Values, Attitudes and Job

Satisfaction
Basic convictions that •Content: mode of
a specific mode of conduct.
conduct or end-state •Intensity attribute:
of existence is How important it is?
personally or socially
preferable to an
opposite or converse
mode of conduct or
end-state of
existence.
 Values (cont’d)

• Value system:
A hierarchy based on a
ranking of an individual’s
values in terms of their
intensity.
 Values (cont’d)
Rokeach Value Survey
 Terminal values: Desirable
end-states of existence; the
goals that a person would like
to achieve during his or her
lifetime.
 Instrumental values:
Preferable modes of behavior
or means of achieving one’s
terminal values.
 Values
Rokeach Value Survey… (cont’d)
Terminal values Instrumental values
A comfortable life Ambitious
An exciting life Broad-minded
A sense of accomplishment Capable
A world at peace Cheerful
A world of beauty Clean
Equality Courageous
Family security Forgiving
Freedom Helpful
Happiness Honest
 Values
… (cont’d)
• An underlying philosophy that defines the
reasons for the organization’s existence.
• As long there is consensus on values among
those who have power and influence within the
orgn., priorities generally are obvious and work
is likely to be cooperative and coordianted.
• Commitment to a common set pf values usually
motivates people to work together in flexible
ways.
 Values
… (cont’d)
• Organizational values affect the organization’s
purpose and management’s philosophy. When
these values are not held unanimously, the
resluting tension can hinder organizational
effectiveness.
• Managers may emerge in “empire building” in
order to further their careers at the expense of the
entire system.
• Factors that affect organizational values often are
covert and difficult to manage.
 Values
… (cont’d)
• Influential insiders and the prevailing reward
system can shape the orgns. Value system.
• Crisis, successes and failures can lead to
value shifts, as can the herarchy, routine and
standardization.
• The permeability of the orgn.- its
susceptibility to outside intrusion- can be a
determinant of the stability of its core values.
 Values (cont’d)
(Values across cultures- Geert Hofstede’s
framework for assessing culture)
• Power distance: A national culture attribute describing
the extent to which a society accepts the power in
institution and organizations is described unequally.
• Individualism: A national culture attributes describing
the degree to which people prefer to act as individuals
rather than as members of groups.
• Collectivism: A national culture attribute that
describes a tight social framework in which people
expect others in groups of which they are part to look
after them and protect them.
• Quality of life: A national culture attribute describing
the extent to which societal values are characterized
by assertiveness and materialism.
 Values
(Values across cultures- Geert Hofstede’s
framework for assessing culture… cont’d)
• Uncertainity avoidance: A national culture
attribute that emphasizes relationships and
concern for others.
• Long-term orientation: A national culture
attribute that emphasizes the future, thrift and
persistence.
• Short-term orientation: A national culture
attribute that emphasizes the past and present,
respect for tradition, and fulfilling social
obligations.
 Values
On the basis of the types there is a hierarchy of
levels that are descriptive of personal values and
lifestyles:

