Causes of Job Dissatisfaction in Australian Employees

The role of human resource management is highly felt in making the employees satisfied and committed to their respective firms.  They design the job, which may or may not be meeting all the needs of employees. This study is aimed at understanding the reasons behind the dissatisfaction level in Australian employees. An incompetent management, poor job design, and the job insecurity are found a few of the dominating reasons behind the reducing level of commitment from Australia employees (Seek.com.au 2018). Bad management has contributed in approximately around 28% cases when employees have adapted to turn off from their existing job (Seek.com.au 2018). Lack of appreciation, which is one of the kinds of job design, has also caused approximately around 26% of turn-offs (Seek.com.au 2018). The paper seeks the validation of poor job design and job insecurity as significant causes behind the dissatisfaction of Australian employees. Moreover, it also suggests a useful way out to the Australian organizations when its employees are dissatisfied. Additionally, it also checks what the Australian human resource managers can do to address the issue.

Poor job design can be defined as an ineffective or a less effective job structure, which is not capable to retain its employees (Parker 2014). The human resource management is responsible for job design. The HRM may design the jobs according to the demands of employees, but they cannot as they are sort of different types of resources. Such resources include but are not limited to like the financial resource (Lin and Wu 2014).  

Job insecurity can be defined as a state where employees feel insecure and live in a perception that they can anytime lose their job (Murphyet al. 2013). Such perceptions are not a healthy sign for employees as well as for the employers. Such employees may lose their motivation and become stressed, which is not good for their health and their presence of mind. The fear to lose the job will keep them haunting, which will affect their concentration level (Murphyet al. 2013).

Human resource management is like a system that supports the various core functions of an organization like recruitment & selection, job designing and training & development programs (Alfeset al. 2013).

Young Australians in specific countenance the job insecurity (Opray 2018). There can be many reasons for it. Computerization and technology have been the one reason that has created such state. It is interesting to understand what difference the advancement in computerization and technology will bring to the job insecurity. The advancement will automate a large number of works like accounting/clerks, cashiers/checkout operators, workers of fabrication trades, wood machinists and few others (Opray 2018). Interestingly, 60% of Australian students are getting trained on and are studying the occupations, which are expected to wash out with the automation in the future ahead (Opray 2018). This will reduce the number of Millennials getting the entry-level job as they are being trained in wrong skills. 

Poor Job Design

Part-time workers have also added fuels to the threat that full-time Millennials are surviving with (ABC News 2018). Healthcare, hospitality, and tourism sector have been biased towards the concept (ABC News 2018). They have found part-timers more effective for the work. This is indeed good for students as they will have a better chance of getting jobs after they complete their job-related course. However, this is not equally good for those who have to pay the mortgage loans (ABC News 2018). They will feel the pressure as they will have reduced opportunities in the healthcare, tourism and the hospitality sector. There will be thousands of people who have lost their job and are on the regular hunt to get a good job to support their needs. However, they will not be able to get many opportunities due to increased competition from the part-timers. Many workers will be left out due to the highlighted fact (ABC News 2018).  

During the 1980s and 1990s, both women and men were able to earn more by working more (ABC News 2018). However, the trend will witness a change. The concept of part-time jobs may cause a serious impact on the trend. Both the partners may not necessarily be working as full-timers, which mean that a combined take-home amount will be less (ABC News 2018).  The cost of living keeps arising; however, the expected scenario does not offer them the much-needed income. They want to live a settled life where they can provide their kids a good life; however, they might not be able to do so (ABC News 2018).  

According to Bakker and Demerouti (2014), employees should get ample opportunities where they could explore their credibility. The authors have taken a conventional mode by selecting the “Jobs Demands-Resources Theory” to understand the existing and the expected situation in the Australian workplace. The authors have identified that employees perform better in a challenging and resourceful environment (Bakker and Demerouti 2014). This means that employees should be given enough support to make them engaged in their roles and responsibilities. Such supports may include feedback, social support, challenging environment and skill variety. Management can indeed influence the job demands of employees and the resources. On the other hand, employees may also play significant roles in influencing them in situations when managers are not available (Bakker and Demerouti 2014).

The theory takes a very conventional approach and explains that there is a need to have a balanced relation between the job demands and the job resources. This means that different job resources should be provided to employees. On the other hand, job demands should also be there. If both the needs are not balanced, this will create a state of stress (Bakker and Demerouti 2014). The current situation in Australia and the expected future is about to bring increased stress to employees in particular to Millennial. According to the theory of Jobs Demands-Resource, an ineffective structure of job system is a potential cause of job insecurity (Bakker and Demerouti 2014). Moreover, to maintain a balanced relation between job resource and the job demands, it is necessary to have an effective job design. Additionally, job insecurity should also be mitigated (Bakker and Demerouti 2014).

