Mgt 4310
Job Satisfaction
Week 3
Job Satisfaction
 Are surveys measuring reality or perception?
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An interpretation of reality?
 Are dispositional characteristics stronger than
situational influences?
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Satisfaction is hardwired?
The Consistency of Job Attitudes
 Job satisfaction has been shown to be
consistent across time (50 years) and
evaluation format
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Even in the face of both job and organizational
change
 Jobs are nebulous and ambiguous?
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Disposition rather than situational adjustment
will account for the majority of interpretation of
job satisfaction
Can we change performance?
 Will the focus on motivation be productive?
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Largest predictor of work performance is
cognitive and physical ability
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Personality characteristics
Other factors contributing to work
performance:
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Work design and control over tasks
Resources
Systems for change – Multiple changes
 Individually Oriented – focuses on individual
needs
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Tie extrinsic rewards to performance
Set realistic and challenging goals
Evaluate performance accurately and give
feedback
Promote based on skill and performance
Build the skill level through training
Enlarge and enrich jobs
Systems for Change
 Group Oriented – focuses on our social
nature and social influence on our behaviour
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Organize around interacting groups
Use groups to select, train and reward
Use groups to reinforce norms
Base pay on the group
Systems for Change
 Organizationally Oriented – focuses on
created attraction and loyalty to the institution
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Have extensive socialization processes
Rotate jobs throughout the company
Company set-up and designed training
Long term protected employment
Decentralized operations
Few status distinctions
Sharing of all organization information
(finances, strategies)
Tying all rewards to firm performance
The Effects of Satisfaction
 In-role Performance

Tasks and activities specified by the job
requirements and that contractually quality the
employee for organizational rewards
 Extra-role Performance

Discretionary or voluntary contributions to the
job/organization that are not officially
recognized as part of the job
Types of
Organizational Citizenship Behaviour
 Altruism – voluntary actions directed towards helping
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colleagues (giving guidance to new ees)
Courtesy – foresight gestures that help others avoid
or be aware of problems (providing advanced notice)
Sportsmanship – taking on extra without grumbling or
whining
Conscientiousness – going beyond the minimum
requirements in general organization requirements
(attendance, punctuality)
Civic Virtue – constructive involvement in the
organization’s political process (attending meetings,
being aware of larger organizational issues)
Satisfaction and OCB
 Negative attitudes towards the job have little
effect on in-role performance

Reduced performance could cause loss of job,
loss of potential income and loss of selfesteem/reputation
 Job satisfaction does affect extra-role
performance (OCB)
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OCB is not tied to ability
OCB can be reduced without job sanctions or
loss of self-esteem/reputation
Satisfaction and Performance
 Go to the Web
 Look for consulting firms that focus on employee
satisfaction or the satisfaction/performance
relationship
 Find one company that you would hire and one
company that you would not hire
 Come back to the class and report on your findings
and the reasons why you would/would not hire these
companies relative to their orientation on
satisfaction/performance .