Paul Lobo

An Assessment of the Job Satisfaction of Employees of Groundscape Management Corporation Paul Bernard G. Lobo University of the Philippines Open University PM 299.2: Research Methods in Public Management (SS 2016) Professor: Josefina G. Tayag, DPA Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 5 OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................................................................................................. 5 Job Satisfaction Defined ................................................................................................................................. 6 Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction.................................................................................................. 6 Job Satisfaction and Work Performance ................................................................................................. 7 Summary of Related Literature .................................................................................................................. 7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .......................................................................................................................... 8 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................ 8 DEFINITION OF TERMS ...................................................................................................................................... 9 METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................................................................. 10 Data Matrix ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Survey of GMC Employees ......................................................................................................................... 10 Performance Assessment ........................................................................................................................... 11 Interview of HR Specialist.......................................................................................................................... 11 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Company Background and Structure .................................................................................................... 12 Level of Job Satisfaction in GMC .............................................................................................................. 14 Job Satisfaction and Performance ........................................................................................................... 17 Implications to GMC ..................................................................................................................................... 17 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................................... 19 2 List of Tables Table 1. Classification of Positions, Remuneration and Benefits of GMC Employees, As of April 30, 2016 Table 2. Rating of Job Satisfaction by GMC Employees, As of April 30, 2016 Table 3. Job Satisfaction Ratings by Classification of GMC Workers, by Sphere of Job Satisfaction, April 2015 Table 4. Test of Relationship Between Age of Respondent, Years of Service in Company and Job Satisfaction, GMC, April 2015 Table 5. Test of Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Work Performance, GMC, April 2015 3 INTRODUCTION In recent years the Philippines has been achieving high economic growth of 6.3% per annum (Balisacan, 2015). This impressive growth can be attributed to a dynamic and growing services sector. Compared to a share of 36% in the mid-1980s, the services sector has been undergoing rapid expansion now accounts for 57% of the country’s economy (Mitra, 2013). According to the World Bank (2013), the services exports sub sector, particularly in business process outsourcing has proven to be one of the best performing in the world. The prospects for continued growth in this sector remain bright. Services provided for local consumption also form a considerable part of the services sector. This include wholesale and retail trade, information and communication, real estate activities, human health and social work, accommodation and food services and education, real estate activities. Businesses like landscaping and ground maintenance fall under the category of real estate activities. With the ongoing boom in real estate and infrastructure development, the potential for growth are encouraging (GMC, 2016). Competition has been increasing as well. Entry into this line of business is relatively easy. As it is in the category of small and medium enterprises, it does not require much capital investment. While businesses depend on a relatively large manpower complement, they do not require high level of technology. Most services are labor intensive. To remain competitive, companies need to innovate and maintain operating costs at a minimum and pricing of services low. Companies like, Groundscape Management Corporation, have thus endeavored to innovate in their operations to remain highly competitive in this line of business. The company is family-owned and -managed, and is engaged in ground maintenance, landscape engineering and manpower supply. It has been in the business of landscaping and ground maintenance for more than 30 years. With growing competition and increasing demand for efficiency, the company worked on innovations in ground maintenance services and infrastructure cleaning. Under the leadership of its first Chief Executive Officer, cleaning equipment were specially-designed and developed during the period-. The company also