Evaluation of Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction

The term "job satisfaction" is derived from the humanities, psychology and sociology. In the field of psychology, it is a state where an employee has an emotional perception of his situation and reacts with feelings of pleasure or pain. In sociology, it is considered a variable in different categories related to how each employee evaluates and thinks about his work. Job satisfaction is closely related to the performance and quality of work performed by an employee and, consequently, translates into the success of an organization, because a satisfied employee builds and participates in the success of any organization. This article presents the results of the research conducted by the author in 2012 on a sample of 215 people. Respondents represented different organizations. The aim of the study was to identify and assess the significance of individual factors influencing satisfaction and dissatisfaction with work and demonstrate their impact on the overall assessment of job satisfaction. The study showed that between the weight attributed to individual factors and overall job satisfaction there are many statistically significant correlations referring mainly to selected on the basis of analysis respondents’ groups. The study confirms the raised thesis concerning the validity of research in the factors affecting the general feeling of satisfaction by the employees.


Introduction
The concept of satisfaction originated from the humanistic school of thought, one of the branches of psychology. The precursor and a supporter of the school was A. Maslow, who believed that people seek to satisfy their needs in a proper hierarchical order. From the lowest level and moving upward, he ranks first physiological needs, then safety, belonging, appreciation and self-realization. According to Maslow, only after feeling satisfaction in meeting the needs of a lower level is there a desire to implement a need on a higher level (Hoffman, 2003, p. 156).
In the literature of subject, satisfaction is identified as an employee's positive attitude towards the company, co-workers and, finally, the job. The concept of satisfaction refers to the sphere of expectations in relation to the company and is, therefore, a purely subjective notion, but translates into quality of work (Mrzygłód, 2004, pp. 183-196).
The term "job satisfaction" is commonly used in everyday language and many authors interchangeably use the term "job satisfaction" with "job contentment".
In the psychological literature we can find the statement that "contentment is the emotional reaction of pleasure or pain, experienced in connection

Evaluation of Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction
with performing specific tasks, functions and roles" (Bańka, 2002, pp. 321-350). Job contentment may thus be regarded as the emotional reaction to the situation at work (Ariani, 2012, pp. 46-56). In sociology, we consider this variable in categories related to how each employee assesses his work and what he thinks about it. These categories are dealt with in the same way regardless of whether we are operating with the term "job satisfaction" or "job contentment". Generally, the definition of job satisfaction includes factors that can be grouped into four areas: economic aspects of work, interpersonal relationships, activities and tasks, and working conditions (Herzberg, 1965, pp. 364-376, Locke et al., 1964Zalewska, 2001, pp. 197-218).
Economic aspects of work apply to all quantifiable and financial aspects the employee may obtain for his work but also includes penalties and the possibility of development and advancement. These aspects are part of the motivation system of the organization.
Interpersonal relationships at the workplace are extremely important for employees. This thesis is confirmed by numerous studies concerning satisfaction and job contentment. In this article we will also attempt to prove the above thesis. Interpersonal relationships are mainly about an employee's quality of relationships with supervisors and other employees, his workplace's general atmosphere, his means of communication, whether he can give and receive feedback and recognition from his superiors.
Activities and tasks can be evaluated on a scale that ranges from monotonous and repetitive to varied and interesting. However, the assessment of activities and tasks is a subjective process that is affected by various factors because the employee has to evaluate the excessiveness or deficiency of his tasks, his time pressure, the level of independence and responsibility for the results of his work that he bears, his independence in decision making as well as the content of his work.
Working conditions concern aspects of the work environment that should contribute to the conduciveness and safety felt by employees at the workplace. They include, among others, workplace equipment, tools, computers, cars, telephones and the aspects that are regulated by health and safety regulations.
All of these factors are assessed by an employee in terms of his satisfaction or dissatisfaction. They are partial factors in the organization of motivation systems. Thus, the overall job contentment and job satisfaction of an employee consists of the evaluation of all the individual factors of incentive schemes.
One of the dominant theories of motivation is the two-factor theory by Frederick Herzberg (Zalewska, 2003 The other group of factors contribute to the increase in job satisfaction (Armstrong, 2000;Griffin, 1998;Stride, Wall & Catley, 2007 (Harris & Locke, 1974, pp. 369-370).
M. Armstrong mentions, among the basic conditions for feeling job satisfaction, the following elements: a relatively high salary, opportunity for promotion, supervisors, equitable wage system, the integration of co-workers and tasks (Armstrong, 2005, p 220 The objective of managers should therefore be figuring out the different ways of delegating responsibility to give their employees the space and freedom to use their skills and abilities (Armstrong, 2004, p 132). Job satisfaction can be seen as a multidimensional attitude. It consists, according to J. Mrzygłód, of the attitude of the employee to salary, promotion, coworkers, supervisor or work itself (Mrzygłód, 2004, pp. 183-196).
The employee satisfaction survey is an element that supports the development and correction of the motivation systems in an organization (Bojewska, 2006, pp. 481-495).
Contemporary studies on measuring the level of job satisfaction are based on the analysis of the previously mentioned four areas: economic aspects of work, interpersonal relationships, activities and tasks, and working conditions (Herzberg, 1965, pp. 134-143;Zalewska, 2001, pp. 197-218). There are various studies concerning the analysis of factors influencing job satisfaction. These studies began to attach importance to the inner traits of personality or cognitive judgments as factors responsible for the occurrence or nonoccurrence of job satisfaction (Furnham, 2008;Zalewska, 2003). There are also studies on internal and external factors affecting employee and job satisfaction. One of the internal factors taken into account is emotional intelligence (Jorfi, Fauzy Bin Yacco & Md Shah, 2012, pp. 590-597). Job satisfaction is influenced by groups of factors associated with broadly understood internal work environments and worker characteristics. Subject and situational factors should therefore be considered together as factors that determine the perceived level of job satisfaction.
There are studies stressing the importance of relationships and the relations of the type of occupation (Argyle, 2004). There is repeated emphasis on the importance of the subjective perception of the work performed for the organization (Pratt & Ashforth, 2003, pp.. 309-327).
Also important is the aspect binding job satisfaction, productivity and quality of work. There are two areas where a high level of job satisfaction significantly improves the quality of work. Positive emotions (in the case of satisfied employees) foster creative thinking (Brief & Weiss, 2002, pp. 279-307). Undecided people may take excessive risks and act risky (Isen, 2005, pp. 527-549).
In addition, important aspects influencing job satisfaction are contacts, meetings and relationships with co-workers or superiors (Rogelberg et al., 2010, pp. 149-172).
What could be the benefits of having happy and satisfied employees? Generally, satisfied people build positive relationships based on cooperation and effective teamwork with others, thus increasing communication and ensuring proper communication and effective conflict mitigation (Isen, 2005, pp. 527-549).
Satisfied employees mean reduced absenteeism, a high level of commitment to work, loyalty and permanence of employment, improved health and a lack of the desire to avoid work, simulated malaise and excuses to be absence from work. (Argyle, 2004 satisfaction increases an employee's commitment to work and frees him from stress and burnout (Maslach, 2000, pp. 13-31;Ogińska-Bulik, 2006;Sarmiento, Laschinger & Iwasiw, 2004, pp. 134-143;Sęk, 2000, pp. 149-167), while the lack of job satisfaction results in increased absenteeism (Jachnis, 2008). A satisfied employee is more loyal, because he sees more benefits in staying with an organization than with leaving it (Jachnis, 2008). A disgruntled employee often thinks about changing his job; however, if he decides to stay, his motivation is low and causes performance degradation not only in his own work but also in the overall performance of the organization (Wang, Yang & Wang, 2012, pp. 557-573).

