Measuring the level of Employee Satisfaction - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 3022 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Employee Satisfaction is the individual happiness that employees get from the fulfillment of their requirements and needs at work. The gratification of the employee can come from performing the work for which they have been employed for, from being treated fairly by employers or even just by having a friendly working environment and co-workers. Blum and Naylor (1984), viewed employee satisfaction as being the result of various attitudes the employee held towards his job towards related factors and towards life in general. According to research made, (Anon 2006), the term employee satisfaction which is usually associated to being pleasure, comfort and happiness at work, is viewed from a different approach as Fulfillment Satisfaction. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Measuring the level of Employee Satisfaction" essay for you Create order According to this article employee satisfaction, redefined as fulfillment satisfaction, is more than the traditional definition of an employee being comfortable with his work but instead is the combination of personal satisfaction of the employee as well as the satisfaction with groups around him, like for example satisfaction with the work, leadership and other relations. DEFINITION OF MOTIVATION: Motivation is a word that from the Latin word Movere, includes many other terms like, desires, wants, wishes, aims, goals, needs, drives, motives and incentives. The motivational cycle consists mainly of needs, drives and incentives whereby needs are produced whenever people have a physiological or psychological imbalance and as a direction to ease the shortage in needs, drives are set up. As a result incentives are there, to ease needs and drives. According to Westwood (1992:288), Motivation is an internal state experienced by the individual, while external factors including other people can also affect a persons motivational state. Motivation is developed within the individual and is unique to that individual. In a motivational state, the individual experiences a desire, intention or pressure to act. IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION: One of the main importances for organizations to keep their employees satisfied, is to enhance employee retention and reduce turnover. Retaining employees is important since it saves the organization from high financial cost which may be direct or indirect costs, prevents the organization from losing expertise and saves the organizational image. The cost of turnover, that is the percentage of employees leaving the organization and the cost of re-recruiting and providing training may be escaped if employees are satisfied. Moreover, the survival of certain companies depends highly on the critical skills of its employees, keeping them satisfied is elementary as if these types of employees leave, the time it will take to recruit and train new one, may lead the organization to suffer in the short term. Secondly employees may be more motivated to work if they are being satisfied, as a result the organization may benefit from an increase in productivity where, employees may be more pro ductive, reduce cost of production and the company may set better prices to customers. Moreover satisfied, competent and energized employees would be caring about the quality of the goods and services that they would be producing. Employees will produce and deliver greater value to customer thus leading to increase in customer satisfaction. If customers are satisfied with products or services being offered to them this will enhance their satisfaction and loyalty towards the business. As a result satisfied employees may lead to satisfied customers and opportunities for the organization to expand or to increase sales if customers through indirect advertising, recommend other consumers to turn towards the organization for their purchase. Finally employee satisfaction can also lead employees to be committed, more energetic and also improve their teamworking ability, which will enhance participation and involvement and provide employees with the satisfaction of playing a role in th e work being done and they will also be able to share ideas and learn from their teamworkers. INDICATORS OF EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION Employees, often relate their satisfaction to characteristics like the work itself, the pay, promotion opportunities, supervision, and coworkers. There are various indicators or criteria to evaluate the satisfaction of an employee, especially in the retail sector. The following criteria are used: Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction, not to be confused with employee satisfaction, can be described as being the result of employees perception of how well their job is providing them with the many things that are important to them and opportunity to do interesting tasks, to learning and accept responsibility. Job satisfaction can be represented as being either an emotional response to a job situation or how well outcomes meet employees set expectations. Herzberg et al (1957) stated that the term job satisfaction is multidimensional and that there can be satisfaction with the specific activities