Job satisfaction is a result of employees’ perception of how well their job provides those things which are viewed as important.
– Fred Luthans
Job satisfaction is the level of happiness one feels about his/her job. It is the positive emotional attachment to the job which works as a motivational factor.
Job satisfaction is directly proportional to performance. Greater the job satisfaction, higher will be the employee’s performance.
Different employees have different perception regarding their job, thus making factors of job satisfaction indefinite. A factor that works for an employee A may not work upon employee B. However, there are some commonly known factors that affect job satisfaction which is described in brief below.
Nature of job
People find it satisfying to do the job they love. When people with right kind of abilities are posted at right job, there are high chances that they are satisfied and happy.
For an instance, when a person is doing a job he dislikes, even a small hassle can be irritating and frustrate him. But if a similar problem arises while doing a job he loves, he will take it as a challenge and would take it as an achievement to overcome the challenge.
Balanced lifestyle
A person can stay happy when he can enjoy professional as well as personal life equally. When workloads and stress start to consume a man’s time for personal life, it leaves them mentally exhausted and restless.
When a person has too many problems in personal life, it causes a great impact on their professional performance. But, the impact that is caused on personal life due to unmanaged work life is even greater and worse.
Space for growth and career development
People are satisfied with their current job when they see chances for them to grow. Several companies nowadays are engaged in providing proper training to their employees to make them capable of handling new and challenging jobs.
Besides, many companies even encourage their employees to acquire higher skills and qualifications by helping them with their university and college tuition fees.
Higher qualifications and skills open the way to a promotion or career advancement and employees feel satisfied.
Flexibility
When the company gives chance to the employees to decide their working hours themselves, employees are found to make better performance. People feel satisfied when they get to work as per their schedule.
One thing that the company should keep in mind is that a target for all employees must be set so that they could make uniform output.
Work environment and conditions
Employees spend most of their time at the office. Therefore, it is really necessary that the office in return should care about them and provide them with as much comfortable environment as possible.
A healthy working environment includes cooperative colleagues, supportive seniors, open communication, etc. with physical aspects like proper lighting, furniture, spacious rooms, etc.
Relationship with superiors
Employees feel irritated when they are micromanaged and feel detached when they do not receive feedbacks at all. A good boss should create space for open communication so that employees can share their opinion and problems (if any) with their superiors. Attachment with the company is really necessary for employees to feel satisfied with their job.
Relationship with co-workers
A hostile environment with rude and unpleasant coworkers is one of the major factors that develop a negative attitude towards workplace, while the opposite is known to have satisfied employees to a higher extent as there is very less chance of conflicts and grievances in the workplace which has employees with high morale.
Autonomy
People feel satisfied with the job when they and their opinion and works are valued by the company. When company gives them right to take nominal decisions, employees can make better output, rather than while they work under control.
Job security
The feeling that the job will last long is a factor f job satisfaction. People are demotivated to work and are less committed to and attached with the job when they know that the job is temporary.
Achievement
Every people work with a motive; the motive to achieve something. Whether the achievement is intrinsic or extrinsic, it plays a vital role as in satisfying people. If a person continuously puts in efforts but does not get any achievement, he is demotivated to work and is dissatisfied with the job.
Payment
Payment is another factor that plays vital role in satisfying an employee. An employee who gets right amount of payment according to their job is motivated to continue working. But, when employees are paid inadequately they are dissatisfied with the job and can even discontinue working in a long run.
Rewards
Sometimes, when few words of praise and a pat on the shoulder is not enough, reward plays its roles. Whether the reward is monetary or non-monetary, it always increases the level of enthusiasm and interest of a person to complete the task. At the same time, it creates a sense of satisfaction in the employees regarding their job.
Continued feedbacks
Continued feedbacks from supervisors are really necessary for an employee as he can know his strengths and weaknesses. He will know which of his works are worth continuing and which needs improvement.
In lack of feedbacks, employees won’t be able to change their performance and thus cannot improve too.
Control on job
One must have control on their job to feel satisfied with it. It is because when works are out of control, they are unmanageable and more stressful. More obstructions are also created due to which employees feel frustrated and unsatisfied with the job.
Organizational support
Employees are more attached and satisfied with the job when they are supported by the company. It is necessary to support employees when they are going through any problems in professional life as well as in personal life. When the company works as a shoulder that employees can trust upon, they feel secured, with which arises the feeling of satisfaction with the job.
