is more of a journey, not a destination, as it applies to both employees and the employer. Measuring job satisfaction can be challenging, as the definition of satisfaction can be different for different people.

Some scholars define job satisfaction as the emotional state of enjoyment that an employee gets from doing his or her job well and being suitably rewarded. Others take into account the emotional fulfilment an individual reaches when the job meets his or her expectations. For most researchers, however, job satisfaction has multiple dimensions and is determined by a number of factors such as the nature of the work itself, relations and interactions with superiors and peers, pay, benefits, promotion, the organization and its management and last but not least the working conditions.

If an organization wants to enhance job satisfaction, it should consider the nature of the work itself, and whether it ensures status, taking responsibility and achieving self-fulfilment. On the other hand, If the management wants to reduce dissatisfaction, then it must improve supervision, ensure adequate pay and good working conditions.

Job satisfaction is the most studied area of Organization Behaviour. Job satisfaction survey may find interesting and very useful if they designed and concluded in an appropriate manner.

This research work has been done in the Institutes of Ghaziabad to find out various factors responsible for satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Because educating the people is a very specific task . This research has been purely based on private institutes in the vicinity of Ghaziabad which comes under the umbrella of Delhi/NCR.

What Are the Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction?

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.

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 favourable work conditions. Providing productivity tools such as upgraded information technology to help employees accomplish tasks more efficiently contributes to job satisfaction as well.

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.

Workload and Stress Level

Dealing with a workload that is far too heavy and deadlines that are impossible to reach can cause job satisfaction to erode for even the most dedicated employee. Falling short of deadlines results in conflict between employees and supervisors and raises the stress level of the workplace. Many times, this environment is caused by ineffective management and poor planning. The office operates in a crisis mode because supervisors don't allow enough time for employees to perform their assigned tasks effectively or because staff levels are inadequate.

Respect from Co-Workers

Employees seek to be treated with respect by those they work with. A hostile work environment -- with rude or unpleasant co-workers -- is one that usually has lower job satisfaction. In an August 2011 survey published by FoxBusiness.com, 50 percent of those responding said they had personally experienced a great amount of workplace incivility. Fifty percent also believe morale is poor where they work. 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 behaviours are considered inappropriate when interacting with co-workers.

Relationship with Supervisors

Effective managers know their employees need recognition and praise for their efforts and accomplishments. Employees also need to know their supervisor's door is always open for them to discuss any concerns they have that are affecting their ability to do their jobs effectively and impeding their satisfaction at the office.

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.

Job satisfaction is more of a journey, not a destination, as it applies to both employees and the employer. As we will see in this lesson, there is no definitive way to measure job satisfaction or to ensure it.

Job Satisfaction Could Have Different Meanings

Did you ever think that during prehistoric times, when old Bonk the Caveman designed and fashioned the very first wheel, that his boss (or his tribe leader) gave him a reward or praise? Now, back in those days, a reward might be a new pelt or praise might be you would not get hit with a club, but the basics of job satisfaction lie in the fact that we are rewarded for the job we do.

There are many aspects to job satisfaction, depending on what each individual person feels is important. In many ways, the word 'reward' alone can mean different things to different people, and in this lesson, we are going to look at job satisfaction and its place in today's business environment. Our goal is to understand job satisfaction, or how content someone is with their job and the sense of accomplishment they get from doing it.

5 Critical Factors that influence Job Satisfaction

It’s pretty easy to guess why 40% of employees are not engaged at work. And in your own life, you’re either in the same boat or have heard the gripes, quips and complaints from others. But what about the 60% of employees that are engaged? What is it that they love about their jobs and how can you love yours, too?

That’s exactly the question asked by TINYpulse, a company providing weekly employee surveys to over 40,000 people at 300 companies located across the globe. As an advisor to the company, I was able to get a sneak peek into some of the findings TINYpulse will be publishing on employee engagement for 2013.

To reach their findings, the company surveyed their clients’ employees, asking a relatively simple open-ended question: "What do you love about your job?" TINY pulse then tabulated and analyzed the results, identifying these top five reasons people love their jobs.

1. We the People

The number one reason cited for loving a job was co-workers. because of the people they work with. In fact, this answer was given 3x more often than the next most-cited reason.

One responder commented, "I love the people I work beside. They are practically my family."