of the job; with the place and working conditions under which the job is performed or with other factors such as economic rewards, security or social prestige (Topolosky 2000, p.14). Extensive research made by Turner and Lawrence (1965), revealed that other factors that can affect employees satisfaction towards its work are; task variety, autonomy, feedback, identity and significance. Pay, Compensation and Benefits Wages and salaries are known to be a significant factor affecting satisfaction of employees not only in the retail sector but mostly in every sector. Money not only helps people to satisfy their basic needs but is also important in satisfying their upper-level needs. Most employees usually think that they are worth more than they get as revenue, as such the result of having a large gap between the amount they had expected and the amount they are getting, can lead to dissatisfaction and turnover. Locke (1969) stated that satisfaction is determined by the simple difference between what the person wants and what he perceives he receives. The more his wants exceed what he receives, the greater his dissatisfaction, (as cited in Lawler, 1994, p.85). Benefits are also important in this sector but not as influential as the monetary value, pay holds. This may be because employees do not really know what and how much they are receiving and the value of these benefits. According to researc h made by Henessey Jr. et al (1992), many studies showed that employees are unaware of the additional amount spent by employers in the contribution of benefits for them, one example may be that of the Hewitt associates (1985, Henessey Jr. et al 1992). Potential types of benefits in the retail sector might be medical insurance, vacation time, sick time and other benefits like part-time work, insurance or retirement benefits. Studies made by Henessey Jr et al (1992) stated that organizations can use benefits as a defensive strategy against competitors and keep their level position from employees point of view. Moreover according to Sutton (1985 and 1986), firms who provide higher level of insurance and retirement benefit have a lower rate of turnover. Relationship with senior management Employees especially in this sector do hold importance to the relationship they have with top management. Employees normally appreciate to be known by their employers, that the latter are aware of their personal work and performance, receive feedback, as these give them a greater sense of belonging to the organization. Since most people in this sector are normally at the lower level, they do not really get a chance to know or to communicate with the higher level, as such they cannot figure out clearly whether they are important to the organization or not and this in certain cases, these do affect their satisfaction. Relationship with immediate superior The relationship with immediate supervisors is one other important factor affecting employee satisfaction. In this field of retailing, there usually exists a middle level which is also referred as the supervisory level and acts as the intermediary level between the employees and senior management. This level is very important as the supervisors are the one who act as leaders to the employees and can greatly affect their daily motivation and satisfaction. One way supervisors can affect employee satisfaction is through being employee focused that is by caring and taking into account the personal interest of the subordinates. This can be in the form like communicating with subordinates on personal basis as well as in an official way, asking about the health of the employee if the latter was ill or giving advice and support to the employee. Another way by which supervisors affect an employees satisfaction is by giving employees the chance to participate or influence in making dec ision about their own jobs. This participation concerning their own work usually is more important for employees, than participating in any other decision making. Relationship with colleagues/co workers Being in a team or a group with friendly, helpful and cooperative co-workers or team members is a humble source of satisfaction to individual employees. Members in a tight group are more likely to be those who will support, give comfort, advice and assistance whenever their team members require. According to David Mc Clelland, an employee who has more friends and less enemies in a working team tend to be accepted by the other members of the group and has a greater sense of belonging and better satisfaction. From recent research it has been stated that, where there is considerable interdependence among members of a group in order to do a job, there will be greater satisfaction and on the other hand if there is no good relations among the members of the group, the satisfaction of the members may be affected. Promotions and Career development There are different types of promotions and different types of rewards attached to them. For example getting the opportunity to climb the ladder and getting a higher position in the organization or having an increase in salary might be satisfying for some people and dissatisfying for others. Since in the recent years, organizations have been cutting down levels in their hierarchy and the accompanying empowerment strategies, employees in the retail tend