Term
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Definition
| A pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences. |
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Term
| General principle of the cognitive challenge of work |
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Definition
| That mentally challenging work is the key to job satisfaction. Thus the most effective way an organization can promote the job satisfaction of its employees is to enhance the mental challenge in their jobs and the most consequential way most individuals can improve their own job satisfaction is to seek out mentally challenging work. |
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Term
| Importance of this principal |
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Definition
| Scores on a valid measure of a job satisfaction are the most important pieces of information organizations can collect, not only as one measure of management effectiveness, but because, as we will note, job satisfaction scores predict a wide range of job behaviors. |
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| Job satisfaction outcomes |
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Definition
-Job performance
-Withdrawal behaviors
-Life satisfaction |
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Term
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Definition
A happy worker is more likely to be a productive one - Units whose average employees are satisfied with their jobs are more likely to perform at a higher level than those units whose employees are less satisfied.
Relationship may be reciprocal - Not only may employees who are happy with their jobs be more productive, but performing a job well may lead to satisfaction with the job, esp if performance is rewarded. |
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Term
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Definition
| Displays relatively consistent, negative correlations with absenteeism and turnover. |
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Definition
| People who have jobs that they like are more likely to lead happy lives. |
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Term
| Job Characteristics Model |
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Definition
Argues that the intrinsic nature of work is the core underlying factor causing employees to be satisfied with their jobs.
-Focuses on 5 core job characteristics that make one's work challenging and fulfilling.
1. Task identity - degree to which one can see one's work from beginning to end.
2. Task significance - degree to which one's work is seen as important and significant
3. Skill Variety - Degree to which the job allows employees to do different tasks
4. Autonomy - degree to which employees have control and discretion for how to conduct their job
5. Feedback - degree to which the work itself provides feedback for how the employee is performing the job. |
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Term
| Measurement of job characteristics |
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Definition
Most common measurement relies on Job Diagnostic Survey to measure extent to which the five core intrinsic job characteristics are present in the job. (Also use Work Design Questionnaire).
-When responding to items in the table, individuals circle the number from 1-7 that is most accurate description of their job. Can be used for almost any type of job. |
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Term
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Definition
1. When individuals are asked to evaluate different facets of their job such as pay, promotion opportunites, co-workers, and so forth, the nature of the work itself generally emerges as the important facet.
2. Of the major job satisfaction facets - pay, promotion opportunities, co-workers, supervision and the work itself - satisfaction with the work itself, far and away, best predicts overall job satisfaction.
-All 5 intrinsic job characteristics are strong predictors of employee job satisfaction. These core characteristics were found to be significant predictors of other attitudinal criteria, such as organizational commitment and work motivation, as well as behavioral, job performance outcomes. |
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Term
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Definition
| When individuals repeatedly perform narrow and specialized tasks, they are unlikely to see their work as very challenging or intrinsically motivating. |
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Term
| Increasing Mental Challenge in Jobs |
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Definition
- Job Rotation: Employees perform different jobs; typically rotation occurs once employees have mastered their present job and are no longer challenged by it. Increases flexibility and allows substitution - can be particularly useful when an employer faces skill shortages. Uses "skill-based pay"
- Job enlargement: aka Horizontal loading, involves expanding the number of tasks associated with a particular job. In enlargement, involves actually changing the nature of the job.
- Job enrichment: aka Vertical Loading, involves increasing the RESPONSIBILITIES (and often autonomy) of the job. |
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Term
| Downsides of increasing mental challenge in jobs |
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Definition
| Training costs and the recognition that there are some employees who do not welcome challenging work. Also, more mentally challenging jobs may require more intelligent employees and subsequently, higher compensation costs. |
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Term
| Criticisms and Limitations of Measurement of Job Characteristics |
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Definition
JCM assumes that job characteristics cause job satisfaction - measures of job characteristics are perceptual.
-Perceptual measures are susceptible to biasing influences such as mood.
-There are concerns that the relationship is not solely from job characteristics to job satisfaction; job satisfaction may also (or instead) cause perceptions of job characteristics. |
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Term
| Motivational VS Mechanistic work design approaches |
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Definition
-Motivational approaches to work design aim to capitalize on the motivational and attitudinal benefits that accrue from a challenged and psychologically fulfilled workforce. Emphasizes advantages of a satisfied and motivated workforce.
-Mechanistic approaches emphasize increased efficiency thru factors such as work skill simplification and task specialization. Conflicts with job design endorsed by JCM - emphasizes efficiency in production.
-Level-separation approach: design organizational structures based on mechanistic principles and still implement core motivational characteristics.
-Sequential approach: Both approaches applied in succession. |
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Term
| Employees with low Growth Need Strength |
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Definition
GNS is employees desire for personal development, especially as it applies to work. High GNS employees want their jobs to contribute to their personal growth and derive satisfaction from performing challenging and personally rewarding activities.
-One of the ways GNS is measured is by asking employees, with a survey, to choose between one job that is high on external rewards (pay) and one that is high on intrinsic rewards. Intrinsic job characteristics are especially satisfying for individuals who score high on GNS. |
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Term
| Employees who value other job attributes |
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Definition
One exception to the principle of job satisfaction and intrinsic characteristics is that employees who do not care about intrinsic job characteristics (low GNS) will be less satisfied by challenging work.
-It may not be that only employees with low GNS will respond less favorable to intrinsic job characteristics, the exception would also apply to employees who value other job or organizational attributes. - Values determine what satisfies employees on the job. -
The value-percept theory predicts that discrepancies between what is desired and received are dissatisfying only if the job facet is important to the individual. |
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Term
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Definition
Part of the reason we like or dislike our jobs has nothing to do with the jobs. Rather it is due to our dispositional outlook that derives from our genes and early childhood experience.
-The key dispositional factor leading to job satisfaction is core self-evaluations - if we have positive self-regard, we are likely to see out jobs positively and undertake jobs that are challenging.
* Main practical implication of the dispositional source of job satisfaction is that if employers wish to raise satisfaction levels of their workforce they need to select applicants with positive dispositions. |
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Term
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Definition
- Do the employees possess excess cognitive capacity to handle the additional job demands? If not, then increasing the job demands might overload the employees.
-Do the employees believe they can successfully perform the new job? If not, the organization may consider techniques designed to increase employee self-efficacy before or during the implementation of the new job.
-Are the employees intrinsically interested in the new demands or tasks? Employee satisfaction is unlikely to increase when the challenge comes from tasks or jobs which are not personally interesting. |
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Term
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Definition
- Employees with low Growth Need Strength
- Employees who value other job attributes
- Personality
- Other moderators |
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