1 INTRODUCTION In this research we will study the factors affecting the job satisfaction in the Egyptian gas private sector companies wher...
1 INTRODUCTION
In this research we will study the factors affecting the job satisfaction in the Egyptian gas private sector companies where the gas private business sector plays an important role in developing of the national economy.
This study is aimed at getting a clearer view of the level of satisfaction of the employees in gas private sector companies. The main concerns are the relative importance and need of different job satisfaction factors and how they contribute to the overall satisfaction of the employees.
Also we will highlight on the poor management and it’s role in affecting the employees’ satisfaction, the poor management is a result of many factors like manager’s selection criteria, mangers qualifications, role of business nature ….etc. and others.
Data will be collected from various gas private sector companies such as House gas, city gas, Nile valley, Repco gas, and Trans Gas. Data will be quantitatively collected through close-ended questionnaires with a sample size of ….. employees. Data will be analyzed through statistical analysis using bar charts.
Gas Private sector Companies are selected for the research because they are currently undergoing continued expansion and representing a great business in the field of energy sources.
In order to gain competitive advantage and adapt to the dramatic changing environment, it is important for them to achieve management efficiency by increasing employee satisfaction in the organization.
Hence this research was mainly undertaken to investigate on the significance of factors such as poor management, working conditions, pay and promotion, job security, fairness, relationship with co-workers and supervisors in affecting the job satisfaction. This research presents a comprehensive diagnosis of job satisfaction indices of gas private sector business, the factors causing the dissatisfaction & suggestions to improve them.
2 PROBLEM DEFINITION:
An employee's overall satisfaction with his job is the result of a combination of factors depending on what each individual person feels is important -- and financial compensation is only one of them. Management's role in enhancing employees' job satisfaction is to make sure the work environment is positive, morale is high and employees have the resources they need to accomplish the tasks they have been assigned.
3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study is as follows:
• To assess the satisfaction level of employees in gas private business sector.
• To identify the factors which influence the job satisfaction of employees.
• To identify how the poor management plays a big role in the job satisfaction.
• To identify the factor which improves the satisfaction level of employees.
4 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
4.1 Job Satisfaction
Locke and Lathan (1976) give a comprehensive definition of job satisfaction as "a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences". Job satisfaction is a result of employee’s perception of how well their job provides those things that are viewed as important. According to (Mitchell and Lasan, 1987), it is generally recognized in the organizational behavior field that job satisfaction is the most important and frequently studied attitude. While Luthan posited that there are three important dimensions of job satisfaction:
• Job satisfaction is an emotional response to a job situation. As such it cannot be seen, it can only be inferred.
• Job satisfaction is often determined by how well outcome meet or exceed expectations. For instance, if organization participants feel that they are working much harder than others in the department but are receiving fewer rewards they will probably have a negative attitudes towards the work, the boss and or coworkers.
On the other hand, if they feel they are being treated very well and are being paid equitably, they are likely to have positive attitudes towards the job.
• Job satisfaction represents several related attitudes which are most important characteristics of a job about which people have effective response. These to Luthans are: the work itself, pay, promotion opportunities, supervision and coworkers.
Low wages and lack of status and social security affect motivation. Job satisfaction cannot be talk of where there is absence of motivation. (Ebru, 1995).
Job satisfaction is so important in that its absence often leads to lethargy and reduced organizational commitment (Levinson, 1997, Moser, 1997).
Lack of job satisfaction is a predictor of quitting a job (Alexander, Litchtenstein and Hellmann, 1997; Jamal, 1997).
Sometimes workers may quit from public to the private sector and vice versa. At the other times the movement is from one profession to another that is considered a greener pasture. This later is common in countries grappling with dwindling economy and its concomitant such as poor conditions of service and late payment of salaries (Nwagwu, 1997).
In such countries, people tend to migrate to better and consistently paying jobs (Fafunwa, 1971).