to be more going for the type of promotion based on their performance, hours of work, overtime rather than being promoted based on experience. THEORETICAL VIEWS OF EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND MOTIVATION Employee satisfaction and work motivation are often considered to be the same thing. It should be noted that employee satisfaction is very distinctive from motivation, since employee satisfaction is concerned about employees feelings towards their work and motivation is concerned with the behaviors employees tend to have in their work and which can positively or negatively affect their work. Many theories of motivation however are used in explaining behaviors and partly in predicting what can be done to satisfy employees. According to Furnham (1992), employee satisfaction and motivation are often discussed side by side, since it is debatable that the degree to which an employee can be satisfied at work is due to the factors and situations that motivate him. Some of the theories of motivation that are used for this report are namely; Maslow Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg Two-Factor Theory, Equity Theory and Expectancy Theory Maslows Hierarchy of Needs One of the theories that are mostly known is that of Maslows theory hierarchy of needs. Maslow believed that normal people have five types of needs which can be set up in a hierarchical way. These needs are such in a way that those at the most bottom level must be satisfied before the next upper level can be met. Abraham Maslow believed that once a level is satisfied and it no longer motivates, the next higher level of need has to be activated in order for the person to be motivated. Figure Physiological needs found at the lowest part of the hierarchy, are those basic needs such as food, air, water, shelter and clothing that employees want to satisfy first. For employees to get motivated by higher level of needs, the basic needs have to be satisfied. This is possible when employers provide their employees with a salary that enable them to afford reasonable living conditions and meet their physiological needs. After basic needs have been met, safety needs are activated whereby employees will seek safety both emotionally as well as physically. Types of safety that employees will consider to satisfy are, non-threatening, secure, predictable habitable environment. The next upper level after safety needs have been satisfied, are the social needs which refers to individuals need to affiliate with other people, to be liked and accepted by colleagues and co-workers. People need to feel liked and integrated with their fellow friends at work. The fourth level in the hi erarchy is the need for self-esteem whereby employees objective is to acquire respect and agreement of others. At this level, employees ambitions are diverted towards achieving success, prestige and recognition by others who are at the same level. Types of employees expectations that would satisfy them at this level would be receiving awards, prizes etc. At the self-actualization level, employees are at the highest of all their needs. At this level employees seek to self-fulfilled themselves, like working out to their full potential, their creativity and their desire to be one who is capable of doing anything. According to Furnham (1992), there are few jobs that actually have the scope of providing employees the opportunity to self-actualize. Maslow separated the five levels of needs into two order level of needs. Physiological needs and safety needs are considered to be the lower-order needs and the social, self-esteem and self-actualization needs are considered to be of high er-order needs. The difference between the two types of needs is that lower-order needs are needs that can be satisfied by external factors whereas higher-order needs can be satisfied internally, by individuals. Herzberg Two-Factor Theory Herzberg et al (1959) came up with the theory that employees have two types of needs which are the hygiene and motivator needs. Individuals hygiene needs also known as dissatisfiers which resemble Maslows (1954) lower-order needs, are satisfied by external factors which are concerned with the environment of the job whereas the motivator needs also known as satisfiers relate more specifically to the job itself and its consequences. In the retail context, hygiene needs can be for example the salary, the supervision, the relationship with coworkers, benefits, physical working conditions and examples of motivator needs can be employees achievement, career advancement, responsibility or the work itself. According to this theory, if the extrinsic factors that are required by hygiene needs, are favorable, satisfaction is not result but it is rather defined as a reduction or elimination in job dissatisfaction and motivator needs however when are met, can be said to lead to job satisf action. Equity Theory The Equity theory developed by the psychologist J. Stacy Adams (1963), suggests that employees make social comparisons with others on the basis of their outputs and inputs as they perceive they are. The inputs, in the context of employees in the retail sector are referred to the contribution of employees in their work, for example, the hours of work, their effort, their qualifications or ideas they brought in whereas