invested in state-of the-art mechanized road sweeper (GMC Company Profile, 2015). These additional investments were undertaken to increase its competitiveness and to replace workers in manual cleaning assignments in highways who are exposed to the risks of vehicular accidents. This has given Groundscape the comparative advantage over rival companies in the operation of highly specialized work, such as, road cleaning and infrastructure maintenance. (Oaferina, JR, 2016) Notwithstanding the investments in mechanization that Groundscape has made the past years, however, the company still recognizes that its most valuable resource are its personnel consisting of about 190 unskilled and skilled workers and administrative staff. The company’s major clients continue to demand a high standard in the service and performance of cleaning and maintenance work. While innovation and additional 4 investments in equipment have given the company some edge over its competitors, the performance of its workers remain paramount. The continued fulfillment of client expectations depends to a large extent, on the performance of its employees. The employees undertake various functions: from janitorial services and infrastructure cleaning, to landscaping and ground maintenance. The company must continue to maintain a high standard of quality that is demanded and appreciated by its clients. And as the prospects of growth in this sub sector of the services industry remain bright, the expansion of the company’s business will be enhanced as well. The primary task, therefore, of current management is to ensure that workers are highly motivated to achieve high level of performance. RESEARCH QUESTIONS How satisfied with their jobs are the employees of GMC? Does the level of job satisfaction impact on worker performance or productivity? What factors influence job satisfaction of workers in the company? OBJECTIVES To assess the level of satisfaction of workers in GMC, the factors that influence worker satisfaction and the corresponding effect on worker productivity or performance. 1. To discuss the case of GMC as an organization and what it provides by way of remuneration and benefits; 2. To discuss what makes for job satisfaction from the point of view of employees in the Groundscape organization, the factors that contribute to it, including leadership, supervision, communication, work conditions; 3. To assess the level of job satisfaction among the workers and its relationship to worker performance; 4. To identify measures for enhancing job satisfaction of GMC employees as well as challenges; and, 5. To make recommendations that may enhance performance of employees. REVIEW OF LITERATURE It is generally assumed that workers who are satisfied with their jobs are better motivated and should perform well in their work. Thus, it is incumbent upon Groundscape to assess the level of job satisfaction of company workers and understand what factors intrinsic and extrinsic to their work assignment influence job satisfaction. An apprehension of the determinants of worker satisfaction and the relationship of job satisfaction with worker performance will be useful in shaping company strategy to ensure client satisfaction. 5 The literature review focused on how job satisfaction is defined, the determinants of job satisfaction and the correlation between job satisfaction and worker performance. The purpose is to gain an appreciation of these concepts with the perspective of improving business operations for long term profitability and sustained growth. Job Satisfaction Defined Spector (as cited by Lumley, 2011) explained that “job satisfaction is simply how people feel about their jobs and different aspects of their jobs; it is the extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) their jobs”. In the field of organization research it is more widely regarded as "a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences" (Locke, 1976). This attitude toward work can be elaborated by considering particular aspects of a worker’s job: nature of work, earnings, promotion, recognition, benefits, working conditions, supervision, co-employees, company, and management (Locke, as cited in Buitendach and De Witte 2005). In the Philippine context, job satisfaction is usually equated with worker’s willingness to stay or to continue working for the current employer because of their appreciation of their job. Majority of the respondents to a survey conducted by JobStreet.com indicated that they remain at their current employment because they like what they are doing. And regardless of other factors like compensation, tenure, or having friends in the office, people leave when they don’t like what they do. (Manila Bulletin, October 27, 2013; http://www.mb.com.ph/love-of-job-not-salary-makes-workers-stay-study/) Factors Contributing to Job Satisfaction Various researches on the attitudes and behaviors of workers have determined that certain management practices can influence job satisfaction. Hackman and Oldham (1976) identified five core job characteristics – skill variety, task identity, task significance, feedback and autonomy – that can contribute to job satisfaction. Other studies submit that all of these attributes positively influence satisfaction in different kinds of work (Sultan, 2012). Study undertaken by Danish and Usman (2010) found that rewards (wages, benefits, promotions and incentives) and recognition (acknowledgment by organization of employee performance and appreciation given to the employee) provide to some extent satisfaction to employees. Javed et al (2012) posit that both rewards and recognition lead to higher levels of motivation which influences satisfaction and performance. Training and development have been found to be a significant source of worker satisfaction (Mukhtar et al, 2012) and positively influences performance (Husin et al, 2012). A quantitative study covering 159 agency-hired blue collar contractual workers within Metro Manila looked into job characteristics, rewards and recognition, and training and development as determinants of job satisfaction (and organizational citizenship behaviors). 