Overall job satisfaction: How good are single-item measures?

A meta-analysis of single-item measures of overall job satisfaction (28 correlations from 17 studies with 7,682 people) found an average uncorrected correlation of .63 (SD?=?.09) with scale measures of overall job satisfaction. The overall mean correlation (corrected only for reliability) is .67 (SD?=?.08), and it is moderated by the type of measurement scale used. The mean corrected correlation for the best group of scale measures ( 8 correlations, 1,735 people) is .72 (SD?=?.05). The correction for attenuation formula was used to estimate the minimum level of reliability for a single-item measure. These estimates range from .45 to .69, depending on the assumptions made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An interview approach to work sample criterion measurement.

A variety of measurement techniques have been used to assess job proficiency, including hands-on work sample tests, job knowledge tests, and ratings. The current research effort examined the viability of an interview approach to work sample criterion measurement. Hands-on and interview work sample measures were developed and administered to 1,491 enlisted personnel in 8 Air Force specialties. Job-level analyses yielded moderate (.46) to high (.84) correlations but produced significant mean differences (6 of 8 specialties) between the 2 techniques. In addition, the patterns of relationships between each work sample test and a series of related performance, aptitude, and experience measures were found to be quite similar, and the magnitudes of these correlations were similar to those in studies reported previously. In contrast, task-level analyses yielded considerable variability in correlational values (rs ranged from .19 to .97) and mean differences (39 of 64 mean comparisons were significantly different). Results are discussed in terms of the usefulness of interview testing as a work sample measurement methodology for different personnel functions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cumulative evidence of the relationship between employee age and job performance.

On the basis of a review of 22 years of articles published in 46 behavioral science journals, we found a total of 96 independent studies that reported age–performance correlations. Total sample size was 38,983 and represented a broad cross-section of jobs and age groups. Meta-analysis procedures revealed that age and job performance generally were unrelated. Furthermore, there was little evidence that the type of performance measure (ratings vs. productivity measures) or type of job (professional vs. nonprofessional) moderated the relation between age and performance significantly. However, for very young employees the relation between age and job performance was consistent and modestly positive. Implications of these results for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Moderating influence of self-esteem on relationships between job complexity, performance, and satisfaction.

Administered the Job Diagnostic Survey, the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale, and measures of job complexity, job performance, and sense of competence to 166 15–22 yr old 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-yr electrical apprentices. The measures were readministered 20 mo later to 92 of the original 1st- and 2nd-yr Ss to investigate the moderating influence of employee self-esteem on relationships between organizational variables. Analysis showed that global self-esteem and sense of competence did not moderate relationships between (1) job satisfaction and job performance and (2) job complexity and job performance or job satisfaction. It is suggested that the moderating effect of self-esteem on relationships involving job satisfaction, performance, and complexity may have little practical consequence. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job experience correlates of job performance.

Although measures of job experience are frequently-used screening devices in the selection of employees, personnel psychologists have devoted little attention to their usefulness. This article quantitatively summarizes data on the relation between job experience and job performance from a total sample of 16,058. The correlation between job experience and job performance was found to be moderated by two variables: length of experience and job complexity. The highest correlations were obtained in populations with low mean levels of job experience and for jobs that place low levels of cognitive demands on employees. Results appear to be consistent with the causal model of job performance proposed by Schmidt, Hunter, and Outerbridge (1986). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The contribution of job and leisure satisfaction to quality of life.

Examined the relationships between job and leisure satisfaction and their contributions to the perception of quality of life. Data were collected from a national probability sample of 1,297 adult Americans interviewed in May 1972. The magnitude of the correlations between job and leisure satisfaction measures was low; however, both accounted for meaningful variation in perceived quality of life for the total sample. Separate analyses for demographic subgroups were also performed. They indicated that job satisfaction and leisure satisfaction contributed relatively little to the life quality of minorities and other often "disadvantaged" subgroups compared to "advantaged" workers. Implications of the results for the application of motivational stategies in the work setting are discussed. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The moderating effects of employee tenure on the relation between organizational commitment and job performance: A meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis investigated the correlation between attitudinal commitment and job performance for 3,630 employees obtained from 27 independent studies across various levels of employee tenure. Controlling for employee age and other nuisance variables, the authors found that tenure had a very strong nonlinear moderating effect on the commitment-performance correlation, with correlations tending to decrease exponentially with increasing tenure. These findings do not appear to be the result of differences across studies in terms of the type of performance measure (supervisory vs. self), type of tenure (job vs. organizational), or commitment measure (Organizational Commitment Questionnaire [L. W. Porter, R. M. Steers, R. T. Mowday, & P. V. Boulian, 1974] vs. other). The implications and future research directions of these results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The honeymoon effect in job performance: Temporal increases in the predictive power of achievement motivation.