Level 1. Reactive: Mostly react to basic physiological needs

eg. Food clothing & shelter.
Level 2.Tribalistic: (High dependence) These individuals
are strongly influenced by tradition and the power exerted by
authority figures.
Level 3. Egocentrism: These persons are aggressive and
selfish. They respond primarily to power.
Level 4. Conformity: The individuals have a low tolerance
fro ambiguity and desire that others accept their values.
 Values
• Level 5. Manipulative: These individuals are
materialistic and actively seek highe status and
recognition.
• Level 6. Socio centric: These individuals consider it
more important to be liked and to get along with others
than to go ahead alone.
• Level 7. Existential: The individuals have a high
tolerance for ambiguity and people with differing values.
• Note: If job structures were built around 2 & 5 values, it
would result in reduced employee satisfaction and
increased absenteeism and turnover.
 Values
• Changing employee values:
• Old work values:
• Stresses the importance on:
• A woman’s place is in the home, not a paid job
• Incentives of money and status motivate most
people
• If the job offers economic stability, you stay with
it even if it is personally unpleasant
 Values
• New work values:
• Stresses the importance on:
• Leisure
• A fulfilling and meaningful paid job
• Control over one’s activities on the job
• Women are treated as equal in
organizations
 Values
(Values, ethics and loyalty and it’s applicability in
organization)
• Among the epidemic of organizations exposed for shady practices,
organizations struggle to build a habit of ethical behavior.
• Values are the DNA of every organization. The company may venture into
various arenas or it may even reposition it’s strategies, but it will never
change the value-system it’s founder has been built on.
• HR experts believe that the organizations culture is the outward
demonstration of the values currently existing in the workplace, but they
question the way in which some organizations pay lip service and hence
dilute “values”.
• They argue that value statements put up on a decorative notice
board can lead to ambiguity in understanding what that value means
to the organization. This can lead to situations of conflict when it
comes to implementing these in day to day world. Hence values
need to be strategically defined and should be based on trust,
transparency and fairness and should mean more than mere prose
narrations.
 Values
(Values, ethics and loyalty and it’s applicability in
organization…. (Cont’d)
• The interpretation of value systems for different organizations may vary, but should
be aptly defined since they form the foundation of every workplace. Accountability is
crucial when it comes to using values purposefully. Therefore, you have to hold
everyone in the senior management accountable for defying the value system.
Experts concern that if the company is advocating something, but the top
management isn’t practicing it, no employee will respect the system. Therefore, it is
critical that the senior management (top management) set high standards and not
assume the values are a corporate sanction.
• Many organizations believe that a strong value system is indispensable, however
rarely demonstrate what they claim to stand for. Experts believe that each
organization has a choice to have a value system that forms the basis of the
organizational culture and generates support during crisis management, financial
dissonance or misuse of ‘intellectual property’ or one that is displayed on notice
boards to be “followed strictly” but is mere implemented.
• Ethics has become too loaded a word to have much practical meaning. The sad fact
is, all the oversight in the word is not going to change what happens behind company
door. To inculcate the right ethics, many organizations are using non-monetary
awards.
 Values
(Values, ethics and loyalty and it’s applicability in
organization)
• Bharti Televentures, (the ‘employer of the year’ award winner)
not only encourages the employees with yearly ‘Reward &
Recognition’ incentives/ awards but also has a ‘training
calendar’, a booklet encompassing the core values of the
organization.
• Saatchi & Saatchi have the PE (Permanently Infatuated
Employee) awards every month for the most motivated
employee. These awards not only give them (the employees) a
feeling of being acknowledged, but also reflects that the
organization values people ‘who do the right thing’. “It also
sets a good example for others to follow” says a senior
manager.
• At Newgen Software Technologies, every new employee
participates in ‘Signing in Programs’ that cover the company’s
values, and describe the employee behaviors that go along
with living the Newgen values.
 Values
(Values, ethics and loyalty and it’s applicability in
organization)
• Employees of K10 Technologies come together for ‘Fitment
Programs’, their value training sessions.
• MTV has introduced the ‘integrity policy’ for bribery and also a
‘foreign corrupt act’ which makes every employees found
disseminating confidential medical information.
• Glaxo Smithkline follows a ‘zero tolerance policy’ for
employees found disseminating confidential medical
information.
• At General Electric (GE) international, employees at every level
of the company carry a wallet size card called the ‘Values
Guide’ thaht was distributed to them after coming to accord on
which core values GE wanted to cultivate in its employees.
Jack Welch, former CEO, GE once said, :there isn’t a human
being in GE who wouldn’t have the ‘Values Guide’ with them. It
is a badge of honour and we remove people who don’t have
those values, even when they post great results.”
 Values, Attitudes and Job
Satisfaction
• Attitudes are Key concepts:
evaluate statements •Values are broader and
either favorable or more empowering
unfavorable- concept.
concerning objects, •Attitudes are more
people or events.
specific than values.
(They reflect how one •Although they are
feels about
different they are
something).
closely related.
 Attitudes… (cont’d)
Three components
• Cognitive component:
The opinion or belief segment of an attitude.
• Affective component:
The emotional or feeling segment of an attitude.
• Behavioral component:
An intention to behave in a certain way towards
someone or something.
 Attitudes… (cont’d)
Types of attitude
• Job satisfaction:
An individual’s general attitude toward his or her job.
• Job involvement:
The degree to which a person identifies with his or her
job, actively participates in it, and considers his or her
performance important to self-worth.
• Organizational commitment:
The degree to which an employee identifies with a
particular organization and its goals, and wishes to
maintain membership in the organization.
 Attitudes… (cont’d)
Cognitive Dissonance theory
Any incompatibility between Key concept:
two or more attitudes or
between behavior and Attitude and inconsistency
attitudes.
 Attitudes… (cont’d)
Self- Perception theory

Attitudes are used after the fact to make

sense out of an action that has already
occurred.
 Job satisfaction…(Cont’d)
Job satisfaction as an independent variable:
• Satisfaction and productivity: It is concluded that
productivity leads to satisfaction other than the other way
round.The “feel good factor” if you do a good job.
• Satisfaction and absenteeism: Sick pay v/s well pay.
By providing liberal sick leave benefits we are
encouraging absenteeism. This way those who are
highly satisfied too will take days off. Therefore it is
concluded that satisfaction directly leads to attendance.
• Satisfaction and turnover: are also negatively related.
Here turnover is in terms of performance. Superior
performance are more satisfied with their jobs because
they always get a pay raise. The reverse is applicable to
low performers.
 Job satisfaction

• Is an individual’s Key concept:

general attitude of a Job satisfaction is an
person/ employee attitude and not a
toward his or her job. behavior.