Explaining its nature some researcher (e.g. Armentor, Forsyth, 1995, Flanegan, Johnson and Berret, 1996; Kadushin, and Kulys, 1995) tend to agree that job satisfaction is essentially controlled by factors described in Adeyemo's (2000) perspectives as external to the worker. From this viewpoint satisfaction on a job might be motivated by the nature of the job, its pervasive social climate and extent to which workers peculiar needs are met. Working conditions that are similar to local and international standard (Osagbemi, 2000), and extent to which they resemble work conditions of other professions in the locality. Other inclusions are the availability of power and status, pay satisfaction, promotion opportunities, and task clarity (Bolarin, 1993; Gemenxhenandez, Max, Kosier, Paradiso and Robinson, 1997).
Other researchers (e.g. MacDonald, 1996; O'Toole, 1980) argue in favour of the control of job satisfaction by factors intrinsic to the workers. Their arguments are based on the idea that workers deliberately decide to find satisfaction in their jobs and perceive them as worthwhile. Studies of job satisfaction seem to consistently show there is a relationship between professional status and the job satisfaction. High levels of job satisfaction are observed in those professions that are of good standing in society.
Age is one of the factors affecting job satisfaction. Different studies conducted show that older workers are more satisfied (Davis, 1988:100). Kose (1985) found a meaningful relationship between the age and job satisfaction; Hamshari (1983), age and professional experience (Delia 1979; Hamshari 1986), educational level (Well-Maker, 1985; Hamshari, 1986); level of wages (Vaugan and Dunn in Adeyemo, 1997); sex (D'elia 1979; Lynch and Verdin, 1983). These include compensation and benefits, advancement opportunities, and technological challenges. The result showed that salaries and benefits are related to job satisfaction.
4.2 Factors affecting job satisfaction:
There are many reasons which can led employees to be dissatisfied with their jobs, we can split those factors to two main sections, first related to the organization and the second related to the employees, this can include but not limited to the following:
Organizational Factors:
a. Unclear job description.
b. Poor and bad management.
c. Conflict with supervisors.
d. Not being appropriately paid for what you do.
e. Not having the necessary equipment or resources to do your job.
f. Lack of opportunities for promotion.
g. Unclear corporate strategy, mission and vision.
h. Unclear corporate policies and procedures.
i. Bad work environment.
j. Having little or no authorities and responsibilities.
k. Over workload given tasks and stress in meeting dead time.
Personal factors:
l. Fear of losing your job.
m. Boring job or overly routine.
n. Work that doesn’t fit your education, skills or interests.
o. Bad relations between coworkers.
4.3 Methods for improving job satisfaction
To increase the employees’ job satisfaction some motivation programs and business plans shall be applied from the organization side, this can include:
a. Develop clear job description for all employees.
b. Listen to employees’ problems with their managers and trying to resolve them.
c. Ensure fairness of managers to their judgment on their employees.
d. Involve employees in making decisions.
e. Encourage social relationship between employees.
f. Break up the company’s routine.
g. Rewarding best employees.
h. Develop the business and improve its growth.
i. Introduce Health care and medical insurance programs covering the family.
5 THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
This study emphasis in the following scope:
• To identify the employees level of satisfaction upon that job.
• This study is helpful for the private sector organizations for conducting further research.
• This study is focusing on the poor management effect on the job satisfaction.
• This study is helpful to the private sector organization for identifying the area of dissatisfaction of job of the employees.
• This study helps to make a managerial decision to the company.
Limitations of the study
• This study is limited to the gas private business sector organizations.
• The survey is subjected to the employees personal judging and respondents. Hence 100% accuracy can’t be assured.
• The researcher was carried out in a short span of time, where in the researcher could not widen the study.
• The study could not be generalized because the researcher will use the personal interview method.
6 RESEARCH QUESTION
What are the factors that affect the employees’ job satisfaction and to what extent it will have an impact on the organization overall productivity?
How the poor management affect the employees’ job satisfaction? And how to resolve this problem?