Examined correlations between a job performance criterion and personality measures reflecting achievement motivation and an interpersonal orientation at 3 points in time after 268 airline reservation agents completed job training. Ss completed subscales from the Work and Family Orientation Questionnaire and from an extended version of the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. The performance criterion consisted of having Ss verify the availability of seats and enter passenger information. Although correlations between the personality predictors and performance were small and nonsignificant for the 3-mo period after beginning the job, by the end of 6 and 8 mo a number of significant relationships had emerged: Work orientation scores had the strongest positive correlation during the 2nd and 3rd periods, whereas Mastery scores showed a significant negative correlation. The variables reflecting interpersonal orientation also showed logical relationships with performance during the latter 2 periods, with Expressivity scores demonstrating a significant positive correlation and Verbal Aggressiveness and Submissiveness scores yielding significant negative correlations. These significant correlations were found after the "honeymoon" period with the work had ended. Implications for the utility of personality measures in selection and performance prediction are discussed. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of work appraisal: Stress, strain, coping, job satisfaction, and negative affectivity.

Stress, strain, and coping were measured by S. H. Osipow and A. R. Spokane's (1987) Occupational Stress Inventory with 249 adults in 75 occupations; results supported the validity of the inventory. Higher stress predicted higher strain and lower job satisfaction; the converse was true for coping, although the coping–satisfaction link was weak. In hierarchical regression analyses, predictor variables were gender, age, education, job tenure, negative affectivity, 6 stress measures, and 4 coping measures. Outcome variables were 4 measures of occupational strain (vocational, psychological, interpersonal, and physical) and 3 measures of job satisfaction (intrinsic, extrinsic, and general). The 7 hierarchical regressions revealed strong stress–strain and stress–job satisfaction relationships; negative affectivity had variable impacts on strain but little influence on job satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between self-rated performance and pay satisfaction among sales representatives.

Tested E. E. Lawler's (1971) hypothesis that when amount of pay is controlled people who evaluate their own performance highly are less satisfied with their pay. 101 sales representatives completed a questionnaire containing measures of self-perceived performance, pay satisfaction, and other variables. They were also rated on job performance by their supervisors. The partial correlation between self-rated performance and pay satisfaction, holding amount of pay constant, was –.30, thereby supporting the hypothesis. Self-perceived performance was only slightly related to an objective measure of total sales/representative, supervisory ratings of performance, self-perceived age/tenure, or education. When these other variables were also controlled, self-perceived performance still correlated negatively with pay satisfaction. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of met expectations on newcomer attitudes and behaviors: A review and meta-analysis.

A review of research on the effects of met expectations for newcomers to organizations located 31 studies of 17,241 people. A meta-analysis found mean (corrected) correlations of .39 for job satisfaction and for organizational commitment, .29 for intent to leave, .19 for job survival, and .11 for job performance. However, all of these mean correlations had significant between-studies variance. By using strict conformity with L. W. Porter and R. M. Steers's (1973) definition of met expectations, a subset of studies that had nonsignificant between-studies variance for all correlations except job satisfaction was identified. Furthermore, the mean correlations in these subgroups were very similar to those for the entire group. Future research should consider both the direction of the met expectations discrepancy (i.e., over- vs. underfulfillment) and alternative ways to measure organizational reality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subjective expectation, outcome discrepancy, and job satisfaction.

Investigated subjective expectation as a source of satisfaction valence associated with job outcomes. Four variables were of major interest: desired outcome, actual outcome, subjective expectation, and job satisfaction. The following hypotheses were tested, using 3 measures of satisfaction in a laboratory analog study with 120 undergraduates: (a) A positive linear relationship exists between "actual outcome–desired outcome" discrepancy and job satisfaction. (b) A negative linear relationship exists between subjective expectation and job satisfaction. Results on all dependent measures support the 1st hypothesis. Support for the 2nd hypothesis was evident but not consistent across the 3 satisfaction measures. The problem of equivalence of satisfaction measures is discussed, as is the relationship of the results to existing research and implications for further investigation. (French summary) (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work attitudes, motivation, and performance.