6 The research found that while these antecedent variables were correlated with both job satisfaction, only job characteristics and training and development emerged as strong determinants of job satisfaction (Lomoya et al, 2015). The study concluded that “Filipino agency-hired blue-collar contractual workers give utmost importance to the conditions of their work”. Rewards and recognition are valued by workers, but to achieve better work attitudes and behaviors and eventually to encourage workers “to perform extra-role behaviors”, they have to be provided with satisfactory job features. Local hiring practices could also negatively impact on job satisfaction. Contractual or temporary nature of work is being resorted to by more and more businesses in the Philippines (Ofreneo, 2013). Because of the nature of their recruitment, they are presumed to get less tangible and intangible benefits from their employers (Van Dyne and Ang, 1998). Studies comparing job satisfaction between regular and contractual workers showed that satisfaction is lower among the latter type of employees (Wilkin, 2013). But there remains a dearth of studies that focus on the subject. Slattery et al (2010) as cited by Lomoya (2015) reported that the effect of management practices related to motivation, rewards, recognition, training and development on contractual workers, attitudes and behaviors received limited attention from scholars. Job Satisfaction and Work Performance Managers have long held to the belief that “a happy worker is a productive worker”. The notion that satisfaction and job performance are directly related to one another is often cited in media. Various studies that have examined the correlation of employee’s ratings of job satisfaction and performance ratings of their supervisors have demonstrated the close link between the two variables (Wright and Doherty 1998). The relationship of satisfaction to productivity, however, is not as straightforward as generally believed. A meta-analysis found low correlations between job satisfaction and performance. In addition, this study showed that the relationship between satisfaction and performance can be influenced by job complexity. “In high-complexity jobs the correlation between satisfaction and performance is higher than for jobs of low to moderate complexity” (Judge, 2001). Summary of Related Literature The studies show that certain management practices have some bearing on the level of job satisfaction among workers. The link between job satisfaction and performance is not as strong as generally assumed, especially when the level of job complexity is factored into the equation. In the services sector of the Philippines, many companies have resorted to labor contractualization. It is a practice that is fast becoming prevalent and which Groundscape Management Corporation has adopted. Yet, research on the subject of how management 7 practices impact on attitudes and behaviors of temporary workers have been very limited. In a highly competitive business environment, it is important to understand how job satisfaction may be enhanced and eventually impact positively on worker performance. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The characteristics of a job (skill variety, task identity, task significance, feedback and autonomy) can contribute positively to job satisfaction according to Hackman and Oldham (1976). The type of engagement – regular or contractual/ temporary – can either have a positive or negative effect on job satisfaction. An appointment that offers security of tenure (i.e. regular) will have a positive effect. But contractual appointment will not contribute positively to worker satisfaction (Wilkin, 2013). Rewards and recognition, and the provision of training and development opportunities to employees can increase worker satisfaction (Javed et al, 2012). Generally, when workers feel satisfied with their jobs, they may feel more motivated. They will then perform better in their work assignments. However, this largely depends on the type of work they undertake. As deduced from research undertaken by Judge (2001), job satisfaction will contribute more to worker performance in more complex positions rather than in unskilled work. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Employees at Groundscape may be classified into two groups: Administrative and Field Operations. Administrative staff are those engaged in office support work (accountants, bookkeeper, clerk, timekeepers, office assistant and supervisors). They have regular tenure. Field Operations consist of drivers, cleaning and maintenance workers, machine operators and equipment operators. They are considered project-based and have contractual/ temporary appointments. Administrative Staff would manifest higher job satisfaction (compared to Field Operations Staff) for the following reasons: regular nature appointment, compensation and opportunities for training and development, and potential career advancement. By the nature of their work and level of compensation, field operations staff will indicate lower level of job satisfaction. However, the length of service of Field operations staff will positively influence their level of job satisfaction. Workers who have stayed with the company for longer periods (e.g. 3 years and above) will have favorable impressions of their status and tenure in the company and correspondingly, will have higher level of job satisfaction and performance. 