Measuring job satisfaction in surveys: France Comparative analytical report Questionnaire Editorial disclaimer This report has not been subjected to the standard Foundation editorial procedures This French national report is part of a comparative overview (EF/06/55/EN) of how job satisfaction is measured in national working conditions surveys based on 16 national contributions for the European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO). Aim and structure of the comparative analytical report questionnaire The main objective of this comparative analytical report is to assess if and how the job satisfaction issue is dealt in the national surveys and to bring forward some data and trends on job satisfaction. This comparative analytical report shall reveal how national surveys produce data on job satisfaction, focusing on the methodologies used and shall present available data on job satisfaction. Thus, the questionnaire is divided into three main sections. The first section is mainly focused on the national surveys dealing with job satisfaction (priority given to the national working conditions surveys) and the methodological frame used. In this section, the national correspondents are basically asked to identify which surveys deal with job satisfaction, what questions are made, how questions are made and what definitions are used in those questions. The second section is addressed to gather available data on general job satisfaction and job satisfaction broken down by some of its determinants. Whenever it is possible, trends should be identified. Finally, the last section is focused on the analytical aspects of job satisfaction. In this section, national correspondents are asked to identify correlations between job satisfaction and other variables related to organisational practices that may be present in national surveys data reports and to identify interesting pieces of conceptual or meta analysis of job satisfaction. 1/25
Transcript
Measuring job satisfaction in surveys: France
Comparative analytical report Questionnaire
Editorial disclaimer This report has not been subjected to the standard Foundation editorial procedures
This French national report is part of a comparative overview (EF/06/55/EN) of how job satisfaction is measured in national working conditions surveys based on 16 national contributions for the European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO).
Aim and structure of the comparative analytical report questionnaire The main objective of this comparative analytical report is to assess if and how the job satisfaction issue is dealt in the national surveys and to bring forward some data and trends on job satisfaction. This comparative analytical report shall reveal how national surveys produce data on job satisfaction, focusing on the methodologies used and shall present available data on job satisfaction.
Thus, the questionnaire is divided into three main sections. The first section is mainly focused on the national surveys dealing with job satisfaction (priority given to the national working conditions surveys) and the methodological frame used. In this section, the national correspondents are basically asked to identify which surveys deal with job satisfaction, what questions are made, how questions are made and what definitions are used in those questions.
The second section is addressed to gather available data on general job satisfaction and job satisfaction broken down by some of its determinants. Whenever it is possible, trends should be identified.
Finally, the last section is focused on the analytical aspects of job satisfaction. In this section, national correspondents are asked to identify correlations between job satisfaction and other variables related to organisational practices that may be present in national surveys data reports and to identify interesting pieces of conceptual or meta analysis of job satisfaction.
Section 1: Survey sources(s) and questions 1 – Is job satisfaction an issue addressed in your national working conditions surveys? Do other national surveys include any questions on job satisfaction?
‘Job satisfaction’ is not covered in the DARES (Direction de l’animation et de la recherche, des études et des statistiques au Ministère de l’emploi – Ministry of Employment research, survey and statistical department) national ‘work conditions’ survey covering the years 1978, 1984, 1991 and 1998.
However, the new SUMER survey by the DRT (Direction des relations du travail – work relations department) and the DARES ‘Your opinion on your work situation’ conducted in 2002 and 2003 for the first time, contains a question directly relating to ‘Job satisfaction’.
The field of the survey covers all employees paying national insurance contributions to the general system, the Mutualité Sociale Agricole, public hospitals and state-owned companies (La Poste, EDF-GDF, Air France, SNCF). 22,000 French employees answered this self-administered questionnaire collated by the Occupational Medicine Department but its results results were not available in time for inclusion in this report.
Another national INSEE survey covers the question of ‘Job satisfaction’. This is the ‘Histoire de vie’ (Life story) survey conducted for the first time in 2003 on a panel of 8,400 individuals representing the population aged 18+ in mainland France. The interviews are conducted by an INSEE interviewer and last about an hour on average.
