Page 329 - DMGT106_MANAGING_HUMAN_ELEMENTS_AT_WORK

Unit 14: Quality of Work Life

A job specification describes the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and abilities you Notes
believe are essential to performing a particular job. The job specification is developed from
the job analysis. Ideally, also developed from a detailed job description, the job specification
describes the person you want to hire for a particular job. A job specification cuts to the quick
with your requirements whereas the job description defines the duties and requirements of
an employee’s job in detail. The job specification provides detailed characteristics, knowledge,
education, skills, and experience needed to perform the job, with an overview of the specific
job requirements.
14.6.1 Determinants of Job Satisfaction

The various factors influencing job satisfaction may be classified into two categories:
(a) Environmental Factors

Environmental factors relate to the work environments which include:
(i) Job Content: Herzberg suggested that job content in terms of achievement, recognition,
advancement, responsibility and the work itself tends to provide satisfaction but their
absence does not cause dissatisfaction.
(ii) Occupational Level: The higher the level of the job in organizational hierarchy the
greater the satisfaction of the individual. Higher level jobs carry greater prestige, self-
control and need satisfaction.
(iii) Pay and Promotion: Higher pay and better opportunities for promotion lead to higher
job satisfaction.
(iv) Work Group: Job satisfaction is generally high when an individual is accepted by his
peers and he/she has a high need for affiliation.

(v) Supervision: If a supervisor takes personal interest in his/her subordinates and allows
them to participate in the decision making process, employees will have better job
satisfaction.
(b) Personal Characteristics

The elements of personal life that exercise influence on job satisfaction are given below:
(i) Age: Research studies reveal a positive correlation between age and job satisfaction.
Studies conducted by Guha T. N. reveal that workers in the advanced age group tend
to be more satisfied probably because they have adjusted with their job conditions.
(ii) Sex: The study conducted by Neal Q. Herrick revealed that women are less satisfied
than men due to fewer job opportunities for them. But generally it is believed that
women may be more satisfied due to their lower occupational aspirations.
(iii) Education Level: It is generally believed that more educated employees tend to be less
satisfied with their jobs probably due to their higher job aspirations.
(iv) Marital: Married employees having more dependents tend to be more dissatisfied due
to their greater responsibilities.

(v) Experience: Job satisfaction tends to increase with increasing years of experience. But
it may decrease after about 20 years especially if employees do not realise their job
expectations.

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