IJCRR - 4(17), September, 2012
Pages: 74-79
Date of Publication: 14-Sep-2012
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CAREER, JOB SATISFACTION AND ITS EVALUATION METHODS
Author: Muhammad Farzanjou
Category: General Sciences
Abstract:Job is among the issue that has often been engaged by humans mind, governments and nations. Although job and occupation is apparently associated with economic-subsistence aspect of humans, it is closely linked to their personal, familial, social, political and cultural dimensions. Job satisfaction is a filed within which social psychological, sociological, economic and political and educational sciences perspectives have been mentioned. Today, there are thousands of jobs and professions in each country which people are involved in and thereby continue their life. What always attracts the attention of psychologists and social sciences thinkers are people's job satisfaction and the effects of this satisfaction in their spirits and working productivity. If one is not interested in his/her job, one's creativity and talent will not be flourished in one's work field and then will be affected by fatigue, depression and frustration and his/her work will be inconclusive, and hereby the community will be affected. This article aims to consider this issue.
Keywords: job, job satisfaction, factors of job satisfaction, methods of assessment.
Full Text:
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Definition of Job
Job literally means gets someone to work and what is the cause of engagement. The individuals will actively participate in the production processes and services through employment and then receive cash or material rewards (1). Job and work is a physical or intellectual activity which is directed on production and services. Generally, job is an activity which is asked for and hence is paid by (2). In summary, it can be said that job is the work a person is involved with and through which perform his/her duties and gaain his livelihood. In another definition, job is a group of similar positions in an institution, office or workshop in which the quailed people are able to take this opportunity and carry out their duties (3).
1.2. Definition of Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a set of feelings and beliefs that people have about their current jobs (4). Job satisfaction is one of the important factors in job success, a factor that increases efficiency and also feeling of personal satisfaction (5). Job satisfaction means to be interested in the situations and requirements of a job, a situation in which a work is done and the reward for which is received (6). According to the above-mentioned contents, it can be indicated that job satisfaction is feelings of fulfillment and satisfaction one have of him/herself and the pleasure is therefore achieved and consequently will be encouraged and attached to his/her job. Job satisfaction is a desirable, emotional and positive state that is resulted from job assessment or job experiences. It is a concept that has various dimensions, aspects and factors which must be taken into consideration as a whole. Of these factors are the characteristics of employer and employee, type of work, work environment and human relations in working (7). V.E.Fisher and J.V.Hanna maintain that jib satisfaction is an internal factor and believes that it is a type of emotional compatibility with job and job conditions, that is if the regarded job provides the satisfaction and desirable pleasure, he/she will be happy with his/her job, and conversely, if the regarded job does not provide the satisfaction and desirable pleasure, he/she will be disappointed and is going to change it (8). R. Hoppock maintains that job satisfaction is a complex and multi-dimensional concept and is associated with mental, physical and social factors. Only one factor is not led to job satisfaction, but a specific combination of a set of various factors cause an employer is satisfied with his/her job in a specific moment of time, and tell him/herself that he/she is satisfied with his/her job and enjoys it (9). it is found out from the above0definitions about job satisfaction that this concepts accounts for the positive and feelings and attitudes which one has towards his/her job. When it is said that someone has high levels of job satisfaction (10), it means he/she generally likes his/her job and considers a great value for it and takes it into account as a positive issue, in short, he has a good and desirable feeling towards it (11).
2. Factors of Choosing Job
Job is an issue that is not randomly chosen, but it requires many factors, including:
2.1. Physical Condition
Each job requires a certain physical characteristics. A great size and strength is required in some jobs, while these features may prevent doing some tasks in some jobs. Also, having hand and foot health is necessary in some jobs, while in others, lacking or defecting limbs and other organs does not create any problem.
2.2. Talent
One of the important factors in job selection and continuing a successful employment is talent. Talent means being equipped with, readiness and ability to perform a certain job, that is one's innate ability that helps him learn and accelerates it. Hence, talent predict the method and amounts of learning in various fields in the future, and the one who is gifted in a certain area will be more benefitted with his/her experiences in that regard.
2.3. Interest
Interest means having desire, willingness and desire to acquire something. Also, the pleasant feeling, desire or curiosity towards something or concept is called interest. Interest is an important impetus for effort and human's activity. Success in any job requires having interest.
2.4. Personal and Social Facilities
In addition to the above-mentioned materials, other factors such as personality, realism, environmental facilities and community needs has an important effect in choosing job (12). In short, it can be said that personal factors (such as physical status, talent, interest and personality traits), social factors (such as family pressure, social and cultural values, the amount of facilities in a community and the opportunities that are available to individuals), economic factors (such as poverty and unemployment) as well as inheritance and gender are effective in job selection.