Job Insecurity

The importance of job design and the severance of job insecurity can further be understood from another theory of human resource management, which is the “Theories of Performance”. The theory states that to achieve a better performance and profitable venture, organizations need to have committed supports of employees (Dugguh and Ayaga 2014). This further means the human resource management should plan accordingly to get a more effective & superior work performance and an increased staff motivation (Dugguh and Ayaga 2014). It further identifies planning, categorizing, leading and controlling a four important functions of management. This clearly indicates that the management can play a very important role in controlling the workforce (Dugguh and Ayaga 2014).

The two theories such as the “Jobs Demands-Resources Theory”and the “Theories of Performance” that have been selected in to understand the role of human resource management in motivating the workforce do put forward some key findings. Those key findings include but are not limited to such as the control that the HRM can have on the workforce and the control will lead to a productive direction if it follows the fundamental beliefs of the mentioned theories (Bakker and Demerouti 2014). The fundamental beliefs include influencing the job demands & the job resources, putting an emphasized focus on the worker’s motivation and facilitating a more effective workforce (Dugguh and Ayaga 2014). It also means that the workforce should contribute in influencing their participation at the time they do not have any temporal support from the managers. They should behave matured according to the Jobs Demands-Resources Theory(Bakker and Demerouti 2014).

 

Figure 1: HRM Implications to Mitigate Employee’s Dissatisfaction

(Source: Kabungaidze, Mahlatshana and Ngirande 2013)

Appropriate HRM implications or the role of HR managers can be understood with the help of diagram presented as (figure 1). The diagram clearly illustrates that job satisfaction and employee satisfaction is a dependent variable. It means that the human resource managers need to implement several strategies to counter back the job dissatisfaction of employees (Kehoe and Wright 2013). Now, the diagram further explains the possible independent variables, which are under the control of the human resource management. Those independent variables include training & motivation, absenteeism & turnover, performance appraisal & teamwork and employee participation & compensation (Kabungaidze, Mahlatshana and Ngirande 2013). Training is an important tool that organization has in its control, which it can use to raise the thought process in employees. Moreover, employees can be encouraged to think matured by putting them in relevant training sessions (Elnaga and Imran 2013). Employees can be motivated by letting them realized that they are valuable to the organization. They are also the part of the business and that the organization is dependent on them (Gorozidis and Papaioannou 2014).    

Part-time Workers and Job Insecurity

Performance appraisal is another element of independent variable, which can influence the participation of employees. Appraisal means that employers are concerned with the rising challenges that employees encounter due to a varying nature of economy (Sallehet al. 2013). Moreover, employees will feel justified in such situations. They will also feel their contribution as valuable to the organization, which is why they have been considered for the appraisal system (Sallehet al. 2013). Teamwork is another very important element, which can help employees with low satisfaction level through providing them the job resources (Brunettoet al. 2013). It is important to understand the issue or the challenge that has caused them to become dissatisfied. Teamwork may have a much deeper penetration into the cause. Employees working in a team will be able to understand the concerns of each other. The human resource management can utilize the process to get the valuable data on employees with dissatisfaction level. Moreover, they will be able to plan accordingly to motivate them and to mitigate the chance of turnover (Brunettoet al. 2013).  

Employee participation can be increased through various strategies such as providing them compensation benefits (Gupta and Shaw 2014). Compensation can be both the intrinsic and the extrinsic (Legault 2016). Intrinsic compensation means giving encouraging comments to employees on their achievement. This can be through the mails or physically by being at the workplace. Managers need to take the initiatives and acknowledge the achievement of employees through a professional set of words like “congratulation, well done & good job” (Acar 2014). Extrinsic compensation can be the occasional bonus pay and the incentives on target achievement (Acar 2014). Bonus pay as stated may be paid to employees on few occasions like during the festivals (Acar 2014). Incentives can be paid to them on their achievement of target. They will feel satisfied and valued. Moreover, they may feel to continue the same work to get many such values in future also. This may also encourage others who are failing to achieve the target (Acar 2014). Some other monetary values can also be given like voucher cards with a certain value of amount. Any sort of monetary values is a good source of motivating employee’s participation provided the values are both justified and useful as well (Acar 2014). 

Absenteeism is a loss of organizational productivity. Organizations do better that have a low rate of absenteeism (Johns and Miraglia 2015). Absenteeism increases the issues like task allocation. Every single employee is assigned a certain task. If few of them do not turn up to work, then their tasks will remain undone until the management takes some feasible alternatives to counter back the issue (Johns and Miraglia 2015). However, this is not always feasible. Most of such employees are assigned to the different set of works as they are experts with that set of work. Such situations may bring dreadful consequences like a delayed deliverance project (Johns and Miraglia 2015). Absenteeism has some other threatening consequences as it may be the indication that the employee turnover rate will increase (Hancocket al. 2013). Absenteeism because of health-related issues or some genuine emergencies is not a worry. However, it is also not necessary that absenteeism is for a genuine reason. It is indeed important for the human resource management that they have feasible measures of absenteeism. This will help the HRM to identify whether the absenteeism is for a genuine reason (Johns and Miraglia 2015). Absenteeism can be effectively reduced by using the work-life balance approach (Haaret al. 2014). This will support those employees who have a genuine reason for absenteeism. On the other side, this may help to identify those who make false excuses for absenteeism as they will have no option but to work at their convenience (Haaret al. 2014).  