outputs here refer to what workers believe they get out of their job like, pay, benefits or recognition. This theory argues that employees will give good performance and get satisfaction where there will be equity in the ratio of their outputs and their inputs when compared to other employees ratio. According to research made by Chui (2000, cited Isen and Baron 1991), employees who supposed they were not being treated equitably as others, would normally express discontentment, frustration and anger. Expectancy Theory The expectancy theory from Vrooms is based on the three types of beliefs that employees have; namely, expectancy, instrumentality and valence. Expectancy is the belief that ones effort will give performance as result; instrumentality is the belief that the performance obtained will be rewarded and valence is the value that employees perceive, the rewards have. It is considered that motivation is based on the multiplication of all of the three components; that is for example if performance and reward is high but the value of reward is low, this will result in low motivation. Thus for motivation to be high, expectancy, instrumentality and valence should be high. Porter and Lawler expanded the expectancy theory by setting up a model. Porter and Lawler model explained that the level of motivation of employees is not equal to their job performance but is rather another determinant that affects job performance. Figure According to this model, performance is a result of the combination of effort, clarity of what is expected and the skill required to do the job. The first expectancy in this model is that if an employee has the right perception of what needs to be done, has the skills, has the physical and mental abilities required and is enough motivated to exert the effort required, a good job performance can be expected. The second expectancy here is that, given the job have been successfully accomplished rewards will follow. These rewards may be intrinsic such as job satisfaction or extrinsic like pay or recognition. However whether job performance will lead to intrinsic rewards depend on the job, whereas the relationship between extrinsic rewards and satisfaction will depend on the individual perceived equity. RELATIONSHIP OF EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION In the retail sector, service quality is gaining high importance and more and more organizations are concentrating on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty while less attention is given to employee satisfaction and commitment for employees that are directly connected to customer services, however it should be considered that according to studies made in the field of services, it has been shown that service quality is closely related to employee satisfaction (Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Oliver, 1993; Babakus et al., 2004). Providing service of quality is considered to be a key strategy for success of companies in todays competitive environment (Parasuraman et al. 1985). According to Gronroos (1998), Service quality is usually defined as being the gap between the quality of service delivered by the organization and the expected service performance by employees. As per Zeithaml et al (1990), employee satisfaction is an imperative factor in determining service quality. Eskildse n et al (2000) stated that various studies showed that satisfied employees are greatly motivated, have a better morale while doing their work and eventually perform more effectively and efficiently. According to research made by Reicher and Sasser (1990), it is stated that the greater the level of employee satisfaction, the greater the probability of getting customer satisfaction and the ability to withhold them.

Honor And Glory By Homer - 1574 Words

Steven Exum Mr. Lipscomb AP Literature and Composition, B Period October 5, 2015 Honor and Glory The idea of obtaining honor and glory are what Greek characters dedicate their lives to. The Greeks lived by a heroic code, which shaped their society. Being remembered, as a great warrior, is one of the highest honors a Greek soldier can obtain. Honor and glory are the cause of the Trojan War, which takes the lives of many men. Honor and Glory are what define the hero in the epic poem, The Iliad, written by Homer. Throughout the Iliad, honor and glory is the motivation behind the characters, there are different ways to obtain honor and glory, and the different views of honor throughout the epic poem. The idea of honor and glory are essential to understanding the motivation behind the characters in the Iliad. Glory was gained by the heroic actions and deeds. The best opportunity to gain honor was during a battle. A warrior would try and obtain honor during the battle, no matter the cost. The importance of honor can be seen in Hector’s final battle when he says, â€Å"Let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter. (Homer, Iliad 22.232)† Hector has accepted that he will die at the hand of Achilles. However, he wishes to be remembered as a great warrior of Troy. Hector does not wish to have his live spared, but rather he wishes to do some honorable deed and die with honor and glory. Glory came as aShow MoreRelatedThe Iliad : Greeks And Their Love For War1568 Words   |  7 PagesGreeks loved war. The Greeks loved glory, and