7 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
7.1 Methodology overview
This research is a combination between a literature review and an empirical study in the form of case study on a particular business unit which is the gas private sector companies, on the other hand we will focus on collecting information about a specific subject in the form of a questionnaire including a list of questions asking about how the employees satisfaction is affected, through analyzing the data collected we will be able to know the most factor that affect the employees satisfaction.
The literature review describes the overview of the job satisfaction theories and factors affecting the satisfaction and relation between both.
This research investigate how there are many factors can affect the employees satisfaction and how the bad management as one of those factors also affect the employees satisfaction.
Bad Management is independent and job satisfaction is dependent.
The tool used in this survey is a questionnaire which is given to a number of employees in different gas private sector companies.
It was found through the last years that there is a new polices and strategies were applied in the gas private sector companies, which led to a great dissatisfaction between the employees, though it was essential to study the reasons of this dissatisfaction and emphasis some recommendation to increase the employees job satisfaction.
Through gathering and after analyzing of respondents’ answers there were some points concluded and based on these conclusions the recommendations were pointed.
7.2 Data Collection method
This section will focus on the empirical, and describe the method used to collect and analyze the empirical data to provide the answers to the research problem.
The purpose of this research is to generate understanding of the effect of bad management on employees job satisfaction. The variable of interest are the perception of the employee to their managers.
The most appropriate data collection method in this research is the questionnaire.
Furthermore a questionnaire also provide anonymity for respondents who are reluctant to reveal information about themselves or, as is the case in this research, about their reaction to or feelings about change.
Secondary data will be collected from available online books, online publications, online research studies, online articles and websites.
TAQA group companies are selected to collect primary data for collecting information regarding job satisfaction.
After collecting all necessary data, data will be analyzed using bar charts methods and tabulated descriptively. And, this tabulated information will be used to measure perceived satisfaction and dissatisfaction level of the employees.
Annex A
The questionnaire
By complete a job satisfaction questionnaire, you’ll be able to identify those aspects of your current job that are rewarding as well as those that contribute to dissatisfaction. The results will help you to clarify the aspects of a job that most directly contribute to your career satisfaction. You can also use this exercise to predict how you might respond to potential occupations and the degree of satisfaction that a potential job is likely to provide.
PART I
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Gender: Male ( ) Female ( )
2. Age: 21-30 ( ) 31-40 ( ) 41-50 ( ) more than 51 ( )
3. Occupation:_________________________________________________________
4. How long have you worked for this company? 1-5 ( ) 6-10 ( ) 11-15 ( )
5. Which department are you working in:
Finance ( ) HR ( ) Admin.( ) Technical ( ) QS ( ) Commercial ( )
Other ( ) please specify: -------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Briefly describe your work responsibilities (as you would on a resume):
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PART II
RATING YOUR JOB SATISFACTION
Using the scale shown below, rate your level of satisfaction with the following aspects of your job.
Question 1
Strongly disagree 2
Disagree 3
Neutral 4
Agree 5
Strongly Agree
1 You have a clear Job description.
2 You know clearly your authorities and responsibilities.
3 You know exactly what is expected from you and what your tasks at your job.
4 Tasks assigned to you by your manager help you grow professionally.
5 Your manager gives you the necessary support in performing your tasks
6 You are well paid for your job.
7 You are satisfied with the benefits given to you from your job.
8 Your work in a good environmental conditions.
9 Your opinions and recommendations are taken into consideration.
10 You have the opportunity to gain new skills and improve your abilities.
11 You have opportunities for promotion
12 You have good relationship between your coworkers.
13 You have good relationship between your managers.
14 You are always overloaded and work under pressure.
15 You know clearly the company’s mission and vision.
16 You are full aware with the company’s rules and policies.
17 You have all the required tools and equipment to perform your tasks.
18 Your job match your education and skills.
19 You are satisfied with your job.
20 You are going to search for another job outside your current company.
