PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF LABOR REALTIONS

Transcription

1 PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF LABOR REALTIONS

2 4 Work Attitudes Collections of feelings, beliefs, and thoughts about how to behave that people currently hold about their jobs and organizations. Compared to values, attitudes are More specific Not as long lasting Specific work attitudes: Job satisfaction is the collection of feelings and beliefs that people have about their current jobs. Organizational commitment is the collection of feelings and beliefs that people have about their organizations as a whole.

3 Attitudes Positive or negative feelings concerning objects, people, or events. Attitudes are less stable than values. Inner qualities of people in interaction with the outer environment build up the attitudes, and also change the attitudes and affect the morale of the work group. The whole process is a dynamic one with a possibility of changes in various directions and at various times.

4 Types of Attitudes Job Satisfaction An individual s general attitude toward his or her job. Organizational Commitment A state in which an employee identifies with a particular organization and its goals, and wishes to maintain membership in the organization.

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6 Methods of Finding Employee Attitudes When communication in an organization is two way at all levels and the interpersonal contacts are fairly frequent, open and congenial, attitudes are easily known to the executives. A systematic survey may reveal the actual state of affairs and can work as a safety valve. There are other direct indicators like number of grievances, turnover, go slow, gheraos, pen-down and sit-down strikes, lowering of the production, increase in wastages, bad housekeeping etc., which reflect negative work attitudes. More direct methods are the interviews, the questionnaire and small group discussions. Questionnaire and interviews are the more traditional methods whereas group discussion is somewhat recent innovation.

7 10 Theories of Job Satisfaction Each theory of job satisfaction takes into account one or more of the four main determinants of job satisfaction and specifies, in more detail, what causes one worker to be satisfied with a job and another to be dissatisfied. Influential theories of job satisfaction include The Facet Model Herzberg s Motivator-Hygiene Theory The Discrepancy Model The Steady-State Theory These different theoretical approaches should be viewed as complementary.

8 11 The Facet Model Focuses primarily on work situation factors by breaking a job into its component elements, or job facets, and looking at how satisfied workers are with each. A worker s overall job satisfaction is determined by summing his or her satisfaction with each facet of the job. Sample job facets (see Table 3.2): Ability utilization: the extent to which the job allows one to use one s abilities. Activity: being able to keep busy on the job. Human relations supervision: the interpersonal skills of one s boss.

9 12 Herzberg s Motivator-Hygiene Theory Every worker has two sets of needs or requirements: motivator needs and hygiene needs. Motivator needs are associated with the actual work itself and how challenging it is. Facets: interesting work, autonomy, responsibility Hygiene needs are associated with the physical and psychological context in which the work is performed. Facets: physical working conditions, pay, security

10 Job Satisfaction Satisfaction affects: Individual productivity Organizational productivity Organizational citizenship behaviour Job satisfaction and customer satisfaction

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12 15 The Discrepancy Model To determine how satisfied they are with their jobs, workers compare their job to some ideal job. This ideal job could be What one thinks the job should be like What one expected the job to be like What one wants from a job What one s former job was like Can be used in combination with the Facet Model.

13 16 The Steady-State Theory Each worker has a typical or characteristic level of job satisfaction, called the steady state or equilibrium level. Different situational factors or events at work may move a worker temporarily from this steady state, but the worker will eventually return to his or her equilibrium level.

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15 19 Potential Consequences of Job Satisfaction Performance: Satisfied workers are only slightly more likely to perform at a higher level than dissatisfied workers. Satisfaction is most likely to affect work behaviors when workers are free to vary their behaviors and when a worker s attitude is relevant to the behavior in question. Absenteeism: Satisfied workers are only slightly less likely to be absent than dissatisfied workers. Turnover: Satisfied workers are less likely to leave the organization than dissatisfied workers.

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17 22 Potential Consequences of Job Satisfaction Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB): Satisfied workers are more likely to engage in this behavior than dissatisfied workers. OCB: Behavior that is above and beyond the call of duty but is nonetheless necessary for organizational survival and effectiveness Helping coworkers, spreading goodwill Worker well-being being: Satisfied workers are more likely to have strong well-being than dissatisfied workers. Worker well-being: How happy, healthy, and prosperous workers are

18 23 Advice to Managers Do not assume that poor performers are dissatisfied with their jobs or that good performers are satisfied with their jobs. Do not assume that workers who are absent are dissatisfied or that they were not motivated to come to work. Absence is also a function of ability to attend. Manage absenteeism. Don t try to eliminate it, and keep in mind that a certain level of absence is often functional for workers and organizations. Realize that turnover has both costs and benefits for an organization and that you need to evaluate both. In particular, before becoming concerned about worker turnover, examine the performance levels of those who quit. If workers do only what they are told and rarely, if ever, exhibit organizational citizenship behavior, measure their levels of job satisfaction, identify the job facets they are dissatisfied with, and make changes where possible. Even if job satisfaction does not seem to have an effect on important behaviors in your organization, keep in mind that it is an important factor in worker well-being.

19 24 Organizational Commitment Affective commitment exists when workers are happy to be members of an organization, believe in and feel good about the organization and what it stands for, are attached to the organization, and intend to do what is good for the organization. Continuance commitment exists when workers are committed not so much because they want to be but because they have to be; the costs of leaving the organization are too great.

20 25 Advice to Managers Adopt socially responsible policies and programs such as supporting protection of the environment and helping out the community in which your organization is located. Be committed to your employees by, for example, showing concern for their well-being, helping them when they have hard times, and soliciting their input on decisions that will affect them.

21 Responses to Job Dissatisfaction Source: Reprinted with permission from Journal of Applied Social Psychology 15 no. 1, p. 83. V. H. Winston and Sons, 360 South Beach Boulevard, Palm Beach, FL All rights reserved.

22 Organizational Commitment Three Types of Commitment Affective commitment An individual s relationship to the organization. Normative commitment The obligation an individual feels to staying with an organization. Continuance commitment An individual s calculation that it is in his or her best interest to stay with the organization based on the perceived costs of leaving it.

23 Five Reasons Employees Commit Themselves They are proud of [the company s] aspirations, accomplishments, and legacy; they share its values. They know what each person is expected to do, how performance is measured, and why it matters. They are in control of their own destinies; they savour the high-risk, high-reward work environment. They are recognized mostly for the quality of their individual performance. They have fun and enjoy the supportive and highly interactive environment.