THEORIES

 

What are the Theories of Employee Job Satisfaction?

Though, the employee job satisfaction is an intellectual aspect that cannot be perceived or cannot be picked-out or cannot be accounted or work-out as a quantity, the employer should intelligent enough to understand the thoughts that emerged inside the minds of employees which express in various ways, if their paramount endeavor is accomplishing the organizational goals with the tremendous support of co-workers.

When an employee persuades with their designated duties surrounded by a pleasing environment, they are willing to execute any burden without a second thought and with extreme delight, to fulfill the expectations of the employer, being firm pillars. It means the employees are satisfied with their careers.

Raise of the satisfaction of the workforce regarding employment is an extremely important theme when managing an organization because it has a sturdy link with numerous individual consequences. As a matter of fact, based on long-term research, job satisfaction match-up remarkably with age or oldness. According to the said research, which conducted with the participation of 268 volunteers whose age within the range was 60-94 (Palmore, 1960), it was proposed that the life span of workers has a close relationship with satisfaction at work. (Theories of Job Satisfaction and their Impacts on Workers | Employee Management)

There is another straight-thinking expression that some employees are comparatively more satisfied than some of the others within the same organization. That may be due to the direct influences of the common organizational policies, vision & mission, rules & regulations, etc. affect an individual employee. Therefore, it is better than the senior management of the organizations to follow and focus on theories, experimentations, and analysis that symbolize the intention of creating the job satisfaction of the employees.

The theories explaining the job satisfaction and the theories explaining human motivation runs in a parallel way with the same concepts. Job satisfaction theories help to identify what factors are influencing and what can be done to get higher employee job satisfaction.

Robert Hoppock (1935), who presented the promptest resolution about the concept of Job Satisfaction outlined, “as being any number of psychological, physiological and environmental circumstances which lead a person to express satisfaction with their job”.

There are several Job Satisfaction theories were introduced and developed by researchers and scholars from the past. Among those theories, Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, Fredrick Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, Dispositional Theory, Job Characteristic Model, Locke’s Value Theory, and Adam’s Equity Theory are prominent. Also, there are few other theories such as Stogdill’s Theory, Need-fulfillment Theory, Social Reference Group Theory, Opponent Process Theory, Discrepancy Theory, etc.

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

One of the earliest theories, to research the great commitment to job satisfaction. It is a theory introduced and developed by Abraham Maslow in 1943, initially published in “A Theory of Human Motivation” paper and later clarified the same theory in his book “Motivation & Personality” in 1954. Afterward, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory prevailed in-demand theme in the sectors of Sociology, Psychology, and Management. Also, very well-referred in Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour sessions.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory that described human motivation, formed on the pursuing of contrast levels of needs. According to the theory, when fulfilling the requirements, humans are stimulated in a hierarchical order which start-up with the most primary demands, prior to working on further advanced requirements. When a lower need is fulfilled, the upcoming requirement on the hierarchy becomes their center of attention.

Figure 1: Graphical representation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

According to Abraham Maslow, there are 5 basic categories of needs which humans are motivated, physiological, Safety, Belongness & Love, Esteem, and Self-Actualization. The concept that he initially believed is that a person needed to completely satisfy one level to move on to other level has been changed, and as per contemporary point of view, these levels are overlapping. Anyhow, though their main focus is on higher-level, to accomplish the self-fulfillment needs, the people have to pursue lower levels of hierarchy even with less intensity. (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory)

   💧 Physiological Needs – The lowest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs which consists of the most essential requirements for survival such as food, water, shelter, health & rest.

   💧Safety Needs           - The second level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs consists of safety needs related to a person’s security need. When a person feels safe & secure in their life & surroundings for law, order & protection from unpredictable & dangerous conditions, it is realized that the second level is accomplished. It may from physical safety, economic safety, job security, etc.

   💧Love & Belonging Needs - The third level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs consists of friendship, intimacy, family & love. Humans need to give and receive love & protection belongs to a group, instead pf loneliness or depression because they are social creatures.

     💧 Esteem Needs         - The third level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs consists of recognition, status, feel respected, etc. According to Maslow, esteem need can be divided into 2 categories, the need for respect from others such as achieving fame, prestige & recognition. Respect from oneself relates to dignity, confidence, competence, independence & freedom.

