Job Satisfaction & Morale

1. JOB SATISFACTION &
MORALE
Dr. V. Vaidehi Priyal

2. Job Satisfaction
• Locke (1976) defines job satisfaction as "a pleasurable or positive emotional state
resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences“
• Job satisfaction is simply defined as how content an individual is with his or her job;
whether he or she likes the job or not
• Spector (1997) lists 14 common facets: Appreciation, Communication, Coworkers,
Fringe benefits, Job conditions, Nature of the work, Organization, Personal growth,
Policies and procedures, Promotion opportunities, Recognition, Security, and
Supervision
• Employees’ job satisfaction becomes a central attention in the researches and
discussions in work and organizational psychology because it is believed to have
relationship with the job performance

3. Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction
Management's role in enhancing employees' job satisfaction is to make sure the work
environment is positive, morale is high and employees have the resources they need to
accomplish the tasks they have been assigned
1. Working Conditions: Because employees spend so much time in their work
environment each week, it's important for companies to try to optimize working
conditions. Such things as providing spacious work areas rather than cramped ones,
adequate lighting and comfortable work stations contribute to favorable work
conditions. Providing productivity tools such as upgraded information technology
to help employees accomplish tasks more efficiently contributes to job satisfaction
as well.

4. Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction
2. Opportunity for Advancement: Employees are more satisfied with their current
job if they see a path available to move up the ranks in the company and be given
more responsibility and along with it higher compensation. Many companies
encourage employees to acquire more advanced skills that will lead to the chance
of promotion.
3. Workload and Stress Level: Dealing with a workload that is far too heavy and
deadlines that are impossible to reach can cause job satisfaction to erode for even
the most dedicated employee. Falling short of deadlines results in conflict between
employees and supervisors and raises the stress level of the workplace. Many times,
this environment is caused by ineffective management and poor planning.

5. Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction
4. Respect from Co-Workers: Employees seek to be treated with respect by those
they work with. A hostile work environment -- with rude or unpleasant coworkers --
is one that usually has lower job satisfaction. In an August 2011 survey published by
FoxBusiness.com, 50 percent of those responding said they had personally
experienced a great amount of workplace incivility. Fifty percent also believe morale
is poor where they work. Managers need to step in and mediate conflicts before
they escalate into more serious problems requiring disciplinary action.

6. Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction
5. Relationship with Supervisors: Effective managers know their employees need
recognition and praise for their efforts and accomplishments. Employees also need
to know their supervisor's door is always open for them to discuss any concerns
they have that are affecting their ability to do their jobs effectively and impeding
their satisfaction at the office.
6. Financial Rewards: Job satisfaction is impacted by an employee's views about the
fairness of the company wage scale as well as the current compensation he or she
may be receiving. Companies need to have a mechanism in place to evaluate
employee performance and provide salary increases to top performers.
Opportunities to earn special incentives, such as bonuses, extra paid time off or
vacations, also bring excitement and higher job satisfaction to the workplace.

7. Morale
• According to Alexander H. Leighton, “morale is the capacity of a group of people to
pull together persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose”
• Morale is important in the military, because it improves unit cohesion. Without good
morale, a force will be more likely to give up or surrender
• Morale is usually assessed at a collective, rather than an individual level. In wartime,
civilian morale is also important. Esprit de corps is considered to be an important
part of a fighting unit
• Professor Ralph C. Davis says about morale, "Good organizational morale is a
condition in which individuals and groups voluntarily make a reasonable
subordination of their personnel objectives of their organization"

8. Scales to Measure Employee’s Morale
There are some scales on which we can measure employee's Morale:
The supervisor/executive's impressions
The guided interview
The unguided interview
A combination of the guided and unguided interview
An analysis of company records
The listening-in process
The questionnaire
A combination of any of the foregoing methods

9. Improve Morale
Morale can be improved in a specific organization and in a specific
environment:
Creation of whole jobs
Job enrichment
Building responsibility into a job
Modifying the work environment
Flexing working hours
Job-sharing
Rotation of jobs
Profit-sharing

10. Characteristics of Morale
Morale is a state of mind
Morale is a relative term it may be high or low
Morale is intangible
It is the aggregate of attitudes, feelings, emotions, sentiments etc.
Morale influences human behaviour and performance

11. Importance of Morale
Higher performance
Better quality of work
Low absenteeism
Good discipline
Fewer industrial accidents
Stability and growth of the organization

12. Importance of Morale
• Overall satisfaction: The other name of morale is satisfaction, which relates to needs
of the individual, his job, his colleagues, supervisors and so on. So a condition of high
moral means overall satisfaction, peace, harmony and stability.
• Productivity: Morale increases productivity in two ways - directly through inducing
more effort and indirectly, by removing some of the handicaps like employee
grievance, absenteeism, turnover and the like.
• Discipline: Where morale is high, there is practically no problem of indiscipline.

13. Importance of Morale
• Ease of management: High morale also reduces the need for supervision. Motivated
workers themselves take the initiative to work harder and better.
• Better company image: If morale can be maintained at a high level for a long period,
it will create a good image in the public mind about the company. While employees
themselves may publicize its policies, working conditions and so, on absence of
disputers and general atmosphere of harmony produce a favourable impact on
suppliers, customers and the neighbouring community.

14. THANK YOU