Job Satisfaction Paradox

JOB SATISFACTION

A PARADOX

Monday Morning Musings

By  

VIKRAM KARVE 

WHY DO YOU WORK...?

In today’s world – it is naive to assume that people work primarily to achieve professional fulfillment and job satisfaction. 

As a matter of fact – they seem to work because – what they get “on the job” enables them to achieve whatever they want to accomplish “off the job”. 

 

At the lower levels in an organisation people work for survival – but at middle levels – many persons work for their leisure. 

Yes – most people work so that they can enjoy their leisure. 

Think about it.

Don’t we all work so that we can enjoy our leisure? 

You slog 5 days a week – so that you can enjoy the 2 days of weekend that you get off.

Do you work because you enjoy doing the job...? 

Not at all.

You work for the money they pay you – so that – whatever the money that you earn from working – you can use that money to enjoy your leisure – once your basic needs are met. 

I have observed this factor especially in many youngsters working in IT, ITES, BPO and many other industries – who wait for the weekend – to enjoy what they have earned by “toiling” in the “sweatshops” for the entire week. 

Then – they blow up what they have earned during the week having a ball in the weekend.

Some call it “unwinding”

You “wind” yourself up during the week – slogging away doing something you do not enjoy doing.

And then – you “unwind” yourself during the weekend – doing something that you enjoy doing. 

You wind. 

And then – you unwind.

It is like clockwork – as if you are a clock to wind and unwind...!!!

Of course – there a very few lucky persons who seem to have found their metier in their jobs and genuinely enjoy their work.

    

In most cases – on the job – employees have to “produce” – and there is no time for any enjoyment. 

Both Competition and Compensation levels are higher than ever before – and – the chief casualties of this competitive work environment are those traditional so-called motivators like “job satisfaction”.

 

Today – a typical professional may no longer have an undivided loyalty and commitment towards his job. 

Therefore – it is incorrect to believe that an employee’s work life is spent entirely in the pursuit of “job satisfaction”. 

Perhaps – an employee is not actively seeking job satisfaction as much as aspiring towards other important needs and considerations like own career progression, standard of living, quality of life, material gain and personal gratification.

 

For most people their job is a means to achieving their desired ends.

DOES JOB SATISFACTION IMPROVE JOB PERFORMANCE...?

 

One of the typical propositions held by most people connected with Human Resource (HR) Management is that job satisfaction is positively associated with job performance. 

But in actual fact – does Job Satisfaction lead to improved Job Performance...?

Does a “satisfied” employee always “produce” more...?

It may be wrong to presume and take for granted a fictitious linkage between job satisfaction and employee productivity in all cases. 

 

In some cases – you may be shocked to find that while the so-called “job satisfaction” was increasing – the productivity of the individual was declining.

The reason behind this apparent paradox is the mistaken concept that a satisfied employee will devote his dedicated attention to his work.

 

A “satisfied” or “happy” employee may begin to develop an attitude of self-complacency – and – an overall sense of well-being – and – consequently – his temperament may become one of ignorant submission and passivity – rather than one of positive action and active involvement. 

I have observed this behaviour among employees in many organisations – particularly in government and public sector organisations – where employment is secure – and – where seniority is more important than performance in career progression.

As a result – it is not too uncommon to see that the productivity of the employee does not always closely follow his upward satisfaction curve.

 

Another important aspect of this situation is the rate of Constructive Conflict.

If properly used and suggestively applied in the organizational context – the managerial implantation of a limited degree of constructive conflict does indeed shake these smug people and “satisfied” employees out of their lethargy – and enables them to achieve a certain individuality of action. 

Viewed from the perspective of the organization – the key issue is not having satisfied, happy employees – but maximizing productivity – the bottom line being increasing profit and achieving organisational goals. 

 

Yes – that is what the organization has to decide and prioritize – what is more important:

Does the organisation want to pamper  employees or maximize productivity...?

Does the organisation want to help employees in achieving their personal goals or is it more important to achieve organisational goals...? 

Is there a congruence between “Job Satisfaction” and “Job Performance”...? 

Do “satisfied” employees always “produce” more...? 

THE MYTH OF JOB SATISFACTION

An individual’s NEED consists of two components:

1. APPETITE 

2. DESIRE

 

With changing value systems – it may be wrong to believe that increased satisfaction means increased motivation as propounded by various conventional theories of motivation (Maslow’s Need Hierarchy, for example). 

Here it is vital to understand that “need” comprises two components: “Appetite” and “Desire”. 

Appetite corresponds to that part of each hierarchical level of need – the non-satisfaction of which can be expected to normally inhibit or deter progress up the hierarchy of needs. 

 

Desire corresponds with the greedy, relatively unjustified part of each hierarchical level of need – the satisfaction of which should not be viewed as necessary prerequisite.

 

With changing values – and – by habit and custom – yesterday’s desires become today’s appetite. 

The effect of extrinsic “motivational techniques” like job satisfaction will eventually be to increase need satisfaction threshold limits and draw more energies towards the satisfaction of desires. 

 
The myth of job satisfaction exerts severe pressures upon both the employer and the employee. 

The employer convinces himself that he must provide satisfaction on the job – and the employee rationalizes his behaviour and anticipates satisfaction.

In this two-faceted pressure approach – the entire organization and all stakeholders suffer from unwanted conflicts, unfulfilled expectations, and unkept promises.

VIKRAM KARVE

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All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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This is an abridged and revised version of one of my early writings on Human Resource (HR) Management. I wrote this article more than 24 years ago, in the year 1992, and I have posted this article online a number of times including at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/human-resource-management-the-myth-of-job-satisfaction_354574_blog  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/07/job-satisfaction-and-motivation-myth.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/07/clockwork-careers-job-satisfaction-myth.html  etc