The survey measures how each individual builds a relationship with other people and the company in general according to his or her personal history (geographic and social origins, mobility, projects) and belonging to certain social groups (age category, professional situation, family status, health, cultural practices…).
The part of the questionnaire dedicated to the professional identity (called ‘Your employment situation’) includes five questions asked of 4,387 employed people. These questions in particular concern work conditions, job satisfaction, the balance between family and professional life, the importance given to work and work factors that employees would like to have changed.
2 – The questions regarding job satisfaction in national surveys are single-item questions? Or multi-facet questions? Are there ‘indirect’ job satisfaction questions in the survey, e.g. scale questions of the type ‘Your job gives you the feeling of work well done’? In the DRT SUMER questionnaire dedicated to employees’ state of health, a question was worded as follows: ‘Generally speaking, I am satisfied with my work’ with four possible answers: ‘1. Do not agree at all’ ; ‘2. Do not agree’; ‘3. Agree’; ‘4. Completely agree’.
In the Work section of the INSEE ‘Histoire de vie’ survey, a question is worded as follows: ‘If you weigh up everything, generally speaking, in your current job, what dominates?’ with three possible answers: ‘1. Reasons for satisfaction’ ’2. Reasons for dissatisfaction’, ‘3. They more or less balance out’.
In French : (« Si on met tout dans la balance, globalement, dans votre travail actuel, qu’est ce qui l’emporte ? » avec trois possibilités de réponses : «1. Les motifs de satisfaction », « 2. Les motifs d’insatisfaction », « 3. Les uns et les autres s’équilibrent à peu près »).
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This question is preceded by another question that covers ‘Job satisfafaction’ in an indirect way: ‘If you had to change jobs, what would you like to change or maintain?’ with 10 possible answers ‘1. Your profession’, ‘2. All or some of your colleagues’, ‘3. Your hours’, ‘4. Your wage level’, ‘5. Your employee status’, ‘6. Your possibilities of promotion’, ‘7. your hierarchic position’, ‘8. Your workplace’, ‘9. Your company’, ‘10. Nothing’.
In French : (« Si vous deviez changer de travail, qu’est ce que vous aimeriez personnellement changer ou garder ? » avec 10 réponses possibles « 1. Votre métier », « 2. Vos collègues ou certains d’entre eux », « 3. Vos horaires », « 4. Votre niveau de salaire », « 5. votre statut de salarié », « 6. Vos possibilités de promotion », « 7. votre position hiérarchique », « 8. Votre lieu de travail », « 9. votre entreprise », « 10. Rien ».)
3 – If definitions of overall job satisfaction/job satisfaction facets are used in questions in national surveys, please give them. In all these questionnaires, no definition of ‘Job satisfaction’ is expressed.
Section 2: Survey data and trends
4 – Provide data, including trends if possible, on general job satisfaction. Results of the INSEE 2003 ‘Histoire de vie’ survey.
‘If you weigh up everything, generally speaking, in your current job, what is predominant ?’ with three possible answers: ‘1. Reasons for satisfaction’ ’2. Reasons for dissatisfaction’, ‘3. They more or less balance out’.
Table 1. Probability that the individual declares that reasons for satisfaction dominate reasons for dissatisfaction at work
Parameter Probability Degree of
significance Reference 15,86% 1%
Gender
Male Ref.
Female +0,64% NS
Age
18-25 Ref.
26-35 +0,89% NS
36-45 -0,69% NS
46-60 -1,42% NS
60+ 12,78% 10%
Work conditions
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Non standard work hours Ref.
Work on Sundays and/or bank holidays -0,85% NS
Night work -1,34% NS
Travel +1,37% NS
Direct contact with customers +0,59% NS
None of that +1,83% NS
Family status
Couple without children +3,39% NS
Couple with 1 child -0,51% NS
Couple with 2 children or more +1,58% NS
Single without children +0,21% NS
Single with 1 child Ref.
Single with 2 children or more +2,34% NS
Person’s resources
€ 0 to € 3,566 +0,70% NS
€ 3,566 to € 12,257 +0,15% NS
€ 12,257 to € 15,550 Ref.
