What causes employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction?

1.0 Introduction

Every human being has satisfaction and dissatisfaction for certain things. So, employees will have own satisfaction and dissatisfaction for the management team in the company. Employee satisfactions define as how happy for workers are with their job and working environment and dissatisfaction mean the employees not happy with the management or working and environment. Employee is very important for the organization. It is because if without labor, the production line cannot function well and it will lead to loss for the organization.

The company that I was interview is SPK wholesale stationary Sdn Bhd and the employee that I was interviewed is Yee Jeun Fui and he was the information technology consultant in the company. Previously SPK were not having any system related to technology for example, bar code system and CCTV system. After Yee Jeun Fui was worked there in year 2009, bar code and CCTV system was installed in the company to get more convenience quality and all the transaction was record by computer system. Besides, the security for the company was also improved because CCTV was installed.

2.0 Body

2.1 Satisfaction

2.1.1 Position Provided

The IT consultant mentions that the position provided by the company is satisfied for him. It is because the company gives the all authority about IT for him and then he will feel like he has the power in the company and this is better when compare with previous company. It is because previously he was worked at a computer shop and the shop only provided technician position for him.

The opinion of our group is giving higher position and authority to the employee is important. It is because when giving higher position and authority can lead to satisfaction for the employee and then the more efficiency work will come out. For example, the SPK Company was already set up computer system and records all the transaction by using computer and currently is better than earlier, because earlier is using hand writing to record the transaction and now the work is more efficiency.

2.1.2 Holistic Concern

Besides, company concern for their employee’s family was also important and it will also lead the satisfaction for the employee. If a company care about holistic concern for their employee then the employee will me more loyalty for the company it is because the company will giving a feeling to their employees about the company care for human relationship and not too tie follow the rules.

The IT consultant giving real example and saying that in year 2009, his grandfather was pass away, and the company was also allowed him to take emergency leave even though that time, he just join the company for few month only.

Besides, when his sister registered married in last year, the company also allowed him to take leave to attend for his sister’s registered married. According to this two cases, shown that the company care for employee’s family.

2.1.3 Benefit

Furthermore, the company also giving the benefit for employees likes Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Perkerja (KWSP), reward those who are done excellent job as an encouragement to encourage them to improve. Some benefit for the company giving KWSP is make sure their employee after retirement still can maintain their lifestyle. Besides, the company also invite their employee join a trip to have a holiday in oversea. This not only can enhance the relationship between each other and also can learn new knowledge from the trip.

2.2 Dissatisfaction

2.2.1 Salary

The information giving by the IT consultant, the salary giving by the company is not reach for his expectation. It is because he needs to cover his petrol fees and the company office is far away from his house. So it means that, he needs to drive all the way from Kulai to Skudai to work every day and the company didn’t give the subsidy for his petrol fees.

The opinion of our group is salary must be given depends on the requirement of the employee like depend on their capacity level or academic level. For example, company can set their introductory salary for the new employee and depend on their level. Moreover, the transport fees also should be given by the company to fulfill the employee’s satisfaction then only the turnover rate in the company will become lower.

2.2.2 Stress

According information giving by the consultant, the SPK Company is setting up franchise business. In year 2010, one new outlet has been opened in Kulai and it name as V-STAT stationary retailer shop. At the time, before open the new shop, the consultant has to rush up his work to inspect overall process of the new shop. For example, he has to inspect the decorate process; set up a computer system with can link to headquarter and recruit new employee. During the period, he was felt stressful to all these work, because he only was an IT consultant and the work giving by the top are too much. Those work given by the superior let him felt stressful and unsatisfied.

Stress is invisible pressure, some of company just wants to achieve the goal set and never concern for their employee by giving more tasks and the task given was out of range. Therefore, the employees will be in stress situation and the work done become lack of quality. So, superior must given task to an employee according to their ability then only the dissatisfaction of employee will not happen.

2.2.3 Poor working environment condition

The information given by the IT consultant, sometimes when he working in the office, he does not know what was happened outside, overwhelmingly more important, sometime he cannot distinguish night or day. It was because the working environment does not have window. Besides, the working area was also too narrow and the air conditioning was also not enough in the office.

