What makes people like to stay on their jobs - Essay Example

?What makes people happy to stay on their jobs? Human resource management is one of the fundamentals of organizational management as it deals with the most valuable asset, employees. Unlike other assets, human resource is sensitive to environmental factors that determine employees’ utility levels towards happiness and mobility rate. Based on developed level of satisfaction and happiness, employees determine whether to continue working for an organization or not. The factors also determine the employees’ productivity level, should they choose to remain in an organization. It is therefore important to investigate conditions that determine employees’ happiness and satisfaction to stay in jobs and reasons why employees may not like their jobs. Non-monetary factors Non-monetary factors are essential determinants of employees’ utility in a workplace. As a result, they are able to make an employee happy or not. An employee will for instance be happy if considered non-monetary factors meet his or her expectations. A match between job descriptions and an employee’s traits or abilities is one of the non-monetary factors that determine a person’s happiness in a job. This is because of the different expertise that each type of job requires and the involved strain in performing a job, should an employee lack the required skills or traits. Matching employees with jobs that require their skills, level of experience and traits therefore eliminates strain in work, improves utility, and induce happiness. Employees in such working conditions like their jobs and would prefer to remain in the jobs and work effectively towards productivity. Mismatching employees’ ability with job requirements however identifies strains and incompetence in work that may discourage employees and lead to job dislike (Gaurav 9). Appreciating and recognizing employees are other non-monetary factors that influence employees’ happiness (Gaurav 9). This is because of the associated self worth that leads to self-confidence and internal motivation among employees. Examples of appreciation include congratulating an employee for an achievement such as meeting set objectives or doing an outstanding work. Recognition is, however, achieved by identifying an employee’s performance or characteristics before peers. An appreciated or recognized employee therefore develops a self worth into satisfaction and happiness while lack of appreciation and recognition demoralizes employees who may consequently develop negative attitude towards their jobs. Presence of stress in a work environment is another non-monetary factor that determines employees’ happiness and developed attitudes towards a job. Stress primarily reduces people’s level of happiness and utility. Stressed employees will therefore be unhappy and would not like their jobs while employees who work in a stress free environment are likely to be happy and like their jobs (Gaurav 9). Monetary factors Monetary factors define direct financial advancements to employees. Remunerations, rewards, and appraisal-based advancements are examples. Even though not regarded as principal determinant to employees’ satisfaction in a job, money is instrumental. Employees will for example be comfortable when their basic remunerations match their competence and their level of input to an organization. A relatively low remuneration level would therefore not satisfy an employee and would lead to unhappiness. An underpaid employee will also most likely not appreciate the job and would be ready to leave for an opportunity that can match competence with pay. An organization’s reward system is another monetary factor to employees’ satisfaction and happiness that is directly associated with non-monetary aspects of appreciation and recognition. A performance-based reward for example indicates an organization’s appreciation of an employees’ performance and initiates the employees’ satisfaction in the work. Rewarded employees will therefore be happy and satisfied in their work. Similarly, those who have not been rewarded will appreciate the organization’s efforts and will work hard to also achieve rewards. Lack of monetary reward system together with poor remuneration base however fails to motivate employees who may not like the organization, and their work, especially if other organizations in the industry offer better pay and attractive reward systems (Gaurav 10). Interpersonal relations Interpersonal relationships between an employee and other members of an organization are another set of factors that determines an employee’s happiness and level of satisfaction in a work environment. The relationships exist in three different forms, relationships with seniors, relationships with peers and relationships with juniors in an organization. Good interpersonal relationships with supervisors allow for a supportive working environment that is satisfying and motivating towards happiness. This is because any identified problem is resolved positively and the employee is able to learn and grow. Bad relationships with a supervisor however lead to victimizations and the employee receives any form of correction negatively. Good interpersonal relationships with peers are another condition in a work environment that makes employees happy because of the available support, both moral and technical, in the employee’s scope of duty. Similarly, a developed level of good relations with subordinates promotes strong leadership and control over the junior employees. This allows for easy time and leads to happiness and fulfillment in an employee’s work. Poor relations with peers and subordinates may however lead to victimizations and stress towards dislike of an employee’s job (Grigoroudis and Siskos 77). Responsibility Viewed from motivational perspectives, an employee’s level of responsibility in an organization is an essential factor to happiness and satisfaction. This is because responsibility, such as leadership, is associated with recognition and superiority over other employees. It therefore identifies self worth as well as appreciation of an individual’s potentials within the institution and like non-monetary factors, generates happiness and utility in an employee. Effects of responsibility in an employee’s happiness and satisfaction are further more significant when associated with privileges, promotions, and monetary awards (Grigoroudis and Siskos 77). Working conditions Working conditions is another instrumental factor in employees’ happiness and satisfaction within their jobs. Favorable working conditions such as favorable and flexible working hours, and recreational facilities to reduce or eliminate fatigue ensures employees’ well being towards happiness while unfavorable conditions demoralizes and may lead to job dislike (Grigoroudis and Siskos 77). Conclusion Favorable factors in employees’ working environments therefore ensure their happiness and satisfaction and make them want to stay on their jobs. Examples of such factors include matched job description and employee’s personality, recognition, good remuneration and reward policies, positive relations, and responsibility in an organization. Lack of these factors however demoralizes employees who may develop negative attitude towards their jobs and prefer to leave their positions. Works Cited Gaurav, Kunal. Drivers of employee satisfaction and attrition: A quantitative investigation. Santa Cruz, CA: GRIN Verlag, 2012. Print. Grigoroudis, Evangelos, and Yannis Siskos. Customer satisfaction evaluation: Methods for measuring and implementing service quality. London, UK: Springer, 2009. Print. Read More