Study Of The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction And Organisational Commitment

These different factors all affect job satisfaction of certain individuals in a given set of circumstances but not necessarily in others.

THE CONCEPT OF ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT

The concept of commitment plays an important part in Human resources Management (HRM) philosophy. As Guest (1987) has suggested, HRM policies are designed to maximize organisational integration, employee commitment, flexibility and quality of work. Commitment refers to attachment and loyalty. As defined by Porter et al (1974), commitment is the relative strength of the individual’s identification with, and involvement in, a particular organization. It consists of three factors:

• A strong desire to remain a member of the organization;
• A strong belief in, and acceptance of the values and goals of the organization;
• A readiness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization.

As Salancik (1977) put it, commitment is a state of being in which an individual becomes bound by his actions to beliefs that sustain his activities and his own involvement. Three features of behavior are important in binding individuals to their acts: the visibility of the acts, the extent to which the outcomes are irrevocable, and the degree to which the person undertakes the action voluntarily. Commitment, according to Salancik, can be increased and harnessed to obtain support for organisational ends and interests through such ploys as participation in decisions about actions.

The degree to which an employee identifies with the goals and values of the organization and is willing to exert effort to help it succeed. Herscovitch and Meyer (2004). Loyalty is argued to be an important intervening variable between the structural conditions of work, and the values, and expectations, of employees, and their decision to stay, or leave. Positive and rewarding features of work are expected to increase loyalty, which in turn, will reduce the likelihood of leaving. Loyalty becomes stabilized with, tenure, which partly explains the negative relationship typically found between tenure and turnover. Development of organisational commitment Two major theoretical approaches emerge from research on commitment. Firstly, commitment is viewed as an attitude of attachment to the organization, which leads to particular job-related behaviours. The committed employee, for example, is less often absent, and is less likely to leave the organization voluntarily than are less committed employees. Bard ,(2002). Secondly, one line of research in organizations focuses on the implications of certain types of behaviours on subsequent attitudes. A typical finding is that employees who freely choose to behave in a certain way, and who find their decision difficult to change, become committed to the chosen behavior and develop attitudes consistent with their choice. Bard ,(2002). One approach emphasizes the influence of commitment attitudes on behaviours, whereas the other emphasizes the influence of committing behaviours on attitudes. However, these two approaches are viewed as inherently inter-related. The process through which commitment is 13 developed may involve self-reinforcing cycles of attitudes and behaviours that evolve on the job, and, over time, strengthen employee commitment to the organization, Bard (2002). Meyer and Allen (2004) present these three approaches and defined their three-dimensional constructs as affective, continuance and normative commitment. Affective commitment to, identification with, and involvement in, the organization (based on positive feelings, or emotions, towards the organization. The antecedents for affective commitment include perceived job characteristics (task autonomy, task significance, task identity, skill variety and supervisory feedback), organisational dependability (extent to which employees feel the organization can be counted on to look after their interests) and perceived participatory management (extent to which employees feel they can influence decisions on the work environment and other issues of concern to them). Continuance commitment refers to commitment based on the costs that the employee associates with leaving the organization (due to high cost of living). Potential antecedents of continuance commitment include age and tenure can function as predictors of continuance commitment, primarily because of roles as surrogate measures of investment in the organization. Age can also be negatively related to the number of available alternative job opportunities. Meyer and Allen (2004). Normative commitment refers to an employee’s feeling of obligation to remain with the organization (based on the employee having internalized 14 the values and goals of the organization). The potential antecedents for normative commitment include co-worker commitment (including affective and normative dimensions, as well as commitment behaviours), organisational dependability and participatory management. Co-workers commitment is expected to provide normative signals that influence the development of normative commitment. Organisational dependability and perceived participatory management are expected to instill a sense of moral obligation to reciprocate to the organization. Meyer and Allen (2004)

FACTORS AFFECTING ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT.

Kochan and Dyer (1993) have indicated that the factors affecting the level of commitment in what they call mutual commitment firms are as follows:

Strategic level:

- Supportive business strategies;

- Top management value commitment

- Effective voice for HR in strategy making and governance

Functional (human resource policy) level:

- Staffing based on employment stabilization;

- Investment in training and development;

- Contingent compensation that reinforces co-operation, participation and contribution. ï‚· Work Level:

- Selection based on high standards

- Broad task design and teamwork

- Employee involvement in problem solving

- Climate of co-operation and trust.

The research carried out by Purcell et al (2003) established that the key policy and practice factors influencing levels of commitment were:

• received training last year;
• are satisfied with career opportunities;
• think managers are good in people management;
• find their form helps them achieve a work company performance.

Developing a Commitment Strategy

A commitment strategy will be based on the high commitment model aimed to develop commitment. The aim will be to increase identification with the organization, develop feelings of loyalty among its employees, provide a context within which motivation and therefore performance will increase, and reduce employee turnover. Armstrong (2003). Steps to create commitment will be concerned with both strategic goals and values. They may include initiatives to increase involvement and ownership, communication, leadership development, developing a sense of excitement in the job, and developing various HR policy and practice initiatives. Armstrong (2003).

Developing ownership

A sense of belonging is enhanced if there is a feeling of ‘ownership’ among employees, in the sense of believing they are genuinely accepted by management as key stakeholders in the organization. They should be  involved in making decisions, and feel that their ideas have been listened to and that they have contributed to the outcome.

Communication programmes

It may seen to be obvious that commitment will only be gained if people understand what they are expected to commit to, but managements too often fail to pay sufficient attention to delivering the message in terms that recognize that the frame of reference for those who receive it is likely to be quite different from their own. Management’s expectations will not necessarily coincide with those of employees. In delivering the message, the use of different and complementary channels of communication such as newsletters, briefing groups, videos and notice boards is often neglected.

Leadership development

Commitment is enhanced if managers can gain the confidence and respect of their teams and development programmes to improve the quality of leadership should form an important part of any strategy for increasing commitment. Management training can also be focused on increasing the competence of managers in specific areas of their responsibility for gaining commitment, such as performance management.

Developing a sense of excitement in the job

A sense excitement in the job can be created by concentrating on the intrinsic motivating factors such as responsibility, achievement and recognition, using these principles to govern the way in which jobs are designed. Excitement in job is also created by the quality of leadership and