€ 1,550 to € 19,209 +2,20% NS
€ 15,550 to € 23,782 +6,30% 1%
€ 23,782 to € 30,185 +3,74% 10%
€ 30,185 to € 39,332 +4,14% 10%
€ 39,332 + +13,14% 1%
Level of education
None/primary school +3,33% NS
Secondary school Ref.
High school +6,74% 1%
Higher education +7,19% 1%
Socio-professional category
Management and freelance professionals +5,89% 1%
Middle management +3,77% 5%
White collar workers +0,58% NS
Blue collar workers Ref.
Origin
EU immigrant +15,42% 1%
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Non-EU European or Turkish immigrant +15,30% NS
North African immigrant +11,80% 5%
Asian immigrant +14,69% 10%
Immigrant from the rest of the world +23,43% 5%
Born in France with only one EU immigrant parent +12,44% 5%
Born in France with only one North African parent +78,73% 10%
Born in France with 2 EU immigrant parents Ref.
Born in France with two immigrant parents from the rest of the world
+28,50% 1%
Non-immigrant French +13,31% 1%
Status
Non-salaried +7,68% 5%
Salaried in the public sector +5,36% 1%
Salaried in the private sector Ref.
Questioned about the satisfaction they draw from their current job, 48% employees answer that reasons for satisfaction dominate, as opposed to 11% who state reasons for dissatisfaction and 41% find that the two balance out.
This average covers quite major differences but not according to gender, even though the situation of women in the workplace and jobs differs greatly from that of men.
‘Job satisfaction’ is above all linked to the level of qualifications. It is maximal amongst people with a degree, minimal with those without qualifications.
‘Job satisfaction’ also clearly increases with the person’s income. However, at an equal wage level, women are always more satisfied than men, except in extreme segments.
Non-salaried and salaried employees in the public sector show satisfaction rates ten points above those of employees working in the private sector.
If one considers socio-professional categories, the most satisfies are : managers and self-employed professionals, followed by middle management and artisans/traders, then farmers, white-collar workers and, finally, blue-collar workers.
In greater detail, the most satisfied are self-employed professionals, managers working for the public sector, teachers, the scientific professions, the information, art and entertainment professions. The most dissatisfied are, amongst others, retail employees, non-qualified handling workers, the police and the army.
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‘Job satisfaction’ does not strictly grow with age: the over sixties are the most satisfied at work whereas 18-25 year olds are the least; but 26-35 year olds show the strongest satisfaction, just after sixty year olds.
People are less satisfied when they work shifts, especially alternating shifts (ten points of satisfaction less than in determined variable hours). However, there is no great difference between full- and part-time workers.
Immigrants from European countries show higher ‘Job satisfaction’ than non-immigrants. Immigrants from the Maghreb area or people born in France with parents from the Maghreb are less satisfied too.
Table 2.What employees would like to change in their job (in percent)
People were also asked if they absolutely wanted to change or, to the contrary, wanted to stay in their job.
What ‘unsatisfied’ employees want to change the most, by far, is their wage level, then their profession itself, their working hours, their promotion possibilities and co-workers.
People whose reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction balance out would also like to change in priority their salary (62%) but also their promotion possibilities (28%) and their working hours or profession (24%).
As for ‘satisfied’ people, it is above all their profession that they want to keep (62%) then their co-workers (36%), their work place (33%) and their working hours, only 30% absolutely want to maintain their salary.
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Section 3: Secondary analysis of survey data on job satisfaction 5 – Is there any assessment of the relationship between job satisfaction and other variables related to organisational practices/independent work-related practices in national surveys data analysis/reports? Briefly mention the main findings on the cross-tabulation between the following factors and job satisfaction: job autonomy, working time and WLB issues, and worker participation/involvement.
Not in national surveys data but in ANACT survey on ‘quality of life at work’.
The ANACT network, since 2004, organises a Week for ‘quality of life at work’ everywhere in France in May.
Within this framework, ANACT draws up a barometer on ‘the quality of life at work’ in the form of a poll conducted by the CSA market research company. The first poll was conducted on a panel of 953 employees aged 18+, following the quota sampling (gender, age, profession of the head of household) after stratification per region and size of town in March 2004.
