The importance of job satisfaction

Job satisfaction is imperative for employee effectiveness. When employees are unhappy, they disengage. Over time, their productivity declines. Sometimes, employees will turn in shoddy work without a second thought. However, when employees are satisfied with their roles, they give their all to the organization.

The importance of job satisfaction is undeniable. Employees who are satisfied with their jobs will build relationships, be productive, and stay with the company.

What is Job Satisfaction?

Confucius is credited with saying, “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines job satisfaction as “the good feeling you get when you have a job that you enjoy.”

Job satisfaction is subjective because employees will have their own perceptions of their work. The way you feel about your job is unique to you, and your feelings may fluctuate from day to day.

Many aspects of a person’s role play into the measurement of job satisfaction. Manager appreciation, salary, and degree of challenge affect how each person feels about their role.

When Employees are Satisfied in their Role

When employees experience high levels of job satisfaction, they perform better. When employees perform better, they create more output for the organization.

This, in turn, helps the organization grow. In the U.S., it is reported that only 65% of employees are satisfied with their job.

Employees with high levels of job satisfaction usually look for more ways to help their team. They will exhibit organizational citizenship behaviors and find additional tasks beyond their job descriptions.

Employees will show up when they are satisfied with their job. They will arrive to work each day on time.

Job satisfaction also helps with employee retention. When employees are happy with their jobs, absenteeism will be reduced. Employees will stay with the organization, reducing turnover.

Professional relationships will strengthen when employees are satisfied with their roles. Signs of workplace deviance will not be present.

Employees will interact well with each other when they perceive job satisfaction. They will feel they are treated fairly and will perceive colleagues as teammates.

Managers are the Key to Improving Job Satisfaction

Salary is one of the biggest reasons employees don’t feel satisfied. Managers can ensure the employee is paid the going rate for their role in their market. If employees are underpaid based on comparable jobs in the area, they will feel they are being mistreated.

Managers can also help their employees with growth opportunities. This will help the employee get promoted and increase their salary. Growth opportunities may even create a path for leadership opportunities.

Managers can ensure their employees see the big picture. Employees want to know why they are performing their tasks. They want to understand how they are helping the organization. They want to be assured that they are providing a benefit to the organization.

Managers should be transparent about the organization’s goals and demonstrate how they relate to their employees’ goals. This will help ensure everyone works as a team toward a common goal.

Managers and employees should always ensure they are treating each other with respect. Lack of care can lead to a toxic work environment, which reduces job satisfaction. Respecting employees is essential.

As part of their role, managers must provide employees with constructive criticism. This should be done in a manner that is professional and not degrading. Providing constructive criticism will help the employee grow in their role, especially if the manager respectfully delivers it.

Employees don’t leave jobs; they leave managers. This will happen if an employee feels disrespected and mistreated.

Conclusion

Job satisfaction is critical for retaining employees. If you like your job, you will remain loyal. More importantly, you will tell others good things about the company. This may lead to recruiting friends, family, and acquaintances to your company.

When you are satisfied with your job, you will be engaged and seek out additional ways to help your colleagues. Organizational citizenship behaviors will be evident in the extra tasks you perform. It is every leader’s duty to ensure that their employees have a high level of job satisfaction.

Mandy Swofford is a product manager for Pemko Manufacturing in Memphis, Tennessee. She has worked in the building products industry (Division 08 Hardware) for over 19 years. She is currently attending Charleston Southern University in pursuit of her MBA.

References:

Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. (2022, July 24). Job Satisfaction. Link.

Apollo Technical. (2022, February 124). 11 Surprising job satisfaction statistics (2022). Link.

Sengupta, S. (2021, December 26). Importance of job satisfaction. Management Weekly. Link.

Jonatha3-admin. (2020, April 29). Everything is about job satisfaction. Talent. Link.

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