1. Sem 322, Spring 2012 Instructor: Dr Nailah Ayub
Chapter 6 Work Related Attitudes: Prejudice, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment
Sem 322, Spring 2012
Instructor: Dr Nailah Ayub

2. Attitude Attitude: Definite feelings about people and things
- Relatively stable clusters of feelings, beliefs, and behavioral predispositions (i.e., intentions towards some specific objective)
Attitude Components

3. Prejudice: A work-related attitude
Definition: Negative attitudes/feelings toward people belonging to certain groups
Organizational Demography: The nature of the composition of a workforce with respect to various characteristics (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity)
People tend to be uncomfortable with different others
Three Key Trends in demographic compositions
1) unequal shifts in birth rate
2) Growing numbers of foreign nationals entering the workforce
3) Gender parity in the workforce

4. Anatomy of Prejudice Stereotypes: Mental shortcuts
Beliefs that individuals possess certain characteristics because of their membership in certain groups
E.g., predisposed against hiring a stereotyped person
Discrimination: the behavior consistent with a prejudicial attitude- the act of treating someone negatively because of one’s membership in specific group

5. Prejudice vs. Discrimination
Prejudice: An attitude Discrimination: behavior
based on prejudicial attitude

6. Bases for Prejudice Age: Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Based on stereotypes
Physical Condition: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Gender: sex role stereotypes- against women
Females are not aggressive or determined enough
Sexual Orientation: time and stress to conceal identity
Fringe benefits to partners
Race and National Origin: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Lost talent and productivity
Religion: Religious intolerance- Actions against a person/group who follows a different faith

7. Diversity Management: Strategies for overcoming Workplace Prejudice
Are diversity matters on Corporate Agendas?
NOT for many companies but situation is improving
Why to engage in Diversity Management efforts?
Not only government pressures BUT two major reasons:
Aware of importance of diversity management programs
Attract and retain skilled workforce
How are companies fostering Diversity: Practices include:
Promoting policies that discourage sexual harassment
Providing physical access for employees with disabilities
Allowing day offs for religious holidays that are not officially recognized
Offering parental leaves

8. Promoting Diversity: Affirmative Action
Legislation designed to give employment opportunities to groups that have been underrepresented

9. Promoting Diversity: Diversity Management Programs
Programs in which employees are taught to celebrate the differences between people and create supportive work environments
Not tolerated
But valued

10. Diversity Management Programs
Awareness-based Diversity Training
Very basic orientation: designed to make people more aware of diversity issues in workplace
Sensitive to own cultural assumptions and biases
Skills-based Diversity Training
Designed to develop diversity management skills
Four main tools involved:
Cross-cultural understanding
Intercultural communication
Facilitation skills
Flexibility and adaptability

11. Diversity Success Guidelines
Actively Pursue the Best People
Make Sure People Are Accepted and Fit in emphasize cooperation and teamwork
Educate Everyone
Focus on Difference Ranges Between People
Avoid Treating Someone From a Certain Group as Special
Provide Total Managerial Support: sustained attention
Assess: whom are you hiring and how they are doing
Pay Attention to Details: take care of all aspects
Plan for the Future

12. Job Satisfaction: Theories
1) Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

13. 2) Judge’s Dispositional Model
Job Satisfaction
2) Judge’s Dispositional Model
Genetic factors

14. Job Satisfaction 3) Value Theory
Any factor can be a source of job satisfaction so long as it is something that people value.
Job satisfaction depends on the match between the outcomes individuals value and their perceptions about the availability of such outcomes
Discrepancies between what people have and what they want

15. 4) Social Information Processing
Job Satisfaction
4) Social Information Processing
Adopt Others’ Attitudes and Behaviors
Based on Others’ Cues

16. Measuring Job Satisfaction
Questionnaires and Rating Scales
Job Descriptive Index (JDI)
Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ)
Pay Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ)
Critical Incidents Technique
Describe incidents
Interviews
Face-to-face sessions to explore attitudes deeply

17. Job Dissatisfaction Consequences
Employee Withdrawal
Voluntary Withdrawal
Absenteeism

18. Unfolding Model of Voluntary Turnover
Two key factors to unfold:
Shock to the system AND Decision frames

19. Job Dissatisfaction Consequences
Poor Performers: Weak, Positive Relationship with Task Performance
Reduced Organizational Citizenship Behaviors
Voluntary acts of cooperation beyond formal job reqs
Increased Occupational Injuries: High Performance Work Systems (HPWS)
Offer opportunities to participate in decision-making, provide incentives for doing so, emphasize opportunities to develop skills
Influences Life Outside Work: High JS was related to moods away from work

20. Promoting Job Satisfaction
Pay People Fairly: salary as well as fringe benefits
Improve the Quality of Supervision: competent supervisors; Open lines of communication
Match People to Jobs That Fit Their Interests: identify non-vocational interests; Offer career counseling and/or individualized counseling
Decentralize Organizational Power: Greater opportunities to control aspects of the workplace that affect the employees

21. Organizational Commitment

22. Committed Workforce Consequences
Unlikely to Withdraw
Stay on job and show up when expected to
Willing to Make Sacrifices for Their Organizations
Acts of good Organizational Citizenship

23. Developing Organizational Commitment
Enrich Jobs
Provide wide variety of tasks with considerable autonomy in doing them
Align Company and Employees Interests
Profit-sharing plans: bonuses in proportions to profitability
Recruit and Select New Employees Whose Values Closely Match Organization Values
Investing in someone will return by way of expressed commitment