The second poll was conducted on the same national sampling in February 2005 only taking into account employees in the private sector.
In 2004, the question was worded as follows:
‘For each aspect of your quality of life at work, say if you judge it to be very satisfactory, quite satisfactory, not very satisfactory or not at all satisfactory?’ The possible answers were: ‘1. Relations with co-workers’, ‘2. Autonomy and responsibilities at work’, ‘3. Safety in the workplace’, ‘4. Health protection in the workplace’, ‘5. Relations with customers’, ‘6. Diversity of tasks’, ‘7. The work environment’, ‘8. The workload’, ‘9. Predictable hours’, ‘10. Relations with the hierarchy’, ‘11. The possibility of choosing days of leave or time off in lieu of hours worked ‘12. The company’s social climate’, ‘13. Recognition of work’, ‘14. Possibilities of evolution’.
What results in 2004? (see appendix 1)
Relations with co-workers (90%), autonomy and responsibilities at work (89%), safety and health in the workplace (87%), relations with customers and diversity of tasks (85%) are amongst the main reasons for employees satisfaction.
However, possibilities of evolution (60%), recognition of their work (67%), the social climate in the company (74%) and, to a lesser degree, relations with the hierarchy (78%) are areas where employees say they are the least satisfied.
The employees most ‘dissatisfied’ with their co-workers are blue-collar workers (11%) and unqualified workers (16%).
The employees most ‘dissatisfied’ with ‘autonomy and responsibilities’ are the youngest aged 18-24 (15%) and white-collar workers (14%), especially in the public sector.
The most ‘dissatisfied’ employees in terms of ‘relations with customers’ are in the ‘retail and transport’ sector (12%) and in large companies employing 200 to 500 people (12%).
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The employees ‘dissatisfied’ with their ‘workload’ are the youngest aged 18 to 24 (27%) and aged 15 to 34 (23%), the intermediate professions (25%) and people with 2-year post-baccalaureat diplomas (26%). Comparable trends are found concerning satisfaction with ‘the predictability of hours’ and relations with the hierarchy’.
The most ‘dissatisfied’ employees concerning ‘the company’s social climate’ are management and self-employed professionals (29%), the industrial sector (30%) and the most highly qualified (baccalaureat +2 years): (31%).
The most ‘dissatisfied’ employees with respect to recognition of their work are white-collar workers (36%), 25-34 year olds (37%), the public sector (41%) and employees in companies with a payroll in excess of 500 (42%).
This reasons for dissatisfaction cited are strongly correlated with the following variable : dissatisfaction to change of profession or company, not with the ‘wage level’, ‘work conditions’ or ‘job interest’.
In 2005, the question was worded as follows:
‘In your company, are you satisfied with?
- the autonomy and responsibilities you are given
- the recognition of your professional experience
- the recognition of your involvement in your work
- the recognition of your training efforts
- your possibilities of professional development
The possible answers were: ‘1. satisfied’, ‘2. not satisfied’, ‘3. no comment’.
What are the results in 2005 ? (see appendix 2)
The degree of satisfaction expressed by employees working for the private sector concerning recognition of their merits by the company in which they work is quite high. Satisfaction is very high in terms of autonomy and responsibilities given (84%).
Satisfaction is high in terms of recognition of professional experience (68%), recognition of involment in their work (64%) – in particular for managers and self-employed professionals (72%) and in small companies employing fewer than 50 people (70%). Satisfaction is also quite high in the recognition of training efforts (63%).
Satisfaction is more ambivalent concerning possibilities of professional development: only 54% of employees in the private sector are satisfied with their possibilities of professional development (down 7 points on 2004). Amongst 25-34 year olds, satisfaction only reaches 45% and 38% among unqualified employees.
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6a – Are there any examples of interesting conceptual or meta-analysis of job satisfaction per se – interpretative approaches to job satisfaction? Please summarise the main findings.
Analysis of the concept of ‘Job satisfaction’ Summary of the article (www.agrh2004esg.uqam.ca/pdf/Tome2/Mignonac.pdf) by Karim Mignonac, lecturer in management science at Toulouse University on the theme of ‘What is really measured in the concept of job satisfaction?’ published in the September 2004 edition of Revue de Gestion des Ressources Humaines.