8 While compensation in Groundscape is based on skill level (skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled), worker perception of other benefits such as, emergency assistance and salary cash advances shall have an impact on the level of job satisfaction and performance. DESIRED EFFECTS CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS Type of employment (administrative-technical or field operations) Job characteristics Employee perception of significance of work assignment, benefits and status in the company Knowledge of job requirements and client expectations. High level of job satisfaction More motivated employees Satisfactory worker performance Longer stay by employee in company Achievement by company of objectives DEFINITION OF TERMS Job satisfaction Conceptual: The extent to which people like (satisfaction) or dislike (dissatisfaction) their jobs (Spector, 1997); the extent to which a person’s hopes, desires, and expectations about the employment he or she is engaged in are fulfilled (Collins, 2014) Operational: The response of an employee to questions of various aspects of his/her job. Using a Rating Scale, respondent selects a number between 1 and 6 that corresponds to answers from “strong disagreement” to “strong agreement” to issues regarding the nature of his/her work, conditions in the work place, supervision, management and leadership. Job performance Conceptual: The work-related activities of an employee and how well those activities are executed (BusinessDictionary.com) Operational: A rating given by an employee’s immediate supervisor of how well activities assigned to him/her have been executed. The supervisor makes a direct judgement about the quality of the worker’s performance on different aspects of his/ her performance; i.e. if it “meets expectations”, is “below expectation” or performance is “not acceptable”. 9 METHODOLOGY Data Matrix Data needed Where to get them How to analyze them Ethical aspects Impressions of employees concerning work conditions and various aspects of their work Interview of sample of employees Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient test to determine correlation between: Informed consent needed; individual employee responses will be kept confidential Level of satisfaction of employees with their jobs at GMC Interview of sample of employees Informed consent needed; individual employee responses will be kept confidential Performance rating of the sampled employees by immediate supervisor Interview of immediate supervisor  Contributory factors and level of job satisfaction;  Job satisfaction and performance rating by immediate supervisor Description of remuneration and benefits of GMC for its employees Interview of key GMC officers (General Manager, Accountant, HR Manager) Compare GMC practice with existing labor regulations and industry standards to determine compliance Informed consent needed; confidentiality of information to be respected Validation of data gathered from GMC Officers with some employees during survey Alternatives available to GMC concerning HR strategies, worker compensation and benefits Review of secondary materials (labor regulations, HR effective practices) Informed consent needed; individual employee responses will be kept confidential Determine cost implications and compare with potential benefits Interview of HR expert (external) The following activities were conducted to gather information required for this research: Survey of GMC Employees A sample of 25 employees (out of 190) equivalent to 13 percent of total were interviewed concerning their expectations and preferences concerning various aspects of their work. 10 The sample was taken at random using a table of random numbers. Both administrativetechnical and field operations staff were represented in the sample. 7 administrativetechnical staff in the GMC organization were covered while 18 employees from Field Operations were included in the sample. The questionnaire used for the survey is in Annex A. This was pre-tested on 3 employees (1 Administrative-Technical and 2 Field Operations staff). The pre-test showed the need to translate the questions to ordinary, everyday language. The respondents normally found it difficult to understand very formal Filipino. For instance, in the first version of the Filipino translation, satisfaction criterion #3: “I have the tools and resources to do my job well” was translated to “Mayroon akong mga kasangkapan at kaparaanan upang magawa ko ang aking trabaho.” The respondent during the pre-test could not fully understand the question until it was translated to the less formal version of “Nasa akin ang lahat ng kailangan ko para maisagawa ang aking trabaho”. The survey also included open-ended questions on “suggestions for the improvement of GMC” and “2- 3 things we need to work on to improve company performance”. The respondents in the pre-test could not find any difference between the 2 questions. So, in the final questionnaire, these 2 questions were combined to one: “What suggestions do you have to improve the work of GMC?” And as requested by GMC management, another question on safety in the work place was added to the Satisfaction Survey (#16: “I am satisfied