honor! Death was a necessary path for all humans, an idea we ll established long before the Greeks. In the eyes of the Greeks, there is but one way to achieve immortality: Through glory! Thus, I think to understand why the Greeks were so actively involved in war, one must first understand why ‘war’ was a necessary tool for glory! The Greeks, exhibited varying views to violence, but they never waivered on their opinions of glory. In this essay, I will attemptRead MoreHonor And Glory : Greek Character And Way Of Life1484 Words   |  6 PagesHonor and glory are central to Greek character and way of life. Heroes are the essence of the nation and society that they come from. Because of this, they lead their lives according to this code of honor and glory. This need for honor erupts in the Trojan war and shapes the outcomes of every decision made in this war. Every Greek warrior strives for the legacy of their fame in battle to resound, even after their demise. The concepts of honor guide the outcomes of the illustrations in this ep icRead More Achilles Honor in Homers Iliad Essay1298 Words   |  6 PagesAchilles Honor in Homers Iliad    The Greeks placed great importance on personal honor. Why is this? Is it because to them man I nothing without honor. Or is it that the honor is more important than the man? Honor to the Greeks is something that is won by a mans prowess, his ability to fight and be victorious on the battle field(Schein 62). This is just one example of how honor is obtained. A second method of gaining honor is to be a great orator, one must posses the ability to speakRead MoreExamples Of Glory And Glory In The Iliad1054 Words   |  5 Pages4, 2017 Glory and Honor in Homer’s Iliad Thesis: Great honor comes with great responsibility. Glory should come with wisdom. Homer presents this idea in various ways. This theme is woven through The Iliad showing the foundation of dignified heroes and self-glorification. Introduction: I. Honor and glory A. Heroic actions B. God-like glory II. Social Status A. Greek Society B. Recognition and influences III. Mortality and immortality A. Glory after death B. Ongoing honor ConclusionRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1313 Words   |  6 Pagesthe world. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus has an uncontrollable â€Å"fighting spirit† (Homer 1996: 227) that too often ends in misfortune. Despite these great differences, these two characters have one thing in common: they are widely regarded as heroes in their religion. This is just one of many distinctions between the two epics. In The Odyssey, the afterlife consists of â€Å"the shambling, shiftless dead† (Homer 1996: 251) while in The Ramayana, reincarnation follows death. These dissimilar perspectivesRead MoreThe Iliad Herioc Code1444 Words   |  6 Pagesactions, intentions, or teachings. The heroic code stems from the belief that honor is, above all, the most important virtue in life and all men must honor themselves, their families, and their fellow comrades through specific character traits and actions. This concept is the primary goal in a Homeric hero’s life. Spe cifically, courage in battle, even in the face of clear danger or death is an essential source of a man’s honor. Death, in the context of the heroic code, can be seen as a relief of theRead MoreHonor, Glory, Legacy Of The Iliad1735 Words   |  7 PagesHonor, Glory, Legacy How important is it to be honored? To gain glory in this life? To secure a lasting legacy? To the Greeks and Trojans in Homer’s famous epic, The Iliad, these were the most important things in life. The Greeks of Homer’s time believed that personal honor and glory was just that, personal. Honor and glory belonged to the individual who was skilled and accomplished enough to obtain it for himself. This honor and glory was held in the highest regard, and the worldview that honorRead MoreAndromaches Lamentations In The Iliad Analysis1624 Words   |  7 PagesAndromache demonstrates that the pursuit of martial glory, an action performed by almost all of male characters in the Iliad, destroys familial virtues. At the same time, Andromache also downplays honor and glory through her domestic perspective. Andromache’s conflicting view, compared with the dominant and even, aesthetic portrayal of martial honor, introduces to the audience that honor and glory are antithetic al to fatherhood and domesticity. And Homer makes it clear that this incompatibility is a naturalRead MorePride as a Tragic Flaw or Heroic Trait Essay893 Words   |  4 Pagesboth posses a desire for honor and glory. Homer uses these two characters to contrast the effects of pride on the hero and their respective outcomes. Achilleus desire for honor is evident to us in the first chapter of the book. His refusal to fight after being dishonored by Agamemnon influences the events for the entire beginning of the novel. Achilleus sits by the waterside and weeps for his hurt feelings, and action we would never expect from a modern day hero Homer illustrates the severityRead MoreIliad and Achilles Speech849 Words   |  4 Pagespattern is evident in modern society, it can also be seen in the times of Homer, particularly in the great Greek epic, the Iliad. This distinct pattern can be seen in Achilles, one of the most vital characters in the story. Achilles, being the ultimate most powerful warrior of all time, wishes for nothing in his life but to be the most glorious man alive, mortal or immortal. It is this profound desire for glory and honor, that in the end leads to his demise. Achilles speech, given while he is