Evaluation of Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction
The objective of many studies is to identify the initial level of satisfaction, identify the determinants of satisfaction and define a company's activities which undoubtedly result in increasing the sense and feeling of satisfaction and job contentment of its employees.

Methodology of research
The study was conducted during the months of June and July 2012. The study involved 215 respondents (153 women and 62 men) who were matched in a random manner. The study was conducted specifically for the purpose of assessing the factors that affect job satisfaction and a questionnaire was designed to achieve this goal.
The aim of the study was to first identify and assess the significance of individual factors that influence satisfaction and dissatisfaction with work and then demonstrate their impact on the overall assessment of job satisfaction.
The following basic hypothesis has been drawn out:

The individual factors in job satisfaction have an effect on the perception of an employee's overall job contentment.
In addition, a number of detailed hypotheses have been drawn out: An overall assessment of the job satisfaction of em-

The results of research
This section presents the results of the analyses that were conducted to verify this study's hypotheses. This study involved 215 respondents. The majority of the respondents (over 75%) are aged 20-29 and in this age group, 116 of the respondents were women and 46 were men. Significantly fewer people, the remaining 25% of respondents, were in the group aged 30-60.
Among the 215 respondents, women numbered 153 while there were 62 men. Table 1 shows frequency distribution for the age of the respondents.
The respondents were asked about the positions they held. They could choose between 4 options: managerial position, professional, manual worker and administrative worker. Most of the respondents were people who worked as specialists (67 people) and administrative workers (63 people (17) have worked at the company for a 5 to 10 years period and there were 20 respondents who have worked at the company for more than 10 years. Table 3 shows the frequency distribution for the period of employment of the respondents in the company to which answers to questions in the survey were addressed.
Most of the respondents worked under a contract of indefinite duration -103 people, representing 47.9% of all respondents, while 57 (26.5%) respondents were hired for a specified amount of time. 41 people (19% of all respondents) worked on the basis of either a mandatory contract or contract work. Table 4 shows the frequency distribution for the form of employment of the respondents in the company to which the answers were given.

Factors that influence job satisfaction.
The respondents were asked about the factors that influence job satisfaction. The subjects had to select which of the 13 factors influence their "great satisfaction", "satisfaction", "low satisfaction" or are "irrelevant". Table 5 shows factors that, according to the respondents, had an impact on their job contentment, along with descriptive statistics to estimate the significance of these factors.
For the respondents, the most important factor influencing job satisfaction was the atmosphere at work, while the least important factor was the culture of the company.