"Great people attract great people," said TINY pulse founder and CEO David Niu. "The quality of your team can play a big role in employee happiness."

Pro-tip: If you’re looking for a job you’ll love, don’t get distracted by the perks. Instead, look for the people you want to work with. Don’t be intimidated by long interviews with multiple people. This type of interview set up gives you a good chance to meet more of the team and help you to evaluate if the role, among the already existing team members, will be a good fit..

2. Let Freedom Ring

The second leading factor in what makes people love their jobs comes under the banner of freedom. Employees cited freedom, autonomy and flexibility as key components to job satisfaction. One employee craved "having the freedom to create, improvise and be entrepreneurial," while another stated: "I love having the freedom to experiment and fail, and still support my actions."

If you want your employees to take risks, you have to give them permission to fail,"

Avani Pakti, who leads the health and happiness team at the global consulting firm Zevenseas agrees, also adding that freedom of expression is just as important.

"You have to proactively ask employees for their opinion on a regular basis, and allow people to speak their mind without fear."

Pro-tip: Freedom and autonomy can provide ideal working conditions, but in many cases, that responsibility has to be earned. Check out these quick tips for approaching your boss or manager with a proposal for more flexibility, if you currently have very little.

3. Culture is King

Cameron Herold, author of Backpocket COO, said culture is king and creating a desirable work environment is the most important advice he gives to CEO’s for growing a business.

Employees also rate culture highly, listing the work environment as the third most important factor for loving your job. One respondent gushed: "There are many things that I love about my job. I love the work environment. I love the camaraderie that is formed with co-workers. I love being a part of something larger that makes a difference. I love that everyone cares and that you have flexibility when needed."

And when it comes to an engaging work culture, leadership and management are who employees look to in setting the status quo.

"Many people think of work culture in terms of ping-pong tables and free snacks," said Niu. "However, I’ve found that companies who rank high on our employee happiness index have cultures that 

Deliver on the fundamental values of transparency, trust and communication

The converse of this is also true and the terms "toxic," "dysfunctional" and "disengaged" came up a lot where employee ratings are low.

Pro-tip: Look for work environments where there is a strong alignment with your personal values. Ask these 4 questions to determine company culture in an interview or if you are at a company, look at the traits and characteristics of people who were recently promoted or have risen through the ranks.

4. Variety is the Spice of Life

Many respondents of the TINY pulse survey listed "variety" and "learning" as things they loved about their job. According to Duke Professor Tom Katsoulea, "even lowly amoebas show evidence that boredom and unhappiness occur when subjected to repeated stimuli without new 'learning.'"

Thus, it’s in our nature to learn and seek variety. One employee said, "I love the variety. Everyday is different and I get to interact with such a varied group. It means I am always learning."

It’s also very important to provide employees with the resources, tools and training for their development. "One of our clients really engaged their employees by creating and communicating career path road maps for all of their employees," said Niu.

Pro-tip: Variety and learning are two-sides of the same coin. Learning new skills allows you to tackle more opportunities and variety provides the stimuli forcing you to learn. If you aren't currently in a position with variety, take up free online classes like learning how to code to help you pivot in a career that more aligns with your interests.

5. Do Not Limit Your Challenges

Somewhere in a company lunchroom there is a poster with rock climbers making the final ascent up a mountain. The caption reads: "Do not limit your challenges, challenge your limits."

It’s trite, but true. People want to be challenged.

"I love that my job challenges me every day in different ways," said one respondent. Another employee wrote, "Give me MCP: mission, challenge and purpose."

In contrast, low employee engagement scores were given when words like "grind," "repetitive," "mundane" and "unchallenged" were reported.

"Leaders who are great at delegating provide both opportunity and challenges for their employees to stay engaged," said Niu. "The key is to unblock, support and provide the resources for employees to push their limits."

Pro-tip: You don’t have to think of challenges in terms of big moves and jumping off cliffs. Learn to take smaller steps quicker to get out of your comfort zone. If you want to be a better speaker, practice in a smaller meeting then in front of an audience of thousands, for instance. Then make a TEDTalk an eventual goal.

If you are looking for a job you love where you are engaged and challenged, you need to look further than compensation. For employers, get employee feedback on a regular basis. Then, listen and act.