City or Countryside Free Essays

In my opinion, one has not experienced life until one has lived in the city. There is so much to see and experience in the bright lights of the city that you cannot get in the countryside. Here in the city, you can learn about how to get along with people of different types, encounter varied situations and solve problems. We will write a custom essay sample on City or Countryside or any similar topic only for you Order Now All these help a person to grow in maturity. After all, experience is the best teacher. In the countryside, however, you only move around people you are used to. So, you seldom encounter strangers or new and demanding situations. Life is more mundane and routine-like. Staying in a secure, safe place does not allow for one to gain new experiences and grow in maturity. Furthermore, young people need a life that is exciting and pleasurable. It is the city that offers you entertainment- cinemas, parks and eating places. Here you can hang out with friends and family members. Life as fast-paced and this keeps you active and alert all times. And when it comes to educational opportunities, the city abounds in this. There are good school and libraries that are necessary for your mental development. Furthermore, there are places like museums and educational centres where you can go, to increase your knowledge. Such places that offer you entertainment or learning opportunities are of course not available in the countryside. For entertainment, there is only the occasional festive celebration or marriage feast or fishing outing. Some may find this appealing but not me. Moreover, opportunities to widen your knowledge are limited in the countryside. Another point in support of living in the city is the available of jobs. In the city, you can find a job that suits your qualification or interest. If you find a job unsuitable, you can always move to another. This, naturally, increases your earning power and you have better chances of a more comfortable life. Of course, one may argue that one can live in the countryside and work in the city but this will only incur extra expenses and unnecessary inconveniences. Thus, for all the reasons mentioned above, I think that life in the city is better than living in the countryside. After all, you are young only once. How to cite City or Countryside, Papers

Essay on Different Methods Of Quantitative Research Essay Example For Students

Essay on Different Methods Of Quantitative Research Essay For this week’s assignment, we were instructed to identify different methods of quantitative research and how the tools can be used to accurately answer problems. In order to evaluate the effectiveness within the respect of management, I had to identify some studies that related to my career field. With respect to the business world and human resource management in general, I decided to focus on the younger generation of managers. There is a constant evolving world of change that drives success in the business world, with that said how are younger managers adapting? Initially off personal interactions I have seen several younger managers struggle with the changes. My personal interactions are not enough to form quantitative research however, so I must use gathered statistics. For this topic, the organizational example will be centered around the study of generational responses to organizational change. This is extremely relevant to my career field as many college students are hired as interns and then quickly become managers. Finally, after reviewing the quantitative research; I will discuss what I envision as the way forward. In order to understand the quantitative research process, we should know a little about it. Quantitative research is all about a numbers game, statistics and mathematical answers to questions. With regards to the business world, everything is about numbers so it would seem that most research would come from the quantitative research method. This research is compiled through several different means such as questionnaires or surveys. Think about this for a second, it is estimated that business within the Unites States spent around $189 billion dollars in 2015 on total media marketing. (2014, December)With q. .employee involvement is critical for preparing employees for change initiatives. There are no signs that the increasing rate of organizational change is slowing (Kotter, 2002). Therefore, there is a need for additional research on leaders personal experience with organizational change across the United States. (Bourne, B, 2015)In my opinion, I truly believe that the constant evolving changes will continue to pick up speed as the business world competes within itself and across the globe. This research document showed how quantitative data is used to evaluate issues going on in different sectors of the world. For human resource managers and business managers, I think that the revamped training that new employees receive will be key. It will not only lay out the expectations, but could allow for innovative ways to announce change coming to particular organizations.