Every now and then human resources practitioners have to assess the level of job satisfaction at their place of work. This exercise has to be carried out not just as an indicator of the employees' level of motivation or to ascertain the long-term retention of the best workers within the organisation, but it has become an integral part of the HR strategy in order to ensure that the objectives of the organisation are achieved in terms of quality standards, efficiency and productivity.

Unfortunately, few organisations have made job satisfaction a top priority, perhaps because they have failed to understand the significant opportunity that lies in front of them. Satisfied employees tend to be more productive, creative and committed to their employers, and recent studies have shown a direct correlation between staff satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Employers who can create work environments that attract, motivate and retain hard-working individuals will be better positioned to succeed in a competitive environment that demands quality and cost-efficiency.

In the late 1950s, Frederick Herzberg, considered by many to be a pioneer in motivation theory, argued that there are two dimensions to job satisfaction: motivation and hygiene.

Hygiene issues cannot motivate employees but can minimise dissatisfaction, if handled properly. In other words, they can only dissatisfy if they are absent or mishandled. Hygiene topics include company policies, management style, salary, interpersonal relations and working conditions.

Motivators, on the other hand, create satisfaction by fulfilling individuals' needs for meaning and personal growth. They are issues such as achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility and advancement. Once the hygiene areas are addressed, the motivators will promote job satisfaction and encourage production.

Although employees will never feel a great sense of motivation or satisfaction due to the company's administrative policies, dissatisfaction can be decreased in this area by making sure that policies are fair and apply equally to all. Procedures must be easily accessible to all members of staff and, preferably, the management must solicit their input along the way. Good employees do not always make good managers.

The role of manager is extremely difficult. It requires leadership skills and the ability to treat all employees fairly. Managers should establish a set means of employee evaluation and feedback so that no one feels singled out. Contrary to the general perception, salary is not a motivator for employees, but they do want to be paid fairly. If individuals believe they are not compensated well, they will be unhappy working for their organisation.

Socialisation is another aspect that determines the level of satisfaction. It is important that employees are allowed a reasonable amount of time to develop a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. At the same time, rudeness, misbehaviour and offensive comments should be tackled appropriately. The environment in which people work has a tremendous effect on their level of pride for themselves and for the work they do.

Motivation is enhanced when workers realise that their tasks are meaningful. Of course, employees may not find all their tasks interesting or rewarding, but the employee should know how those tasks are essential to the overall processes that make the operation succeed. Most workers sincerely want to do a good job. They should receive regular, timely feedback on their performance and should feel they are being adequately challenged in their jobs.

Individuals want to be recognised for their achievements on the job. The employer's acknowledgement for their good work doesn't have to wait until some monumental success is achieved. Workers tend to increase their level of productivity if they have ownership of their work; they should enjoy enough freedom and power to carry out their tasks. Employees at all level of the organisation expect that they are rewarded for their loyalty and performance with some form of advancement. They expect that necessary support is granted by their employers to pursue further education, not only to fulfil their professional career ambitions but also to become more valuable to the organisation.

By and large, the implementation of initiatives promoting "job satisfaction" at the place of work is still in its infancy in our country. Fortunately, there are a few of our major employers that are setting a good example to the rest of our business community, especially to the SMEs, which constitute the largest segment of the local labour market. But someone needs to lead the game to change our traditionalist mentality that "going to work is a necessary evil!" In other EU countries it has been proven that profits and productivity had more than doubled in those firms where the concept of job satisfaction was given top priority. This is so evident in UK firms. One SME experienced big success after taking measures to ban overtime and instead the staff received payments to go for group meals and club trips.

Is this possible over here? Perhaps the Foundation for Human Resources Development should analyse the situation more deeply and consider granting a new award - The Best Company To Work For - to the enlightened entrepreneurs who understand how to motivate their teams and make a "happy workforce" in the true sense of the meaning.

matyas@maltanet.net