Cluster analysis
In order to look accurately at the individual factors influencing job contentment, ratings ofthese factors were subjected to cluster analysis usingthe k-average method. Table 6 shows standardized rating values in separate clusters, together with the test of statistical significance of differences.
Significant differences were noticed between groups in all analyzed factors.
There are four distinct clusters. The final cluster centers are presented in Figure 2.    There was also a statistically significant relationship between belonging to one of four separate clusters and the age of the respondents, 2 (9) = 25.81, p <0.01. Table 8 shows the frequency distribution for the age of the respondents from each cluster.c Among those tested, in all four clusters most respondents were aged 20-29 with cluster No. 1 having the smallest percentage (50%) of respondents in this age group.    In addition, there was a statistically significant relationship between belonging to one of the four separate clusters and form of employment, 2 (6) = 13.33, p <0.05. Table 11 presents the frequency distribution for the form of employment of the respondents according to their particular clusters.c -there were more women than men.
-most people were aged 20-29, but at a lower percentage than in the other groups.
-there was highest percentage of workers that had been employed for over 5 years compared to the other clusters.
-there was the highest percentage of manual workers.    -there were more women than men.
-most people worked in specialist and administrative positions.
-most people were employed for less than 5 years.
-most people worked under a contract of indefinite duration.
The fourth cluster / group were the people who evaluated that the most important factors for job contentment were job stability, opportunity for promotion, development opportunities and work content.

Generally in this group:
-there were more women than men.
-most people worked in specialist and administrative positions.
-most people were employed for less than 5 years.
-most people worked under a contract of indefinite duration.

Summary
In the literature, job satisfaction is identified with a positive attitude to the work performed, to coworkers and the entire organization. We may also assume that a satisfied employee builds and participates in the success of any organization. According to experts, job satisfaction is considered in many categories. Listed, among others, are: economic aspects of work, interpersonal relationships, activities and tasks, and working conditions (Herzberg, 1965, pp. 364-376;Locke, Smith, Kendall, Hulin & Miller, 1964, pp.313-319;Zalewska, 2001, pp. 197-218). For each of these categories there are included a variety of factors that are then evaluated by the staff in terms of their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Thus, the overall level of job satisfaction consist of many sub-factors. Many researchers, especially managers, wonder which individual factors have an impact on job satisfaction. Companies take action to identify these factors so that they can make workers work willingly for the benefit and success of the organization. Generally it can be said that satisfaction is seen as a multidimensional attitude.
The study, conducted and presented in this article, was to identify the factors affecting job satisfaction.
It should be noted that the survey was completed by people who worked in different organizations and who were chosen in a random manner.
The analysis shows that in the opinions of 215 respondents, the factor with the greatest impact on job satisfaction was the atmosphere at work, and the factor with the least impact -the culture of the company. It is surprising that the least important factor affecting job satisfaction is company culture. It seems that this factor should play greater significance as it is the culture of the organization that sets the direction for the various benefits of a company and its prevailing rules.
An interesting research procedure was to divide the respondents into several groups. In this way, it was possible to learn which factors are specific to particular groups of respondents. It also allows you to specify how to all the respondents are characterized. Analyzing Figure 2, it can be seen that we have people who rated all the factors highly and for whom everything is important, those who begin to fluctuate in relation to certain factors and those who believe that the various factors have no impact on their job satisfaction. We have, therefore, people more or less involved in work.
People more involved note that various factors play a greater significance in their level of job contentment.
Two groups (clusters) of the respondents (group 1 and 2) are generally dissatisfied with their work. In their opinions, the factors they were asked about in the survey have no effect on their overall job satisfaction.
They valued these factors lower than others. The most dissatisfied group is the first one. Perhaps these are people who are professionally burnt out or who have lost their commitment to work and they only come to work because they have to.
What is, then, group 1? The majority are women, aged 20-29, employed in manual positions, employed for an indefinite period and have bigger experience.
Another study conducted by the author on job satisfaction showed that it was blue collar workers who are the most dissatisfied with their work and that wages are the most important factor for their job satisfaction.
Other factors no longer had great significance. The study also confirmed Herzberg's theory that depending on the work performed or position held, the weight attributed to factors influencing job contentment changes (Harris & Locke, 1974, pp.. 369-370).
In addition, the respondents in group 1 indicated the factor with the least impact on their job satisfaction as the atmosphere at work and the factors with the biggest impacts as job stability, recognition of superiors and independence in decision making. However, it should be emphasized that the results of the assessment of individual factors are well below the average and are rated the lowest compared to the other groups.
Another group the results which are below the aver- In the overall assessment of all 215 respondents, the atmosphere of work, job stability, good relations with colleagues and superiors are identified as factors that are of paramount importance. However, when analyzing these factors when respondents are distributed across clusters / groups we do not obtain the same results.
The study allows us to confirm the thesis in question concerning the validity of research on factors affecting job satisfaction. Undoubtedly, it is important to be able to determine how to keep good employees, how to increase their satisfaction and motivation to work and what to do to increase their commitment, devotion and loyalty. Thus, managers should be aware of the importance of job satisfaction of their employees as a determinant of building the right relationships