Factors that contribute to career satisfaction
Abstract
Organizations across the world aim at improving productivity and efficiency. To achieve this, they must motivate their employees and ensure that they have high job satisfaction. The reason is that human resource is one of the factors of production. Various elements are essential for employees to feel satisfied and comfortable in the workplace.
Introduction
Career satisfaction is a positive feeling regarding a job. People spend most of their adult life working, and it is; therefore, they feel comfortable in their careers. Studies show a positive correlation between job satisfaction and organizational performance (Staw & Cohen-Charash, 2005). When employees are satisfied with the work they do, increased productivity and efficiency of an organization is greatly improved. Many factors lead to career satisfaction. This paper explores various factors that contribute to career satisfaction and, ultimately, optimum productivity.
Factors that contribute to career satisfaction
At the outset, job satisfaction is directly related to remuneration and compensation. People work so that they can get money to meet their needs. According to Feldman (2010), employees view their pay as a concern of the management towards them. Besides, remuneration is seen as a measure of achievement since a higher pay means, albeit modest, employee’s high contribution towards organization performance and success. It is important to note that nonmonetary benefits accruing employees also influence that level of career satisfaction (Anitha, 2014). Many companies offer their employees some nonmonetary benefits such as paid leaves, medical covers, and education loans. Although the nonmonetary benefits cannot be quantified or measured in terms of money, employees’ attitude towards them dramatically influences their career satisfaction. Staw & Cohen-Charash (2005) indicate that the better the nonmonetary packages are in an organization, the higher the job satisfaction.
Organizational policies influence career satisfaction. Some organizations have strict and rigid policies that negatively affect employees’ attitudes and career satisfaction. Other companies have flexible and liberal policies that tend to motivate employees and increase their job satisfaction (Anitha, 2014). Organizational policies are embedded in the culture of the organization. Besides, the values and the vision of an organization dictate the type of procedures it adopts. A culture that is typified by autocracy and authoritarian tendencies cause resentment among the employees as compared to a culture that is democratic and open to the views of the employees. Significantly, Feldman (2010) says that organizational policies govern and shape human behavior in the workplace. Stringent policies lower job satisfaction because employees are more likely to feel that they treated unfairly.
The nature of work is a significant factor that influences job satisfaction. First, the scope of a job affects an employee’s satisfaction. Job scope refers to the responsibility, the pace at which the job is performed as well as the feedback from the managers (Staw & Cohen-Charash, 2005). Higher job scope leads to higher career satisfaction and vice versa. Additionally, the variety of work is an essential factor of work that could affect job satisfaction. The excessive variety of work leads to stress and fatigue, while a low range of work may cause monotony and lower job satisfaction (Anitha, 2014). Other factors of the nature of work that affect job satisfaction include role ambiguity, autonomy and freedom, and role conflict.
Conclusion
In essence, job satisfaction is essential for employees noting that the majority of adult life is spent at work. It is also critical for the general wellbeing and health of the employees. Remuneration and compensation, organizational policy, and the nature of work considerably contribute to career satisfaction.
References
Anitha, J. (2014). Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 63(3), 308-323.
Feldman, D. C. (2010). Organizational tenure and job performance. Journal of Management, 36(5), 1220-1250.
Staw, B. & Cohen-Charash, Y. (2005). The dispositional approach to job satisfaction: More than a mirage, but not yet an oasis: Comment. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26 (1), 59–78.