‘Job satisfaction’ is one of the concepts most studied in human resources management research. Many authors have rallied to the consensual definition inspired by the work of Locke (1969,1976): ‘a pleasant or positive emotional state resulting from the assessment by a person of his or her work or work experience’. For a few years however, a growing number of studies highlight the insufficiencies and paradoxes of this definition that corresponds to an affective reaction to work, resulting from the comparison between real and desired results.
If this attitude is multidimensional (cognitive, affective and conative dimension) and if job satisfaction is indeed an attitude, ‘Job satisfaction’ cannot therefore be simply reduced to an affective or emotional state.
Moreover, if one considers the three major ‘Job satisfaction’ measurement instruments: the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Job Descriptive Index mainly monitor cognitions whereas the third, the Kunin Faces Scale, seems to count affects and cognitions in a balanced way.
Be that as it may, the study of affects (which refer to a definition covering two elements: emotions and moods) in organisations is now a research field in its own right, practically independent from that of attitudes in general and ‘Job satisfaction’ in particular.
The author of the article therefore puts forward two research hypotheses which will be submitted to two empirical studies on the basis of independent samples of company managers:
1st hypothesis: general ‘Job satisfaction’ measures and its facets are significantly different from measurements of emotion at work.
2nd hypothesis: measurement of affect at work contributes, over and above measurements of facets of ‘Job satisfaction’, to the explanation of general satisfaction.
The sample in study 1 consists of 203 company managers working for 14 organisations in the industrial and service sectors. They were questioned via a questionnaire sent by mail (number sent out: 350; reply rate: 58%). The average age of participants is 37 and their average length of service in the company is 9 years.
‘Job satisfaction’ has been assessed via three items in the Job Diagnostic Survey: ‘I am generally satisfied with my job…’ and facets of ‘Job satisfaction’ measured thanks to the short version of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire evaluating 20 facets. Affective states have been measured using an ad hoc scale consisting of ten adjectives supposed to represent positive emotions (wellbeing…) and negative emotions (anger…) in a week of managers’ lives.
Results: the correlation levels observed (lower than the 0.7 threshold) confirm that we are in the presence of distinct concepts of ‘Job satisfaction’ and ‘emotion at work’ (Hypothesis 1). Analyses of hierarchic regression tested for the second hypothesis also confirm that measurements of emotion at work contribute, over and above those of ‘Job satisfaction’ facets, to explaining general satisfaction (Hypothesis 2).
The sample of study 2 consists of 527 managers questioned by a questionnaire sent by mail (number sent out: 1500 ; reply rate 33%). The average age of participants is 32 and their average length of service in the company is 4.5 years.
Results: ‘Job satisfaction’ measurements appear to be significantly correlated to measures of affective states and levels of correlations are all below the 0.6 threshold, which validates hypothesis 1. Analyses of hierarchic regression tested for the second hypothesis – as in study 1- confirm that measurements of emotion on work contribute over and above those of ‘Job satisfaction’ facets to the explanation of general satisfaction (Hypothesis 2).
The results of empirical studies confirm the two hypotheses, i.e. that general measurements of ‘Job satisfaction’ and its facets are significantly distinct from measurements from emotion at work (H1) and, on the other hand, measurements of emotion at work contribute, over and above those of facets of ‘Job satisfaction’ to explaining general satisfaction and vice-versa.
What does this study contribute? This theoric clarification might improve understanding of the satisfaction-performance relationship. A recent meta-analysis (Judge 2001) conducted on 312 samples bringing together a total of 54,417 individuals finally establishes an average correlation of 0.30 (less than 10% of the variance of the phenomenon) between general ‘Job satisfaction’ and performance.
Régis Juanico, ANACT
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Appendix 1: 2004 ‘Quality of life at work’ survey
QUESTION – For each aspect of your own quality of life at work which I will list, tell me if you, personally, believe it to be very satisfactory, quite satisfactory, not very satisfactory or not satisfactory at all.