The observation of our group the poor working environment condition was an unhealthy part. It is because the working environment condition leads to employees feel the work was rough boring and doing aimless work.

2.2.4 Location

The IT consultant provided the information that the location also will cause dissatisfaction to an employee. It is because the IT consultant lives in Kulai and every day need to drive car to his work place. Some more, he also had to fetch one of the worker of the company to work, it become a responsible for him. For example, sometimes he has urgent work to do; he had to arrange the transport for the worker, sometime he asks his friend to help.

On our group opinion, location can cause dissatisfaction of an employee. It is because the location was causes some cases. For example, the IT consultant has to wake up early every morning in order to catch to work. Moreover, the transportation also was a reason.

2.2.5 Too much overtime and working hour

Based on the information given by the IT consultant, too much overtime and working hour given by the company. Normally the working hour for him is 8.30a.m. Until 6.00p.m. But because of his superior want to get more business that is student’s business, his always had to do overtime until 7.00p.m it is because student back home from school on 6.45p.m. So, by this reason lead him to feel dissatisfaction.

The opinion of our group, too much overtime will lead to dissatisfaction for an employee, even though the company will pay extra salary, but money is not everything for human being. For example, the relationship of family cannot measure by money and it is important for every human being.

3.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, satisfaction and dissatisfaction of employee is an important part to determine success of the company. If a company within high turnover rate, the employee in the company might not be able to perform well it is because lack of trust and understanding of each other by contraries which is low turnover rate, the company can more easily achieve the goal. So every company or organization must try to meet the satisfaction of every employee in order to get better work.

Question 2: What are the remedies an organization can undertake to rectify the dissatisfaction of its employees?

1.0 Introduction

In an organization, employees always have satisfaction and dissatisfaction on their job. When dissatisfaction happens it can influence on employee working performance, efficiency and attitude on their work. And it will directly cause to the organization. Dissatisfaction because of the employees is not pleased on the organization, so the employees will feel unsatisfied and not happy with the organization. It will cause loss and not good for the organization.

2.0 Body

2.1 Not be respect and trust

Employees need to be respect and trust by the upper management. If not it can let employees feel dissatisfaction with the company. Because that, the company are giving too many task and pressure to them, so they will feel unsatisfied and unhappy on the work. And this will cause the employees leave the company.

For overcome this factor, company can organize some activities that employees wish to want. As for what activities should organize, employees should given the chance to voice out their suggestions. Here are some of the activities that suggested by the employees that we have interviewed, which are co-diner or outing with colleagues or company, and family gathering together. They just want to get together with their colleagues or friends, enjoy with them in the absence of work and without pressure. As an upper management, they should always try to accept employees’ ideas. This is a very good way to resolve the dissatisfaction of employees. This is because employees feel that they are respected by company once their opinions or ideas are accepted by company.

2.2 Lack of skills and knowledge

Furthermore, some employees feel that working for the company will not lead to the kind of future they want. This means that, although some employees do not like their own job but are still “forced” to work on that due to the lack of skills and knowledge. What’s more, employees will feel boring or listless during working if they are not interested with the job that they in. By this, the sales might be drop. Thus, company has to know what their employees needs are in order to rectify the dissatisfaction of employees.

Firstly, company should make a better recruitment and selection. As we mentioned that, training is available for employees in this company. Therefore, employees will learn and know more skills and knowledge than previously after they have been trained. For example, an organization can try for a new strategy, which is switching the employees from one section to another section once three months or half year. With good skills, employees can easily switch from one part to another part. By this, they not only will not feel tired or bored to their job, but also interested in their work. The most importance thing is they have put the right resource to the right position or area.

In addition, company can give their employees the opportunity for promotion according to their performance. For example, if an employee helped company by increasing sales or solve the problems faced, this particular employee should given an opportunity for promotion. The company should give their employees a chance by offering them position or status together with power. Of course, they should be the one who possess the quality that is needed.

