Overview of Job Attitudes
This website contains six different attitudes that could be found
in and around the workplace. Throughout all the research that was done on these
different attitudes, their relation to overall job satisfaction was a theme
that continued to show itself in each of the different attitudes. Some of them are intertwined in other ways as well. Below is a overview of how they are all connected.
Connection between Job Satisfaction and Turnover
When dealing with the issue of turnover within an organization, job satisfaction is essentially what causes employees to initialing begin evaluating how they feel about their job. Job satisfaction can be considered what causes employee’s to begin to question their job and whether they would like to leave. The sooner organizations make an attempt to improve employee job satisfaction levels the more likely they can prevent employees from questioning their current job (Mobley, 1977).
Connection to Organizational Commitment
In comparison to the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover, other research suggests that job satisfaction is indirectly related in the decision to leave an organization. Rather recent research is suggesting that job satisfaction directly influences the employee’s level of organizational commitment and based on their commitment level they will then make a decision to stay or leave an organization. Therefore job satisfaction is indirectly related to the turnover process and organizational commitment is directly related. Basically employees evaluate aspects of their job which causes them to evaluate aspects of the organization. After evaluating their role in the organization as a whole they then decide whether they want to leave or stay with the organization (Lum, Kervin, Clark, Reid, & Sirola, 1998).
Connection to Job Involvement
In the research, it is sometimes difficult to tease apart job involvement from job satisfaction or organizational commitment. When these constructs are operationalized though, it is clear to see they have different consequences for the individual versus the organization. Nevertheless, continuously throughout the literature it can be seen these constructs are either antecedents or outcomes of job involvement. This suggests that job satisfaction and organizational commitment are highly related, but can also be thought of as distinct constructs. While not specifically presented in this website, one can see job satisfaction is related to job involvement because it consists of general affect toward an individual's job. Such affect often needs to be present for individuals to become engaged with their work, which is a portion of the definition of job involvement. Furthermore, for an individual to become committed to the organization it may be beneficial if an individual is engrossed in his/her job.
Connection to Perceived Organizational Support
Research on POS began in 1986. POS reduces absenteeism. Compared to affective commitment and continuance commitment, POS may be a better predictor of employee organizational citizenship behaviors. One meta-analysis found that POS has a strong, positive effect on organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Affective organizational commitment also has been researched as a predictor of POS, and is positively correlated with the construct.
Connection to Perceived Coworker Support
A multiple regression analysis done by Bateman (2009) supports the notion that co-worker alliances do in fact have a significant influence on job satisfaction. This helps in demonstrating that the higher amount of co-worker support that an employee perceives they are receiving, the more of an impact that perception will have on overall job satisfaction, i.e. a higher level of perceived support equals higher levels of job satisfaction. Thus, there is evidence in the literature that backs the idea that perceived coworker support has the potential to raise job satisfaction (Bateman 2009).
Connection to Complacency
Complacency is the only job attitude that does not directly relate back to job satisfaction. Based on the definition of complacency this makes sense because complacency relates more strongly back to motivation rather than satisfaction. Additionally, it is the only attitude that is not a desired state for an individual employee, work-teams, and organizations as a whole. This means organizations would like to counter individuals becoming complacent with their jobs. Organizations are so concerned with this because complacency highly relates to low performance.
Connection between Job Satisfaction and Turnover
When dealing with the issue of turnover within an organization, job satisfaction is essentially what causes employees to initialing begin evaluating how they feel about their job. Job satisfaction can be considered what causes employee’s to begin to question their job and whether they would like to leave. The sooner organizations make an attempt to improve employee job satisfaction levels the more likely they can prevent employees from questioning their current job (Mobley, 1977).
Connection to Organizational Commitment
In comparison to the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover, other research suggests that job satisfaction is indirectly related in the decision to leave an organization. Rather recent research is suggesting that job satisfaction directly influences the employee’s level of organizational commitment and based on their commitment level they will then make a decision to stay or leave an organization. Therefore job satisfaction is indirectly related to the turnover process and organizational commitment is directly related. Basically employees evaluate aspects of their job which causes them to evaluate aspects of the organization. After evaluating their role in the organization as a whole they then decide whether they want to leave or stay with the organization (Lum, Kervin, Clark, Reid, & Sirola, 1998).
Connection to Job Involvement
In the research, it is sometimes difficult to tease apart job involvement from job satisfaction or organizational commitment. When these constructs are operationalized though, it is clear to see they have different consequences for the individual versus the organization. Nevertheless, continuously throughout the literature it can be seen these constructs are either antecedents or outcomes of job involvement. This suggests that job satisfaction and organizational commitment are highly related, but can also be thought of as distinct constructs. While not specifically presented in this website, one can see job satisfaction is related to job involvement because it consists of general affect toward an individual's job. Such affect often needs to be present for individuals to become engaged with their work, which is a portion of the definition of job involvement. Furthermore, for an individual to become committed to the organization it may be beneficial if an individual is engrossed in his/her job.
Connection to Perceived Organizational Support
Research on POS began in 1986. POS reduces absenteeism. Compared to affective commitment and continuance commitment, POS may be a better predictor of employee organizational citizenship behaviors. One meta-analysis found that POS has a strong, positive effect on organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Affective organizational commitment also has been researched as a predictor of POS, and is positively correlated with the construct.
Connection to Perceived Coworker Support
A multiple regression analysis done by Bateman (2009) supports the notion that co-worker alliances do in fact have a significant influence on job satisfaction. This helps in demonstrating that the higher amount of co-worker support that an employee perceives they are receiving, the more of an impact that perception will have on overall job satisfaction, i.e. a higher level of perceived support equals higher levels of job satisfaction. Thus, there is evidence in the literature that backs the idea that perceived coworker support has the potential to raise job satisfaction (Bateman 2009).
Connection to Complacency
Complacency is the only job attitude that does not directly relate back to job satisfaction. Based on the definition of complacency this makes sense because complacency relates more strongly back to motivation rather than satisfaction. Additionally, it is the only attitude that is not a desired state for an individual employee, work-teams, and organizations as a whole. This means organizations would like to counter individuals becoming complacent with their jobs. Organizations are so concerned with this because complacency highly relates to low performance.