Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction

Business psychology is the process which helps to enhance the productivity of an individual as well as organization. It helps to identify the need of an individual and organization as well. The main focus of business psychology is to improve the working life of business. The aim of it is to make an organization and employee more effective towards their work. In this essay, the role of HR manager will be describing who is extremely dissatisfied with his job. It is important to be a satisfied from job and it can be possible if an individual can perform efficiently with getting support from management. Job satisfaction is necessary for maintain the business for a long time. Various theories regarding motivation are mentioned in this essay which makes clear understanding. There are so many factors in workplace which may can be the reason of job satisfaction such as conditions of working which include the efficient working environment, rewards and appreciation such as monetary or non-monetary rewards, it enhance the productivity of an individual and respect from colleagues and supervisor (Ferris, et. al., 2013).

I was an HR manager in MNC and that job was very comfortable to me in starting. I had been working in that organization for 7 years. I served so many years and I was extremely dissatisfied with my work because the environment of working was ineffective. There were so many factors which may cause of job dissatisfaction. As per Murat, et. al. (2014), five dimension of business can impact the job satisfaction that is promotion, management, wages or salary, work itself and colleagues or co-workers. The role of mine in that organization is to take care of the responsibility of HR in organization and observe their work in the favor of employee relations, benefits, health and safety of employees and levels of staffing. I was satisfied with my job but after some time during my serving job, I observed that there are some practices taken place which is not in the favor of employee and the load of working without any appreciation has increased. Due to this so many employees’ life got affected and they were going to de-motivate towards their job.   

Motivation is the factor which enthusiasm employee towards performing task efficiently so that not only organization as well as an individual can get benefited from the policies. There are various theories available that encourages to an individual. As per my observation, it has been seen that three theories have been applied in organization and on my role as well. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy theory, Herzberg’s two factor theory and McGregor’s Theory-X and Theory-Y are three theories which have been applied in organization (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2014). Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy theory is based on the five basic needs pyramids and believes that the aim of people generally to meet the basic need and it made on hierarchical pyramid. Five levels are being mentioned in pyramid where four levels are related to psychological need and only one is considering the growth. The levels are self-actualization, esteem, belongingness, Safety And Psychological. 

Theories of Motivation

The first four levels have been considered as deprivation needs. Lack of satisfaction in four levels motivates people to achieve the basic needs. Psychological needs are the lowest level of hierarchy pyramid which includes necessities of life such as air, food and water. It can satisfy so many people but in case of unmet expectations, it can take the nature of predominant. Safety needs are compulsory during emergencies. These two needs are covering the initiate level of need. Psychological need can be fulfilled by providing efficient working environment, comfortable work hours and important break for necessary conditions such as washroom, eat or drink. It has been observed by me that in starting level work load was not that much and I as well as my co-worker were happy and after some time unnecessary workload has increased and without prior notice they started to call employees for overtime which enhanced the issue of no survival. Love and belonging are also referred as social needs. Social needs are important for human beings because it does not make them feel alone. Social needs can be done in working environment by making ensure that each employee of organization supports each other and should enthusiasm them for team work. As an HR manager I also encouraged to my follower for doing team work and focus on promotion of good working life balance. Esteem needs refers the self respect, every employee wants self recognition and appreciation of his good work (Cerasoli, et. al., 2014). Promotion, additional responsibility and praise on time to time can be able to fulfill the esteem needs. In case of mine, I did not get any promotion after being HR manager. I served my 5 years to this profile and put demand for promotions but did not get favorable response which de-motivated to me.  As per hierarchy pyramid self actualization need is based on desire of an individual for personal growth. In the term of fulfilling this need, organization needs to involve employees in the decision of organization. It enhances the capacity of working and makes them feel that they are important resource in the point of view of management. Maslow’s theory regarding motivation is very useful and genuine.