     💧 Self-Actualization Needs - The fifth level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs connects with the awareness of an individual’s entire perspective and when an employee reached the final level, he/she contend to blossom that they could be. Self-Actualization needs can be displayed in many ways such as obtaining skills, continued education, utilizing skills, knowledge & talents, pursuing life dreams, seeking happiness, etc. So, in general, self-actualization is the shadow of personal maturation.

Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

According to Herzberg’s two-factor or motivator-hygiene theory, the entire perfection of basic needs is insufficient for job satisfaction of employees and the requirement is to arise personally with an identity for himself. According to the theory, there are two types of irregular functions called satisfiers & dissatisfiers.  Satisfaction & Dissatisfaction are two disparate & unlinked concepts, but not contains two opposing ends of the same sequence.

Figure 2: Graphical representation of Herzberg’s two-factor theory

Satisfiers are some of the objectives or conditions that lead employees for job satisfaction. The factors which offer high job satisfaction are achievement, recognition, advancement, responsibility, etc. Such factors are associated with the genuine satisfaction of the job, they are known as “Motivator Factors”.

Dissatisfiers are some of the objectives or conditions that put-down the employees in job satisfaction. The common matters relate to forward the employees for dissatisfaction are company policies & structure, supervision, working conditions, salary, job security, interactions with colleagues, quality of management, etc. which not delegated to all employees equally. Such factors are associated according to the situation in which an employee executes the job, and they are known as “Hygiene Factors”.

Though, both variables fulfill the needs of an employee, but the main impact for job satisfaction is Motivator Factors.

Process Theory

One of the sturdy theories which explained under 3 sub-theories.

·         What the job offers and what is expected.?

·         What an individual need? 

·         what are the values of an individual?

Process the theory explained that job satisfaction is controlled by the demands, standards & assumptions, and not only to treat according to the categories or varieties that an employee expects about the job. Also, it describes the behavioural procedure and the way of stimulating, control, encourage and terminate within the organizations.

Reference Group Theory

Reference group theory describes that an individual employee differentiates their captures and returns within the organizations with other co-workers or other workers in the industry. According to Hulin & Blood (1968), that the understanding of the groups to whom the individuals relate is critical to understanding the job satisfaction.

Discrepancy Theory

Discrepancy Theory or “Affect Theory” is developed by Edwin A. Locke in 1976. This has been considered as the most prominent job satisfaction template. This theory demonstrates that the job satisfaction of an employee is emerged from what they perceive is important, alternatively fulfillment or unfulfillment of their needs.

Job Characteristics Model

Job characteristic model spell-out that, when the work environment inspires naturally, influencing the features, job satisfaction of employees will take place. There are five key job characteristics describe in this model.

·         Skill variety

·         Task identity

·         Task Significance

·         Autonomy

·         Feedback

By improving the above-mentioned psychological states or core aspects of the job satisfaction, the management is having the ability to guide the organization into a better workplace with high job satisfaction.

By combining these facets, can build-up a Motivating Potential Score (MPC) for a career. It also can be used as an indicator of the effect of job satisfaction on an employee's attitude and behaviours.

Dispositional Approach Theory

One of the popular and common theory. Dispositional Approach theory point-out that job satisfaction and the personality of an individual has a close relationship. It also proposes that individuals possess inborn nature that origin them to have a likelihood regarding the definite extent of satisfaction, nevertheless of his/her career.

The verification for the dispositional approach can be split into,

# Indirect studies                # Direct studies.

The indirect verification approaches through observations of mass, straightforward, estimate characters. This even comprises of remarkable professional replacement or change of employer. Indirect studies are unprotected to various principal assessments, while the other left out components could be subscribed to the levels of job satisfaction. Self-esteem, self-efficiency, emotional stability, and locus of control incorporate a wide personality raise, to knot personally is a research verification.

Employees develop emotions and fondness of satisfaction or dissatisfaction on their career and they also influenced to judge the accountable work experience in the sectors of appreciation or hate the respective jobs as well as the organization. So many predictable impacts on how enthusiastically an individual employee evaluates their career. This has a foremost and key value for the management to hold on to the merit employees.

Because of this, by involving in comprehensive studies though many more years, Psychologists have pointed-out which support to quantify the level of job satisfaction of the employees.

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