with company instructions and measures concerning safety in my work”). The Informed Consent Form for the interview of sampled workers is in Annex B. This was explained to the respondents in Filipino. Performance Assessment The immediate supervisors of the interviewed employees were requested to undertake a performance review of research participants. The supervisors used a standard form for the performance rating of the workers which looked into various aspects of the workers’ behavior, such as, dedication, cooperation, initiative communication and teamwork. The Performance Evaluation Form is in Annex C. Interview of HR Specialist An external specialist on Human Resource Management was interviewed on measures available to GMC to improve worker benefits and job conditions. The HR Specialist was also consulted on methods that can be employed by GMC to increase worker motivation, job satisfaction and performance. 11 RESULTS Company Background and Structure Groundscape Management Corporation started out as a landscaping business of the founder. From a single proprietorship, it was transformed into a family corporation and registered as APL Landscape & Agri Services, Inc. in May 1997. When the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a prohibition on the use of owners’ initials in the name of a corporation, APL was transformed to Groundscape Management Corporation in December 2008. The company has a relatively lean management structure (Figure 1). It is headed by a General Manager. In the overall supervision of projects and activities, the General Manager is supported by 2 Managers for Operations and Finance and Administration. Field Supervisors oversee the day-to-day operations of the field workers across different project assignments. Figure 1. GMC Organizational Chart Source: Groundscape Management Corporation 12 Remuneration of workers at GMC is based on position and level of skill. There are 7 classifications of employees. Starting with unskilled workers, the pay is based on minimum wage in Metro Manila plus cost of living allowance. Semi-skilled workers receive a higher basic wage and can move to ‘Skilled’ category depending on performance and in the course of their assignment. The Technician level is the highest classification in field operations. Workers assigned to these positions are tasked with higher responsibilities and more sensitive functions, like safety and quality control. Administrative staff are those based at the GMC head office and provide office support to the management. The main management positions are the Field Supervisor and Operations Manager. They have oversight for about 20 to 30 workers. Table 1. Classification of Positions, Remuneration and Benefits of GMC Employees, As of April 30, 2016 Classification Positions Salary Rate Benefits Unskilled Maintenance worker Office cleaner Drainage declogger Ground sweeper Office Assistant Php 466.00 per day + Php15.00 cost of living allowance All government-mandated:  SSS, HDMF, PhilHealth  Service incentive leave  13th month Semi-skilled Mason Electrician I Carpenter I Plumber I Welder I Driver Electrician II Carpenter II Plumber II Welder II Preventive maintenance worker Lead man Accountant Assistant Accountant Admin. Assistant HR Officer Payroll Officer Field Supervisor Operations Manager General Manager Php 495.00 per day Same as above Php 515.00 per day Same as above Php 535.00 per day Same as above Php 15,000.00 – 20,00.00 per month Same as above Php 20,000.00 – 35,000 per month Php 50,000.00 per month and above Same as above + transportation allowance Same as above + transportation allowance Skilled Technician Administrative Management Senior Management Source: Finance and Administrative Staff, GMC. 13 Level of Job Satisfaction in GMC The survey of workers in the company showed a generally acceptable level of job satisfaction. 90% of responses indicated satisfaction with various attributes of their work. (Table 2.) The workers were most satisfied with safety measures undertaken by the company in the work place and in the conduct of their assignments (Question #16). Field supervisors have been strictly applying rules on safety gear (protective helmet, reflective vests, proper footwear, appropriate trousers and the like). Workers are also reminded about proper boarding of vehicles and the use of reflective vests at all times. Warnings and appropriate penalties are given to workers who violate these regulations. Under no circumstances are the Field Supervisors and workers of GMC allowed to compromise on these rules. Quality in work has been emphasized by GMC leadership constantly. The company is known for its high standard of quality and performance. Apparently, this has figured prominently in the mindset of the workers and reflects the high level of satisfaction with regard to quality goals in their work (Question #4). This appears related to a feeling of personal accomplishment expressed by the respondents (Question #2). Overall, the survey participants indicated high level of satisfaction in their job (Question #13). Table 2. Rating of Job Satisfaction by GMC Employees, As of April 30, 2016 Item 1. I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things. 2. My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment. 3. I have the tools and resources to do my job well. 4. In my job, I have clearly defined quality goals. 5. My job is important and affects others within or outside the GMC organization 6. GMC does an excellent job of keeping employees informed about matters affecting us 7. When a customer is dissatisfied, I can usually correct the problem to their satisfaction. 