VALUES, ATTITUDES, AND THEIR EFFECTS IN THE WORKPLACE
What is the relationship between values and individual behaviour?
How do values differ across cultures?
How does job satisfaction affect one's behaviour in the workplace?
How do values differ across cultures?
How does job satisfaction affect one's behaviour in the workplace?
VALUES
- Values represent an individual's basic convictions; they contain judgmental element (good versus bad, desirable/not desirable)
- A value has 2 parts: content and intensity
- Ranking values by intensity gives a person's "value system"
- Values tend to be stable and a large portion is established early from teacher, parent, friends, group membership
| Values | Basic convictions (beliefs) about what is important to an individual |
| Value System | A hierarchy based on ranking of an individual's values in terms of intensity ( example: How important is freedom,pleasure, honesty, equality,etc.) |
| Terminal Values | Goals that individuals would like to achieve during their lifetime; example: a comfortable life, a sense of accomplishment |
| Instrumental Values | Perferable ways of behaving; example: ambitious, hard-working; capable, competent, effective |
Why are values important to organizations?
- Values are key to understanding attitudes and motivation
- Values can cloud objectivity and rationality
- When a person's values are similar to the organization, the person is more satisfied and may work harder
Do Values vary across cultures? How can we measure these differences?
- YES! culture plays a big part in what people value
- Geert Hofstede who studies culture and management used 5 dimensions to analyze variation among culture
- his dimensions:
- 1. Power Distance-power is distributed unequally?
- 2. Individualism versus collectivism-prefer individual?
- 3. Quantity of Life versus Quality of Life-assertiveness and money more important than sensitivity to others?
- 4. Uncertainty Avoidance-prefer structured life? (high rating=anxiety, stress, aggression)
- 5. Long-term versus Short-term Orientation- prefer future?
| Power Distance | a national culture attribute describing the extent to which a society accepts that power in institutions and organizations is distributed equally | |
| Individualism | a national culture attribute describing a loosely knit social framework where people focus on care of self and immediate family |  |
| Collectivism | a national culture attribute describing a tight social framework where people expect others in groups of which they are part to look after them and protect them | |
| Quantity of Life | a national culture attribute describing the extent to which societal values are characterized by assertiveness, and materialism | |
| Quality of Life | a national culture attribute that emphasizes relationships and concern for others | |
| Uncertainty Avoidance | a national culture attribute describing the extent to which a society feels threatened by uncertain and ambiguous situations and tries to avoid them | |
| Long-term Orientation | a national culture attribute that emphasizes the future, thrift, and persistence | |
| Short-term Orientation | a national culture attribute that emphasizes the past and present, respect for tradition, and fulfilling social obligation | |
Can you guess how Canada rates on these dimensions?
How does your or your parents or grandparents country rate?
 Exhibit 3-1 page 89 (data, however is 30 years old and subject to criticism |
- Most Asian countries are more collectivist; Canada, US rate high on individualism
- In 1996 42% Toronto,34.8% Vancouver and 18% Montreal population made up of immigrants; very different cultures make up Canada; therefore, Canadian based values will be generalizations
- Michael Adams, pollster, separated Canadians into 3 broad groups: Elders (born before 1945), Boomers (born 1946-1965), Generation X (born mid 1965- early 1980s) ( for more info visit this link Environics)
| Adam's GROUPS | VALUES | % of Canadians who fit profile |
| Elders | belief in order, authority, discipline, Golden Rule | 80%  |
| Boomers | spoiled hedonistic 4 groups
|  |
| Generation X | fragmented group Common values: experience seeking, adaptability, concern for person image among peers, 5 Tribes
|  |
| The Ne(x)t Generation (Millennials) |
|  |
- Above data ( except for Ne(x)t Generation) is 10 years old; much has changed; Canadians becoming more confident less nationalistic, human, humble and seeking respect, a social conscience but more individualistic versus collectivist
How do Canadian values affect the workplace?
- Changes within companies where shift occurs in generation of employee: important to understand for management
- Gen X more adaptable but seek experience, not geared toward workaholic behaviour of parent; net generation more technically savvy
- To read about managing GenX click X Appeal-Secrets to Managing Generation X. Entrepreneur magazine - May 1997 By Robert McGarvey http://www.entrepreneur.com/Magazines/MA_SegArticle/0,1539,227208,00.html
- Employers now report that GenXers do not want to commit long term to companies; they've seen what has happened to their parents and just don't trust organizations. To read more see GenXers say we won't commit (inside link)
- Organizations can mold workplace by aligning values: happier employee, lower turnover, more productive
- Some organizations attempt to change employee values ( would this be successful???)
