Personal and organisational factors affecting satisfaction
A number of factors affecting job satisfaction have been identified by researchers so far. It is worth highlighting those features that are present in almost each and every model. Apart from external factors, there are personal characteristics influencing employee satisfaction (Klein, 2007). Such factors are the following: the characteristics of the job: the more varied tasks are, the higher satisfaction becomes. The type of management/leadership: leaders that consider the opinions of employees, and those who delegate administrative tasks to workers generate higher levels of satisfaction too. Pay and chances of promotion: both are associated with satisfaction, affecting it predominantly but not exclusively. Colleagues: being a member of a good community is able to counterbalance the adverse effects of several negative factors.
Researchers in the beginning only put emphasis on the study of the work itself, i.e. the tasks of employees. Only later did they realise that employees themselves are also significant “variables”. It is important because the same job may generate satisfaction in certain individuals and dissatisfaction in others.
The following three personal factors are highlighted by most research (Klein, 2007):
- Age: there is a positive link between age and job satisfaction until the age of retirement, where strong decline can be experienced.
- Educational level: there is a negative/inverse relationship between educational level and job satisfaction, especially in terms of payment.
- Gender: women are generally more satisfied compared with men when gender is the only variable in the research; however, results have not proved this statement obviously.
According to Farrell (1983)[1], satisfaction and dissatisfaction might have unique behavioural consequences too. The following types of employees are distinguished by him: outward-looking, opinion leader, loyal, and negligent workers. I find the discussion of this topic relevant here because the characteristics of these types show themselves in the degree of individuals’ commitment, and such features can also describe the consequences of the breach of a psychological contract. These types of behaviours can be arranged along two dimensions: constructive-destructive and active-passive.
An outward-looking employee: tends to leave the organisation as soon as possible as he prefers looking for new opportunities all the time. Typical behaviour: quitting (which is generally the last step following the breach of the psychological contract).
An opinion leader: is an active and constructive employee. Such a worker takes part in the discussion of problems and makes suggestions concerning the improvement of working conditions and innovations at the workplace. Typical behaviour: initiative; through the framing of “the violation of a contract”, trust might be restored and possible losses can also be decreased. There are constant changes in the relationship between such members and the organisation, which makes it sustainable.
A loyal employee: is a passive but optimistic individual who expects working conditions to improve and trusts the leadership of the organisation. The relationship between such members and the organisation as well as the psychological contract with them are sustainable but not without conflicts.
A negligent employee: does not mind if things go wrong at the workplace. They are not interested in the future of the organisation. Such employees tend to make a lot of mistakes when they are in. They are notorious late-comers and slackers. This behaviour occurs when members do not have the opportunity to report the breach of the psychological contract and conflicts become deep-rooted.
Many have investigated whether satisfaction leads to better performance. According to the findings of the studies conducted by Judge, Thoresen, Bono, and Patton (2001)[2], it can be claimed that there is a strong positive correlation between the two factors, which means that organisations with a lot of satisfied employees are much more efficient and successful than those having a number of dissatisfied workers.
The presence of satisfaction, trust and commitment are crucial in every organisation from the viewpoint of employees to be able to put more effort into their work and identify with the goals and values of their organisation. Individuals who are satisfied with their job and work in a really trustful atmosphere might also become more committed to the organisation (János, 2005).