2.3 Company policy

Company policy is one of the reasons that lead to dissatisfaction of employees. Moreover, some employees are dissatisfied with their immediate supervisor whom provides a not enough role model as they doing nothing while others are busy and tired in doing job. This can be considered as a serious problem and must be rectified as soon as possible. For example, you ask yourself; will you happy if your immediate supervisor assigned all the work for you and after that, they just sit there and doing nothing? In this case, company should give warning to that particular supervisor. Additionally, company should let them know that it’s important to let people follow you willingly. You should have the same side with your people if you wish to follow by them willingly. Once people are willing to follow you, this means that dissatisfaction has been resolved.

2.4 Lack of Supportive team

Lack of team spirit and level of cooperation among employees is one of the causes of dissatisfaction of employees, which means that they are desire to work together with the others. There might be a situation that a group of friends work in different section. And, they feel that it’s not very satisfied as they have no chance to work together. Normally, people will enjoy their work if they are work together with friends. In addition, lack of cooperation or team spirit between employees could bring an effect to a company due to miscommunication between employees might happen, and, might lead to some bad things happen. This is because there might not close to each other due to the lack of cooperation. When there is something happen, people will tend to blame each other. To resolve this dissatisfaction, the company has to creating a supportive team environment to support their employees’ strengths and help them overcome their weaknesses. Further more, the employee will be more teamwork in working with colleague and less conflict happens, it will lead the company become more successful.

2.5 Too much of Overtime and working hour

Too much of overtime or working hour too long will also can be dissatisfaction on the employees. This happen because of they had to spend most of time on work and less with their family, and it will let them cannot gather and some more only meet their family member few time in a week, so it will let them be not satisfied. Normally, people are more towards to personal individual interest and they are family oriented. Dissatisfaction of employees can be caused easily because of they do not have much chance to gather with their family, outing with them, or co-diner with them. Therefore, company should let their employees to balance up between their family and work, which is called holistic concern. Show holistic concern to the employees and their family, it would give employees be satisfied with the company and they will more loyalty to the company.

2.6 Poor welfare provide

Company welfare is defined as realized that the employee is the most important resource, the company have many beneficial development programs for their employee. Not only salary is important for the employee, the welfare are also very important for them. So, if the company is provided poor welfare for the employee, the employee will be not satisfied and they might transfer to others company. Because of that, the company is not support them for some necessary needs.

To solve this problem, the company can provide better welfare to the employee. For example, provide transport, health care, give them to continue their further studies and buy insurance for them. They can be satisfied by these elements because the company are sincerely and show support on them. So, the employees will willingly to stay and continue work in the company.

3.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, dissatisfaction is a very serious problem that faced by the employees and it directly caused to the company. The company must be take action to rectify this kind of problem, because employees is the main power working for the company, if they feel unsatisfied with the company, they will leave the company or no mood to work. Therefore, the company must find out the remedies to rectify the dissatisfaction faced by the employees.

Reference

Organizational Behavior, Hiriyappa, B, 2009, New Age International, Viewed 20/03/11.

Work Values and Organizational Behavior, Stashevsky, Kolowsky & Sagie, December 2002, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, Viewed 20/03/11.

Managing Organizational Behavior, Sims, Ronald. R, June 2002, Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, Viewed 21/03/11.

http://books.google.com.my/books?id=zb0cItqvLJUC&pg=PT315&lpg=PT315&dq=holistic+concern&source=bl&ots=IoDnL6htIF&sig=2m8_eWjEKbTYgjSE72JnJuJgWT0&hl=en&ei=-7qITf6jEMymrAe45K3RDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=holistic%20concern&f=false, Viewed 22/03/11.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/creating-supportive-engaging-work-environment-helps-fight-employee-burnout/5035231, Viewed 22/03/11.

Bibliography

Organizational Behavior, Hiriyappa, B, 2009, New Age International, Viewed 20/03/11.

Work Values and Organizational Behavior, Stashevsky, Kolowsky & Sagie, December 2002, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, Viewed 20/03/11.

Managing Organizational Behavior, Sims, Ronald. R, June 2002, Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated, Viewed 21/03/11.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/creating-supportive-engaging-work-environment-helps-fight-employee-burnout/5035231, Viewed 22/03/11.

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