- Anglophone versus Francophone values (Francophone more collectivist, need for achievement; interpersonal and task oriented; Anglo more I centred risk taking
- Aboriginal Values- becoming more entrepreneurial, alliances across groups; What differences would there be in values? Are some of these stereotype?
- Canadian versus American personality? How does it differ? Who is more polite? Who believes more in big business? Who takes more risks? who celebrates themselves? Who is more likely to follow management? How would these affect Free Trade agreement? What about Mexico?
What are the implications of cultural differences for OB?
- Much of OB theory is American: not all theory works for all countries or culture-values are important consideration;
- Cultural values and differences within the organization can affect workplace
To take an online test to see how American marketers would place you visit: Business Intelligence: VALS Survey (you must have cookies enabled on your computer to do the survey)
To take an online Canadian Survey of Social Values visit : Environics: Social Values Survey
ATTITUDES
| Attitudes | evaluative statements /judgments ( positive, neutral, negative) about objects, people, or events; attitudes affect job behaviour |  | |
| TYPES OF Job Related ATTITUDES: | | ||
| | Job satisfaction | an individual's general attitude toward her/his job; high satisfaction=positive attitude to job |  |
| | Job Involvement | the degree to which a person identifies with her/his job actively participating in it and considering her/his performance important to self worth; example: I identify with my job; my performance aids my self-worth; high involvement=lower absenteeism, less likelihood of resigning |  |
| | Organizational Commitment | the degree an employee identifies with a particular organization & its goals and wishes to maintain membership in the organization; example: I identify with my company; high commitment=lower absenteeism and turnover; commitment has changed over last 20 years An employee who expresses organizational citizenship behaviour generally shares same values as organization, knows what is expected, feels in control of his/her destiny, is recognized for the quality of her/his work, has a supportive and interactive environment and has fun doing the job |  |
| Cognitive Dissonance | any incompatibility between two or more attitudes or between behaviour and attitudes; person seeks to stabilize; the greater the dissonance, the greater the pressure to reduce it | ||
Can an employee attitude be changed?
- It depends on who is trying to change, strength of attitude, amount of change, and technique
- Best chance to change attitude: a person liked, and credible; a clear persuasive argument; easier if person isn't committed to attitude, amount of change low, good techniques-positive tactful, strong evidence for specific audience, logic but use emotional appeal; get person to experience in training
ATTITUDE OF Job Satisfaction
- 1997 Angus Reid Poll found 47% Canadians very satisfied with their jobs, 39% somewhat satisfied; but 40% would not recommend their company; 40% report red tape, and bureaucracy as barrier to job satisfaction
- there are two approaches to measure job satisfaction
- "single global rating" -ask people to answer how satisfied with job on scale from 1-5
- "summation score"- uses key elements of job ( nature of work, supervision, pay, promotion opportunity, coworker relations
- which is better? simple approach
What determines job satisfaction?
- Mentally challenging work
- Equitable Rewards (pay and promotion) fairness
- Supportive Working Conditions
- Supportive Colleagues
- Conditions in the workplace
- Behaviour of Manager
- Person's own temperament
How does Job Satisfaction affect employee performance?
- Satisfaction and Individual productivity
- A slight positive relationship JS and performance especially when employee behaviour not controlled by outside factors
- Satisfaction-performance also stronger fro higher level employees
- Some studies show that productivity leads to satisfaction
- Satisfaction and Organizational Productivity
- Strong relation between two when looking at organization as whole
- Organization with more satisfied workers tend to be more effective organizations
- see lists of 100 Best Companies to work for
- Fortune Magazine found 4 attitudes: employee given opportunity to do what they do best; employee believes her/his opinion counts; sense others are committed to quality;connect their work with company mission
- Satisfaction and Absenteeism
- A consistent negative relation between satisfaction and absenteeism
- But other factors impact on relationship
- Satisfaction and Turnover
- Satisfaction also negatively related to turnover but stronger than that for absenteeism
Expressing Dissatisfaction
- Dissatisfied employees can also complain, steal, avoid work
| Exit: behaviour directed to leave company "take this job and...." |  |
| Voice: express active and constructive attempts to improve conditions (example union negotiation) | |
| Loyalty: express by passively waiting for conditions to improve | |
| Neglect: allow conditions to get worse, hide work,come in late |
Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB)
- OCB is employee behaviour above and beyond call, not rewarded voluntary: helping colleague who is swamped; skipping break; alerting others of work related issues
- There is a modest relationship between job satisfaction and OCB
- job satisfaction comes down to conceptions of fair outcomes, treatment and procedures
- when you trust your employer, your satisfaction increases and you will go above and beyond