The second theory of motivation is Herzberg’s theory. It argues that there are two factors which may impact on the job satisfaction of employee and motivate them. Two factors are hygiene and satisfiers. These factors are not considered to attain the success but in the lack of these elements in organization, performance of an individual can affect. There is various point of satisfaction or dissatisfaction in the work place. As per Herzberg’s findings responsibility, achievement, growth, advancement covers the satisfaction zone and on the other hand work conditions, salary, policies, security, supervision are some of the example of dissatisfaction. Satisfaction does not mean to provide promotion or good salary (Miner, 2015). For instance, someone gets good salary and get promoted but he is unable to do work because unhealthy environment, it will bring the job dissatisfaction in his mind although he is getting all things for fulfill the basic needs. Characteristics related to the job dissatisfaction are being considered as hygiene factors. Motivation is the factor which may bring the best productivity in the work place. To making existence of motivation in workplace, hygiene factors must be there. Hygiene factors help to motivate employees and do not make them feel dissatisfied. The hygiene factors are considered as the psychological needs which the employee wanted in his life. Hygiene factors include pay, status, physical working condition, interpersonal relations and company policies. The pay of an individual should be fixed as per equal amount of same employee on same profile. The status of an individual in the organization should be retained and familiar. It will motivate them. Physical condition of an organization should be hygiene and well maintained, it enhance the capacity of employee. Interpersonal relations with supervisor and co-worker should be in adequate manner and acceptable because conflict within organization can be the reason of dissatisfaction. 

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Motivator factors are those factors which help to motivate the employees. As per Herzberg’s model hygiene factors are not the motivators. The motivational factors are those that bring positive satisfaction. These factors encourages to the employee for a superior job. The other name of factor is satisfiers. It also considered as the psychological need and additional benefits as well. Motivational factors cover sense of achievement, responsibility, promotional chances or opportunities, purpose of work and recognition. Sense of achievements ensure employees that if they do particular task they will get fruitful result and this is the motivational factor which helps to amplifies the performance of employee (Murat, et. al., 2014). If organization starts to provide responsibility, employee will be self engaged with work and initiate positive step to accomplish the task but in the case of my organization I was so disappointed because my role is wide but sometimes my superior manager did not allow me to take decision on my behalf which de-motivated me and it amplifies the dissatisfaction in my mind towards organization. Another element of motivational factors is promotional growth, promotional opportunities facilitates to the organization for keeping employees for a long time. It is another motivation element which often works. To motivate the employee it is necessary that the work which is doing by employees should be meaning full, challenging and interesting so that the interest of employee can increase and motivating elements can enthusiasm them towards performing (Lichtenberg, et. al., 2016). Manager or organization can motivate their employee by giving them reward and appreciation. Thus, the motivation theory of Herzberg’s is very attractive and based on fact. It mainly focuses to rearranging the work in management so that motivator’s factor may affect (Mallikarjuna, 2012).  As my experience this theory is based on relevancy and applied some time but most of the time hygiene factors are completely neglected by organization because of motivational factor. I observed that pay scale, recognition, physical condition and interpersonal relationship are must in the organization because it makes healthy work environment but in my organization, there was a lack of hygiene factors which made me dissatisfy.

There are number of activities occur in MNC and focuses on high grade management and staff, resolving the issues regarding employer branding, development of talent, performance of employee and planning of rewards and succession. These all activities are covered by human resource management. It is necessary to motivate them time to time so that management could not discourage and could focus on work accomplishment (Agness, 2010). McGregor’s Theory-X and Theory-Y are the third theory which was observed by me in the organization. It defines X theory and Y theory separately. X assumptions determines that human being has the nature of inherent dislike of task and try to avoid if he has authority. In the X theory, organization believes to accomplish work forcedly which enhance the feeling of dislike in the employees. The employees do not get incentive and enjoyments of employees are being ignored by employer. 

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

I have observed that X theory was implemented in my organization which made me bored and due to over control; I was unable to perform my task efficiently. I suggested that there should have been Y theory which determines the growth of employees. Y theory considers the employee as a part of organization and believes that employees have good ideas. Employees are important for the organization in Y theory. There is no job security in X theory and the criteria of motivated employee by money and fears (Jain & Kaur, 2014). Employees are free to do work and seek responsibility. There is no need to force to employees for performing the task; they drive themselves to accomplish the task. I was extremely dissatisfied with my job due to X theory. Due to the lack of Y theory the level of my dissatisfaction towards job was increased.

It has been concluded that mentoring, coaching and business psychology is must in the organization to enhance the productivity of an employee. Motivation is the factor which can be helpful to amplify the capacity of employee towards performing the task. Various motivational theories have been described in this essay which will be helpful to know various aspects of motivational factor. Every theory has its own explanation and criteria to motivate the employee. It has been analyzed that dissatisfaction towards job brings the de-motivation elements in the mind of employee. Organization need to focus on various elements which may enhance the productivity of the employee and help them to fulfill their psychological needs as well. X theory has some negative impacts which brings the situation of bored in the organization and employee starts to disliking the task. In spite of forcing, employer of organsiatio needs to focus on wish and interest of working of the employees and enthusiasm them towards accomplishing the task.  

References

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