by Amarendra Bhushan
Theories of Job Satisfaction
There are several theories on Job Satisfaction. Out of them the following two are found applicable to organisation are discussed below.
Locke’s Value Discrepancy Theory
Locke? used the discrepancy hypothesis in his value discrepancy theory. He thought that satisfaction is likely to result from the fulfillment of wants of desires then from the fulfillment of deprived needs. That is, what a person considers important or valuable has stronger effects on his or her satisfaction. This hypothesis describes how values operate on satisfaction. Satisfaction with a job factor will depend on the importance of the factor and on the difference between what is desired and how much is received. When a job factor is very important, a discrepancy matters more and leads to greater dissatisfaction then when the factor in not important. At Griffin workers consider salary as an important factor for satisfaction and Griffin has realized this need and they pay their employees competitive salaries, thereby satisfying them.
Landy’s Opponent Process Theory
Landy? (1978, 1985) observed that satisfaction with a job can change over time even through the job itself has not changed. Most of us have had the experience of no longer liking what we once loved to do. Then, oddly enough, when we are not allowed to do it anymore, we miss it. For example, at first you might really enjoy going to school, and then it becomes commonplace and boring. As graduation draws near, however, you begin to wish that school did not have to end. This happens because of our internal mechanisms for maintaining a neutral emotional level. That is, we try to smooth out our emotional ups and downs. At Griffin some employees who are working at front office have really found bored form their jobs as they are doing the same job for years and there is no enthusiasm left in them while performing their jobs. This is really a point of dissatisfaction for them.
Measurement of Job Satisfaction
A variety of measurement instruments can be used in studying job satisfaction. Physiological measures and questionnaires asking about feelings can be used in detecting the affective component of job satisfaction.
Conducting a Satisfaction Survey
Industry has a practical purpose for satisfaction surveys. Arnold and Feldman ?(1986) cited five ways organizations can use job satisfaction surveys: (1) to diagnose organizational problems; (2) to evaluate the effects of organizational changes; (3) to improve communication with employees; (4) to assess the likelihood of unionization ; and (5) to understand absenteeism and turnover. This kind of research is not entirely clear on the relationships between satisfaction and some or these variables. Even so, it probably is true that job attitude surveys can provide organizations with useful information in dealing with their human problems. To measure job satisfaction accurately, the measurement instrument must be reliable. When a standardized instrument is used, estimates of reliability are available.
Satisfaction surveys could be of two types: (1) open-ended question which let the responder answer in his or her own words, and (2) close-ended questions with predetermined answers categories on a printed form probably will be used because this is less time-consuming to administer. I applied open-ended method to ask review job satisfaction in Griffin and almost 90% satisfaction rate was found among employees.
Standardized Rating Scales
Several standardized instruments for measuring job satisfaction are available, and much of the current research is done with one of these. There are the Job Descriptive Index, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Need Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Faces Scale. These rating scales have undergone considerable study and show reasonable levels of reliability and validity. However only faces scale was found satisfactory to rate job satisfaction rate in this case.
Faces Scale
The Face Scale measure provides an assessment of overall job satisfaction. The scale is unique because the response categories consist of drawings of faces that vary in emotional expression. The drawings have been scaled so that they represent equidistant points along a continuum from positive to negative. A respondent checks the box under the face that best expresses how he or she feels about the job. The Face Scale is especially useful with illiterate workers or with those who have language difficulties. This scale is directly focused on the affective or emotional component of the job attitude, making it particularly useful for studies n which job satisfaction is viewed as an emotion.
Meet Amarendra Bhushan, A leading Strategic Human Resource Consultent, MBA from American university of athens, greece, also editing The European journal of NRI finance magazine TRIBUNE). As one of the leading article writer, and corporate hotel professional. Advisor to various organizations and hotels. He is an elected member of south Indian hotel and restaurant federation. Now staying at city of Athens Greece. Amarendra bhushan Dhiraj Athens, Greece PH-0030-6947667507 abdhiraj@mail.gr