8. My job makes good use of my skills and abilities 9. My supervisor’s manager visibly demonstrates a commitment to quality 10. I am satisfied you with the information I receive from management on what is going on 11. I receive information about my Strongly Disagree (1) Disagree (2) Somewhat Disagree (3) 0 1 2 0 0 0 (5) Strongly Agree (6) Average Score 3 6 13 5.1 0 3 9 13 5.4 0 3 3 5 14 5.2 0 0 0 0 13 12 5.5 0 4 1 5 7 8 4.6 1 1 2 5 11 5 4.6 0 0 2 4 16 3 4.8 0 1 0 3 10 11 5.2 0 0 0 2 14 9 5.3 0 1 1 3 11 9 5.0 0 1 1 2 14 6 5.0 14 Somewhat Agree (4) Agree Item Strongly Disagree (1) Disagree (2) Somewhat Disagree (3) 0 3 2 0 0 1 Somewhat Agree (4) Agree (5) Strongly Agree (6) Average Score 4 15 1 4.4 1 2 7 15 5.4 0 3 8 8 5 4.5 0 0 6 3 5 11 4.8 performance so I can adjust and achieve the desired result 12. I am satisfied with my involvement in decisions that affect my work 13. Considering everything, I am satisfied with my job 14. I am satisfied with the information I receive from management on what’s going on in the company 15. I am satisfied with the opportunity to get a better job in this company 16. I am satisfied with the safety measures in the company TOTAL RESPONSES 0 0 0 0 11 14 5.6 2 12 24 50 162 149 399 % 1% 3% 6% 13% 41% 37% 100% There seems to be no significant difference between satisfaction ratings by classification of workers. By sphere of satisfaction, the average scores of Administrative employees are not considerably different from scores of Field Operations workers. Considering, however, the nature of the employment of workers assigned to Field Operations, they have less opportunity for growth in the company. Thus, compared to Administrative Staff, they feel less satisfied with the prospects of getting a better job in GMC, as indicated in their response to Question #15 of the survey. This could explain why they appear less motivated compared to their administrative counterparts (Question #1). Field operations staff are also exposed to more risks in the work place. While their rating of satisfaction on the matter of safety (Question #15) is lower than that of Administrative staff, it is nevertheless still high. This may be attributed to the emphasis given by the company and its key client on safety (Table 3). In terms of sphere of satisfaction, survey respondents have given the highest satisfaction rating to Work Conditions, followed by Supervision, Nature of Work and Management/ Leadership. The highest rating given to Work Conditions is indicative of workers’ satisfaction with safety measures and proper and adequate support given to the workers in field operations especially. Investments and innovations undertaken by the company in terms of cleaning equipment and machinery led to reduction in risks faced by workers assigned to these jobs and higher satisfaction in work. The workers also appeared to be appreciative of the support given by their respective supervisors. They have constantly motivated to perform well and given clear work assignments and standards to follow. Quite surprisingly, improvement in Leadership and Management is needed, as it scored the lowest in terms of satisfaction among the respondents. While satisfaction rating given to Leadership and Management is relatively high, the respondents indicated that they feel quite detached from the senior managers of company who they seldom see at their work 15 place. While supervisors are constantly present, workers seem to also desire to be visited occasionally by senior management. Table 3: Job Satisfaction Ratings by Classification of GMC Workers, by Sphere of Job Satisfaction, April 2015 Nature of Work Question #2: My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment Question #5 My job is important and affects others within or outside the GMC organization Question #7: When a customer is dissatisfied, I can usually correct the problem to their satisfaction Question #8: My job makes good use of my skills and abilities Question #15: I am satisfied with the opportunity to get a better job in this company Q2 Q5 Q7 Q8 Q15 All Questions Field Operations- Administrative- ALL EMPLOYEES- Work Conditions Question #3: I have the tools and resources to do my job well Question #16: I am satisfied with company instructions and measures concerning safety in my work Q3 Q16 All Questions Field Operations 5.3 5.4 5.3 Administrative 5.4 5.9 5.6 ALL EMPLOYEES 5.2 5.6 5.4 Supervision Question #1: I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things. Question #4: In my job, I have clearly defined quality goals Question #9: My supervisor’s manager visibly demonstrates a commitment to quality Q1 Q4 Q9 All Questions Field Operations- Administrative- ALL EMPLOYEES- Leadership and Management Question #6: GMC does an excellent job of keeping employees informed about matters affecting us. Question #10: I am satisfied you with the information I receive from management on what is going on Question #11: I receive information about my performance so I can adjust and achieve the desired result Question #12: I am satisfied with my involvement in decisions that affect my work Question #14: I am satisfied with the information I receive from mgt. on what’s going on in the company Q6 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q14 All Questions Field Operations- Administrative- ALL EMPLOYEES- Factors extrinsic to the work assignment, such as, age and years of service with the company were also analyzed to determine its relationship to job satisfaction. Using the statistical model Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Test, the two factors were