Performance Theory and the Role of HR Management

The use of different theories like “Jobs Demands-Resources Theory”and the “Theories of Performance” in literature review section and the relevant implications for human resource management have helped to understand the ongoing issue at the Australian workplaces. It looks much feasible that a poor job design and the job insecurity have played major roles in employee dissatisfaction. The existing job design is less suitable to those who are aiming at long-term sustenance with a full-time job. This is because many employees are not satisfied with the basic pay. Both the male and female employees have the same issue with their employers (Seek.com.au 2018).  

Employees both male and female have to work much; however, at the end of the day, their combined take-home pay is comparatively lesser than it was a few decades back. It is not a good indication as they might struggle to provide a stable life for their children. Additionally, their education might also hamper. On top of all, they will feel pressure to repay the mortgage loans as their combined take-home earning is not very healthy at the moment (ABC News 2018). The situation can be understood from the theoretical perspectives such as by the theories of performance and the jobs demands-resources theory. The jobs demands and resource theory suggest that creating job demands and the job resources is under the control of the management. They can accordingly influence the job performance of employees; however, a very significant population of full-timers is not happy with their employers (Bakker and Demerouti 2014). Again the theories of performance suggest that management can plan, organize, attract and control the participation of employees. However, many full-timers have complaints regarding the basic pay. They have doubts whether they will be able to sustain their jobs (Dugguh and Ayaga 2014). 

Part-timers are much favored by the healthcare, tourism and the hospitality industry in Australia (ABC News 2018). Such industries are believed to have a biased feeling for full-timers. They believably tend to be biased while hiring employees (ABC News 2018). Giving preference to part-timers is a good option indeed for a student who needs part-time jobs to manage their expenses. However, this is equally a sad thing for full-timers. This is because full-timers have to pay their mortgage loans. They need to sustain their job with good prospects for taking home pay. The entrance of part-timers has enhanced the competition, which is beneficial for the employers but not to the full-timers (ABC News 2018).  

The incrementing job dissatisfaction in employees, in particular, the full-timers need to be mitigated with useful implications as stated above in figure 1. Part-timers are a good option for employers as they will work for fewer wages (ABC News 2018). It does not look feasible that trend will change but there is a need to support the full-timers as well. They need to provide a better pay structure, so that, they feel it valued to their needs. Additionally, there is a need to facilitate training to motivate the participation of such employees. The jobs demands-resources theory has indeed stated that resources should be created to influence the participation of employees (Bakker and Demerouti 2014). Additionally, such employees need to be trained on their responsibilities for the employers. They need to realize that managers will not be available all the time to give them feedback. In such situations, they should act matured and take the responsibility to motivate others (Bakker and Demerouti 2014).

Job insecurity is also a threat, which is getting bigger with the years passes on. However, this is also true that the human resource management may not be able to do much in this regard. The economic transition in Australia has been good but significantly below the expected limit (Opray 2018). Such growth will not be able to resolve the employment issue. Unemployment rates are expected to continue. Until and unless it is being controlled, the market will be better for part-timers (Opray 2018). Nevertheless, an increased participation of part-timers will significantly hamper the participation of full-timers. They will keep on living with the fear to lose their jobs. 

Computerization and technology is another threat, which is expected to automate many works such as cashier and clerical jobs. The automation is expected to happen in the next 10 to 15 years (ABC News 2018). This is also unstoppable as the needs for the technologically advanced system have been felt in the different industries for different purposes. Australia is heading towards a technologically advanced state, which is expected to provide a better experience for customers (ABC News 2018). However, many employees will lose their jobs. Additionally, many students are into industrial training for domains, which are expected to automate in the nearing future. Consequently, they are expected not to get jobs in the domains they are getting trained on. This just shows how a poor job design in Australia is hampering the career of many. They do not even know that their hard works might not fetch them the expected result (ABC News 2018).  

Conclusion

To conclude, this can be said a poor job design and the job insecurity are few of the major factors for a large population of Australian employees being dissatisfied with their employers. The theoretical perspectives presented in the literature review section with the help of the jobs demands-resources theory and the theories of performance validates the importance of job resources and demands for a fair performance of an organization. Moreover, management can control its manpower through facilitating the job resources to employees. Job resources like feedback, standard pay structure, and the appraisal system are a few such resources that may influence the work behavior of employees. Automation of few job sectors is a threat to many. Indeed, part-timers are an emerging threat to the full-timers as they might face the challenge to manage their mortgage loans. 

References

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