Discusses motivational variables both as determinants of performance by the individual in an organization, and as ingredients of work attitudes, such as job satisfaction. Motivation studies have included motivational traits (relatively enduring predispositions), motivating environments, expectancies, and equity theory. Research on job satisfaction and job involvement reveals few consistent relationships to job performance, but they do predict absenteeism and turnover. A few studies of motivational traits suggest possible utility in predicting role performance in managerial or sales positions. Motivating environments seem to have significant relations to job satisfaction and effectiveness. After reviewing several categories of programs aimed at improving motivation, the author expresses a cautiously optimistic view about the success of these programs in improving worker attitudes and/or worker performance. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological well-being and job satisfaction as predictors of job performance.

The happy–productive worker hypothesis has most often been examined in organizational research by correlating job satisfaction to performance. Recent research has expanded this to include measures of psychological well-being. However, to date, no field research has provided a comparative test of the relative contribution of job satisfaction and psychological well-being as predictors of employee performance. The authors report 2 field studies that, taken together, provide an opportunity to simultaneously examine the relative contribution of psychological well-being and job satisfaction to job performance. In Study 1, psychological well-being, but not job satisfaction, was predictive of job performance for 47 human services workers. These findings were replicated in Study 2 for 37 juvenile probation officers. These findings are discussed in terms of research on the happy–productive worker hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meta-analyzing the relationship between grades and job performance.

Employers and academics have differing views on the value of grades for predicting job performance. Employers often believe grades are useful predictors, and they make hiring decisions that are based on them. Many academics believe that grades have little predictive validity. Past meta-analyses of the grades–performance relationship have suffered either from small sample sizes or the inability to correct observed correlations for research artifacts. This study demonstrated the observed correlation between grades and job performance was .16. Correction for research artifacts increased the correlation to the .30s. Several factors were found to moderate the relationship. The most powerful factors were the year of research publication and the time between graduation and performance measurement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Newcomer adjustment during organizational socialization: A meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods.

The authors tested a model of antecedents and outcomes of newcomer adjustment using 70 unique samples of newcomers with meta-analytic and path modeling techniques. Specifically, they proposed and tested a model in which adjustment (role clarity, self-efficacy, and social acceptance) mediated the effects of organizational socialization tactics and information seeking on socialization outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, intentions to remain, and turnover). The results generally supported this model. In addition, the authors examined the moderating effects of methodology on these relationships by coding for 3 methodological issues: data collection type (longitudinal vs. cross-sectional), sample characteristics (school-to-work vs. work-to-work transitions), and measurement of the antecedents (facet vs. composite measurement). Discussion focuses on the implications of the findings and suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between job satisfaction and job performance between western and tribal Black employees.

Examined the effect of westernization on the job performance/job satisfaction relationship in 132 Black male 1st-level supervisors in 15 different South African factories. When the sample was split into western and tribal subgroups, the relationship between performance and satisfaction was significantly higher among western Ss. The 2 subgroups were also compared on measures of intrinsic motivation, instrumentality, and valence of job rewards. Because the western subgroup only obtained a significantly higher score on the measure of intrinsic motivation, it is suggested that it may be because they are more concerned about performing well than that the performance–satisfaction relationship is higher among western employees. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is There a General Factor in Ratings of Job Performance? A Meta-Analytic Framework for Disentangling Substantive and Error Influences.

A database integrating 90 years of empirical studies reporting intercorrelations among rated job performance dimensions was used to test the hypothesis of a general factor in job performance. After controlling for halo error and 3 other sources of measurement error, there remained a general factor in job performance ratings at the construct level accounting for 60% of total variance. Construct-level correlations among rated dimensions of job performance were substantially inflated by halo for both supervisory (33%) and peer (63%) intrarater correlations. These findings have important implications for the measurement of job performance and for theories of job performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Black–White correlates of job satisfaction.

Multiple regression analysis of a sample made up of 3 independently drawn US national surveys (J. A. Davis, 1972, 1973, 1974) was used to estimate the correlation of 8 variables with job satisfaction among 275 Blacks and 1,748 Whites. Correlations were not large, and results were very similar for both races: With other variables controlled, age was the strongest predictor of job satisfaction, and social class, work autonomy, sex, and education showed no effects. Family income, supervisory position, and occupational prestige correlated with job satisfaction among Whites, but the relationships among Blacks are not significant. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)