Job Satisfaction Paper

PSY/428

Job Satisfaction

Satisfaction that someone finds in a job can be relative in nature and can differ considering the vast amount of variables that play into defining it. This paper will define what job satisfaction is, while explaining the impact organizational socialization has on it. There will be examples provided of how an organization can use organizational socialization to positively impact job satisfaction, and the relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Finally, it will deliver an example of organizational commitment being used to impact job satisfaction.
Definition of Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is defined as individual’s contentment at his or her employments. As per I/O Psychologist and Human Resources have two major characteristics. These two is called Affective Job Satisfaction and Cognitive Job Satisfaction, both have variations in definitions and its characteristics. The first one is called Affective job satisfaction – it is a one dimensional fields that explains the general affection and passion of an individual towards their chosen line of work. For example, an individual is seeking for a job, and he or she has an interview with two different companies that he or she applied for, both employer hired him or her, one company offers a better salary compared to the other one but the other company has a better job description that he or she is passionate with, the specific individual chose the company that she or he will enjoy and will give him or her more pleasure and happiness. This satisfaction will create an increase in his or her productivity at work, and it will give a positive outcome to the organization, because he or will be emotionally and satisfied at his or her new employment. On the other hand, Cognitive job satisfaction is determined by thinking logically when it comes to several characteristics and aspect of the job, as well as objectively aiming for different goal towards self-gratification. Cognitive job satisfaction does not fulfill their own happiness, the person evaluates what kind of benefits he or she is going to get from the company, he or she is looking for great benefits such as, medical insurance benefit, pay range, flexibility of the working hours, long term disability, life insurance, profit sharing, and vacation and sick plan benefits – before he or she makes the decision to whether accept or decline the job opportunity. Cognitive job satisfaction helps Affective job satisfaction to increase productivity at work but not necessarily related to each other because it differs from perception and cause and effect to organization.
Impact of Organizational Socialization to Job Satisfaction Socialization is one of the important factors in successful organization. It is generally determined as an employee’s way of participating, interacting, and how much involved the employee is within the work-place. It increases the individual’s productivity, and encourages others to engage in natural process to boost up and advance the company’s assets. According to Noe, RA (2005) “a typical socialization process includes three phases such as, Anticipatory socialization, Encounter, and Settling in”. These three processes assist new employees to adjust and accommodate the company’s policy, job description, and acknowledge their position in the organization. In the anticipatory socialization, the impact of this stage is that the new employees will create an expectation towards the business, and the job description prior to entering the organization. For example, new employee will set and execute high standards, and it will produce eminent improvement to production of the organization. With the encounter stage, this will give the new employee the knowledge about their duty, and managers can properly shaped, mold and train the new hire to better implement the job performance at work. The last one is settling in stage, the impact of this with the new employee is that they will feel well-situated with their work environment and obligations, their social relationship with other employees will developed friendship, and they will start evaluating the company performance in the market and possible career opportunity in the future.
Organizational Socialization When you first start with an organization you are introduced to their culture in that company. In the beginning you are introduced to the organizations goals, values, and history. These factors are important for the new employee to understand what foundation this company has and will also expect from them as a new hire. It is very important for the newcomer to settle in their job and starting to learn their job well. Their performance and proficiency in their jobs will take a part of their socialization with the organization. Another key point to the socialization process is the new hire understanding the profession’s technical language. This can include slang, jargon, and acronyms that can be unique to the organization. Nevertheless the relationships that are created with members of that organization is vital for there to be job satisfaction. For example are employees more likely to be satisfied with their job with they are recognized in front of their peers. This is a different approach to job satisfaction that is not as effective as a monetary incentive but it will provide a higher performance improvement.
Job commitment vs. job satisfaction There has been a clear connection between an employee’s job satisfactions with their commitment with that job. That’s why it has become important for organizations to also focus on employee satisfaction. This will be a major factor on the commitment that employee will have to the company. When an employee feels that they are being heard, that employee will stay invested in that organization longer. This is vital for the organization to have workers that will commit to their company for a long time to avoid turnover. For every new hire a company has there is time and money that is invested in getting that new hire up to speed to their peers. This issue is another reason why the study of organizational psychology has become important for organizations. The Marine Corps is a good example of how an organization uses commitment to positively impact job satisfaction. The reason behind that is because they market “Honor, Courage, and Commitment” as there creed. When someone becomes a Marine, they get promoted based on those three moral traits, as well as other things that overall cause job satisfaction. When a Marine gets promoted ahead of their peers, it is because they have shown themselves to be above and beyond the rest, exhibiting top notch skills that almost force them to be committed rendering one of the highest job satisfactions in the world. Satisfaction that someone finds in a job can be determined based on the morals that they hold highest. This paper defined what job satisfaction is, while explaining the impact organizational socialization has on it. The examples proved how organizational socialization can positively impact job satisfaction, and the relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Delivery of organizational commitment being used to impact job satisfaction was apparent in the example of promotion above your peers in the Marine Corp.

References
Noe, RA (2005) – retrieved from Employee Training and Development. New York: McGraw – Hill/Irwin.