tested against satisfaction ratings given by the respondents. The results of the statistical test showed that there is no correlation between age of respondent and job satisfaction. There is also no correlation between years of service in the company and job satisfaction. Table 4 summarizes the results: 16 Table 4: Test of Relationship Between Age of Respondent, Years of Service in Company and Job Satisfaction GMC, April 2015 Variable df α RT RC X1: Age of respondent 24 0.05 0.330 0.213 X2: Years of service in GMC 24 0.05 0.330 -0.143 Y: Job satisfaction Job Satisfaction and Performance Out of the 25 respondents of the survey, performance rating of 18 workers were obtained using a scoring tool (Annex B.) The Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Test was used to determine the correlation between job satisfaction and performance. The results showed strong and positive correlation between job satisfaction and work performance. Table 5: Test of Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Work Performance, GMC, April 2015 Variable df α RT RC X: Job satisfaction 17 0.05 0.456 0.976 Y: Work performance The results of the statistical test show the strong correlation between job satisfaction and work performance in the company. The positive value of R indicates a direct relationship between job satisfaction and performance. Implications to GMC Results of the study show that job satisfaction in GMC is largely influenced by factors intrinsic to the workers’ assignment. The level of job satisfaction in the company is considerably high, but there is still much to improve in the area of organizational development. Field operations workers are at the front lines. But they appear to lack appreciation of the importance of their work to meeting client expectations. Of particular concern is their response to Question #5 (My job is important and affects others within or outside the GMC organization) which has one of the lowest ratings given by the respondents in the survey. They seem to be unable to relate the importance of their functions in relation to their coworkers and to the stakeholders outside the company. 17 Leadership and management of GMC need to respond to important worker concerns about keeping them informed about company matters and issues that affect them, and participation in decision-making especially on matters that affect their jobs. It appears also that while the number of respondents who do not have the motivation to be innovative in their work seems small, the effect they could have on their co-workers could be tremendous. Eventually, this may have negative implications to company performance and client satisfaction. Improving job satisfaction in the company through increased worker engagement by leadership/ management, employee motivation and enhancing workers’ understanding of the importance of their functions will have tremendous impact on job performance. Eventually, this will redound to improved company performance, enhance client satisfaction and better prospects for growth and profitability. 18 REFERENCES Balisacan, A. 2015. The Philippine Economy: Prospects and Outlook for-. FOCAP Prospects for the Philippines Forum. 11 February 2015. Buitendach, J. H., and De Witte, H. 2005. Job Insecurity, Extrinsic and Intrinsic Job Satisfaction and Affective Organizational Commitment of Maintenance Workers in a Parastatal. South Africa Journal of Business Management. Vol. 36. No. 2. Danish, R. Q., & Usman, A. 2010. Impact of Reward and Recognition on Job Satisfaction and Motivation: An Empirical Study from Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Management. Vol. 5. No. 2. 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Vol. 22. No. 2. Van Dyne, L. and Ang, S. 1998. Organizational Citizenship Behavior of Contingent Workers in Singapore. The Academy of Management Journal. Vol. 411. No.6. Wilkin, C. L. 2013. I Can’t Get no Job Satisfaction: Meta-Analysis Comparing Permanent and Contingent Workers. Journal of Organizational Behavior. Vol. 34. No. 1. World Bank Philippine Office. 2013. Creating More and Better Jobs. Philippine Development Report. Wright, T.A. and Doherty, E.M. 1998. Organizational Behavior “Rediscovers” The Role of Emotional Well-Being. Journal of Organizational Behavior. Vol. 19. Issue 5. 20 Annex A JOB SATISFACTION SURVEY OF GMC EMPLOYEES Introduction to Interviewee Good morning. My name is ______________ and I am _____________________. I would like to interview you concerning your employment at Groundscape Management Corporation and assignment to Skyway O&M Corporation (if applicable). Before we proceed, if you have not yet given your consent, I need to clearly obtain your approval for the interview. (Refer to Informed Consent Form and explain.) Name of Employee / Alias: _______________________________ Employee Number _______________ Position _______________________ Date Hired _____________ Name of Supervisor ________________ Age ________ Gender □ 1. Male □ 2. Female Civil Status: □ 1. Single □ 2. Married □ 3. Separated □ 4. Widow/er Classification of position: □ 1. Administrative- Technical Skill level of position: □ 1. Skilled □ 2. Field Operations □ 2. Semi- skilled □ 3. Unskilled Location of assignment (e.g. Toll Plaza): _______________________________________________ I would like to take a few minutes of your time to know more about your job and how the organization supports you. Please tell me what you feel about the following: Item-. Strongly Disagree I feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things. My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment. I have the tools and resources to do my job well. In my job, I have clearly defined quality goals. My job is important and affects others within or outside the GMC organization GMC does an excellent job of keeping employees informed about matters affecting us. When a customer is dissatisfied, I can usually correct the problem to their 21 Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree Item-. Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree Strongly Agree satisfaction. My job makes good use of my skills and abilities. My supervisor’s manager visibly demonstrates a commitment to quality. I am satisfied you with the information I receive from management on what is going on in my division I receive information about my performance so I can adjust and achieve the desired result I am satisfied with my involvement in decisions that affect my work Considering everything, I am satisfied with my job I am satisfied with the information I receive from management on what’s going on in the company I am satisfied with the opportunity to get a better job in this company I am satisfied with company instructions and measures concerning safety in my work What suggestions do you have for the improvement of Groundscape Management Corporation? What 2-3 things do we need to work on to improve company performance? What other issues not included in this survey need to be addressed in this organization? 22 Annex B Informed Consent Form (Questionnaire adapted from Qualtrix; To be translated to Tagalog) Dear Sir/ Madam: We would like you to interview you for a research study to look at the Job Satisfaction of Employees of GMC. If you need time to discuss the study with family and friends, or anyone else you wish to, please feel free to do so. The decision to be interviewed or not is all up to you. Participation in this research is voluntary. Deciding not to participate or choosing to leave the study will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits to which you are entitled, and it will not harm your relationship with GMC. In this research study, we would like to obtain a good understanding of what makes for job satisfaction from the point of view of Groundscape organization, the factors that contribute to it, the level of job satisfaction and its relationship to worker performance. The study will make recommendations to enhance job satisfaction and performance of employees. In this interview, you will be asked questions about your impressions of your work and the GMC company. The interview will take about 20 minutes. During the interview, you can stop participating at any time. If you stop it will not affect in any way your employment with GMC. We do not see any risk involved for interviewees. You will not personally receive any direct benefit nor incentive for being interviewed for this research. Depending on the outcome, the study may help the company improve worker conditions. You will not be identified in the study. We will take the following steps to keep information about you confidential, and to protect it from unauthorized disclosure: [a] The accomplished survey form will be used only by the researcher and will not be shown to any officer or staff of GMC; [b] Direct quotes from interviewees will not be traced to the individual; [c] All data will be aggregated; [d] Only members of the research team will have access to the raw data and responses by individual. If you have questions regarding this study, please feel free to contact the Advisor of the principal researcher of this study: Dr. Josefina G. Tayag Professor University of the Philippines Landline -; mobile- I HAVE READ THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION OF THIS STUDY. ALL OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN SATISFACTORILY ANSWERED, AND I AGREE TO BE INTERVIEWED. Signature of Interviewee / GMC Employee Date _________________________________________________ 23 Annex C GENERAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FORM Name of Employee: __________________________________ Employee Number _______________ Position ________________________ Location of assignment______________________________ EVALUATION FACTORS Dedication Performance Cooperation Initiative Communication Teamwork Character Responsiveness Personality Appearance Work Habits ME BE NA Reports to work on time. Uses time constructively. Good working knowledge of job assignment. Organizes and performs work in a timely, professional manner. Willingly accepts work assignments. Willingly accepts changes in assignments not directly related to job. Performs assigned duties with little or no supervision. Performs assigned duties with little or no supervision, even under pressure. Strives to meet deadlines. Communicates clearly and intelligently in person and during telephone contacts. Works well with fellow employees without friction. Accepts constructive criticism without unfavorable responses. Handles stressful situations with tact. Demonstrates a pleasant, calm personality when dealing with customers and fellow employees. Well groomed. Clean. Neat. Dresses appropriately for work. Maintains neat and orderly workstation. Maintains neat and orderly paperwork. Legend: ME – Meets Expectations BE – Below Expectation NA – Not Acceptable Comments and Recommendations: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This performance evaluation has been reviewed with me, and I understand that I may attach my comments, if desired. Employee Signature: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________ Evaluation Performed by: ___________ (Supervisor) ______Date: 24 _______________