3. Factors of Job Satisfaction
Researchers have long been in search of fundamental causes of job selection in offices and organizations. They have been able to achieve a string of constant factors associated with job satisfaction; however, not a comprehensive empirical model has yet been achieved. Several factors can be briefly pointed out that are more important in this field. W. Porter and M. Steers pointed out to four factors as follows:
- Overall factors of organization: i.e. variables that are widely applicable to most employees, such as salary and promotion opportunities.
- The immediate causes of occupational environment: variables representing occupational groups, such as supervision method and quality of relationship with colleagues, working conditions and workplace.
- Content factors or actual occupational activities, such as occupation territory (of diversity, autonomy and responsibility) and role clarity.
- Individual factors: the characteristics that make a person distinct from another as well as age, duration of service and character (self-confidence, determination and maturity) (13).
E.A.Locke summarizes the most important factors influencing job satisfaction as follows:
- Mental precarious work that a person can be successfully compatible with (success in coping with the work).
- Personal interest to the job itself in that the more one is interested in a job, the more would be his/her satisfaction.
- A work that is not physically too boring, that is the more is a person tired, the less will be his/her satisfaction and the less one is tired, the more will be his/her satisfaction.
- Reward for performance would be fair, informative and consistent with one's demand.
- Working conditions that would be consistent with physical needs and contribute to career goals.
- Feeling of self-esteem from the employed, the more one feels respect from others, the more will be his/her satisfaction.
- Factors in workplace that facilitate the need for occupational values, such as increased pay and promotion (14).
4. Results of having job satisfaction Being aware of significant results of job satisfaction is as important as being aware of what leads to satisfaction. These results are as follows:
4.1. Satisfaction and Service Renunciation
Job satisfaction and service renunciation is related with each other. V.H.Vroom found out that the correlation range between these two variables in various studies is from 25% to 42%.
Revisionists in recent decades, which studied the relationship between job satisfaction and job renunciation, reported that there is a negative relationship between them, that is; if employees are satisfied with their job, they will not leave their job and vice versa, that is if they are not satisfied with their job, they will leave their job. A relatively similar report was presented by Lock in 1976.
4.2. Job Satisfaction and absence in working
The evidence shows that there is a balanced and an inverse relationship between job satisfaction and absence of employees from their workplace. Vroom showed in various studies that the compatibility range is from 14% to 38%. This study was confirmed by Porter and Stirz , etc.
4.3. Satisfaction and Performance
One of the most controversial issues in the field of job satisfaction is its relationship with performance. Three hypotheses have been proposed in this regard. 1. Satisfaction is led to performance. 2. Performance is led to satisfaction. 3. Reward acts as an intermediate between performance and satisfaction. The first two hypotheses are weakly supported, but the third one, based on which reward acts as an intermediate between performance and satisfaction, has been more strongly supported. Prior performance is resulted in receiving internal reward (feeling of personal prosperity) and external reward (wage and promotion). This reward, by itself, enhances one's performance in the future and also is effective in increasing one's job satisfaction. Vroom found out in his studies that there is a positive relationship between job satisfaction and amount of efficiency and performance. Steers and Porter mentioned in their books that the more an employee and worker's occupational motivation and the more their attitude towards their jobs (that is, to be more satisfied with his/her job), the more will be their performance and vice versa, that is, the less is motivation and positive attitude towards one's job (the less job satisfaction), the less will be one's performance.
4.4. The Effect of Satisfaction on Organization
The analyses indicate that when employees of an organization are satisfied with their jobs, their organization are faced with positive effects and acts as an effective and useful organization. In addition to above-mentioned issues, job satisfaction has some other results. The employees who are entirely satisfied are less intended to submit complaint and are more acquired with physical and mental health and have a more longitude; they learn new duties related to their job more swiftly and are acquired with less occupational accidents (15).
5. SUGGESTIONS
According to the above contents, the following works are suggested for increasing job satisfaction in an organization: ? Making employees interested in their job to flourish creativity and innovation. ? Preventing from depression and frustration in employees. ? Creating factors that increase efficiency and satisfaction in organization. ? Creating significant motivation and interest for the effort and willingness of people to successfully perform the job ? Being respected from other people to provide greater satisfaction.
6. CONCLUSION
By reflecting and hesitating on what was mentioned and by considering the strategic issues and the coherent guidance of organization, which reminiscent of undeniable and important role of managers which is certainly highly effective in victory or defeat of programs, creating " job satisfaction" in a person depends on various factors which together are achieved to optimal result, and somehow lack of one factor in a person is led to one's job dissatisfaction; factors such as income level, nature of work and its social status, organizational prestige and authenticity of job promotion, job security, lack of role ambiguity, physical working condition, structure and organizational culture and relationship with colleagues, paying attention to one's personality traits, performance evaluation, fitness, flexibility and innovation. Finally, it can be said that job satisfaction is totally a positive and pleasant feeling that one has about his/her job. More generally, scientists maintain that social factors, working environment and the nature of working are effective in job satisfaction. All theories of job satisfaction somehow emphasize on meeting people's needs, whether physical or mental and takes the demands and expectations of employees as an important thing.
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