Motivational theory and employees job satisfaction

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 ABSTRACT

In any field of Human Resource Management and in any organisation, the human being is

seen as an asset and remains the most valuable and also the most difficult to understand. The

past decade has seen an increased focus on employees, their level of motivation and their

satisfaction at work. Theorists have been endeavouring to compartmentalise and comprehend

those aspects which are of most importance in certain jobs. Tremendous pressure is put on

organisations to improve their performance and increase their competitiveness in the

continuously changing world of work. This is no different to the challenges financial

institutions face such as globalisation, economic shocks, technological changes and

downsizing. The aim of the research was to explore the motivation and job satisfaction levels

of employees of a financial services organisation within the Western Cape, with particular

focus on gender differences. Motivating employees is one of the most important managerial

functions. According to Nel, Werner, Poisat, Sono, Du Plessis and Ngalo (2011) success in

this endeavour is essential in the quest to utilise the full potential of people so as to ensure

quality products and service. The population for this study was a financial services

organisation within the Western Cape. A non-probability sampling based on the method of

convenience was used of which 95 employees were drawn from the employee pool.

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Statistical analyses will involve both descriptive (measures of central tendency and

dispersion) and inferential statistics (correlation, t-test and analysis of variance). ii Research

has shown that factors such as work content, payment, work conditions,

leadership/supervision, personal, general, recognition and benefits influence employees‟

levels of motivation and job satisfaction. The current research findings also indicated that

biographical variables have an impact on motivation and satisfaction and that gender, race,

marital status, tenure, educational level, nature of work, salary level and age differences exist.

However, there are a few limitations associated with the study and therefore it is suggested

that a bigger sample size, quantitative and qualitative data gathering methods, as well as more

than one financial services organisation be used to contribute to greater representativeness

and generalizability. The research might benefit employers and employees which may allow

them to take cognizance of those factors that lead to a high degree of motivation. In so doing,

the appropriate actions can be taken to rectify or improve these conditions.

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 Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW.......................................................6

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT............................................................................................10

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY...................................................................................12

1.4 HYPOTHESES..............................................................................................................13

CHAPTER 2- LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................14

2.1 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................14

2.2 MOTIVATION AND JOB PERFORMANCE..............................................................16

2.3 THEORIES OF MOTIVATION In order to understand the concept of motivation and

what motivates people one needs to understand the various theories of motivation.
According to George and Jones (2005) theories of motivation provide answers to questions
such as:.................................................................................................................................19

2.3.1 THE CONTENT THEORIES OF MOTIVATION....................................................21

2.3.1.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory.....................................................................21

2.3.1.4 Alderfer’s ERG Theory............................................................................................25

2.3.1.5 McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory.....................................................................27

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................28

3.1 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................28

3.2 POPULATION...............................................................................................................28

3.3 SAMPLE........................................................................................................................29

3.3.1 SAMPLING DESIGN.................................................................................................29

3.3.2 CONVENIENCE SAMPLING...................................................................................30

3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN...................................................................................................31

3.4.1 GATHERING OF THE DATA..................................................................................31

3.4.1.1 BIOGRAPHICAL QUESTIONNAIRE...................................................................32

3.4.1.2 WORK SATISFACTION AND MOTIVATION QUESTIONNAIRE...................33

3.4.1.2.1 Nature and Composition.......................................................................................33

3.4.1.2.2 Reliability and Validity.........................................................................................34

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 3.5 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES....................................................................................36

3.5.1 DATA ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................36

3.5.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS....................................................................................37

3.5.3 INFERENTIAL STATISTICS....................................................................................37

3.5.3.1 The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient............................................37

3.5.3.2 Significant mean Differences between Two groups: The t-test...............................38

3.5.3.3 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)..............................................................................38

CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS....................................................................39

4.1 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................39

4.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS.......................................................................................40

4.2.1 BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION..........................................................................41

4.2.1 MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY AND DISPERSION..............................41

4.3 INFERENTIAL STATISTICS.......................................................................................42

4.4 CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................43

Chapter 5: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.........................44

5.1 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................44

5.2 DESCRIPTIVE RESULTS............................................................................................44

5.2.1 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS: THE SAMPLE IN RELATION TO

BIOGRAPHICAL VARIABLES.........................................................................................44

5.2.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS IN RELATION TO THE DIMENSIONS OF THE

WORK MOTIVATION AND JOB SATISFACTION QUESTIONNAIRE.......................45

5. 3 INFERENTIAL RESULTS..........................................................................................47

5.3.1 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS...................................................................................47

HYPOTHESIS 1:.................................................................................................................47

The relationship between work content and work motivation and job satisfaction.............47

b) The relationship between payment and work motivation and job satisfaction................48

c) The relationship between promotion and work motivation and job satisfaction.............49

d) The relationship between recognition and work motivation and job satisfaction...........50
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 e) The relationship between working conditions and work motivation and job satisfaction
..............................................................................................................................................52

f) The relationship between benefits and work motivation and job satisfaction..................53

g) The relationship between personal and work motivation and job satisfaction................54

h) The relationship between leadership/supervision and work motivation and job.............55

i) The relationship between general and work motivation and job satisfaction...................56

HYPOTHESIS 2:.................................................................................................................57

j) Race..................................................................................................................................57

k) Gender..............................................................................................................................58

l) Marital status....................................................................................................................60

References................................................................................................................................62

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CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

In 2006 the average staff turnover in South African companies was 12.3%, but the rates range

widely from a low of 6.5% in utilities, to a high of 21.3% in the hospitality industry

(“National Remuneration Guide Survey” Deloit and Touche, 2007, as cited in van Zyl, 2011).

According to Ingram (2011) employee turnover rates can increase for a variety of reasons and

turnover includes both employees who quit their jobs and those who are asked to leave. Van

Zyl (2011) states that thirteen possible reasons for resignations were identified within the

banking sector, namely: desire to take on a new challenge, bad relationship with

management, bad relationship with colleagues, lack of opportunity for advancement, lack of

appreciation (perception of recognition), better compensation and benefits elsewhere, long

working hours, lack of control over work or working environment, travelling distance to

work, personal situation at home, lack of training and support to reach potential, the

department is conducive to black advancement and the bank embraces diversity for all. The

employee turnover rate can be related to the economic recession that has placed major

pressures on financial services organisations. According to Singh (2011) the economic

recession and unemployment issues have caused substantial changes on the meaning and

value of work and leisure of South Africans. A few years ago, between 2008 and 2010, the

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economy had a downturn causing many people to lose their jobs and in turn affected the 2

health of many individuals. In an editorial completed by Ogunbanjo (n.d) it is stipulated that

there was a strong relationship between job loss and clinical and subclinical depression,

anxiety, substance abuse and antisocial behaviour. This, however, created questions around

the well-being of employees. In a study done in Nigeria, among bank employees, it was

found that due to the economic meltdown, bank staff were under pressure and were instructed

to meet the set target or bid bye to their jobs (Adejuwon & Lawal, 2013). Thus, bringing

about issues of job insecurity. One important issue surrounding financial institutions is the

need to be proactive and holistic in managing risks. Risk management is at the centre of such

organisations and is demanding greater expertise from staff (Chibayambuya & Theron,

2007). Along with this, technology advancement, as depicted in figure 1.1, also influences the

operation of financial services organisations. According to Barker (2011, p. 27) “deregulation

and rapid growth in technology removed entry barriers into the online environment, thereby

forcing financial institutions to transform and at the same time to conquer consumer‟s fear

and the perceived risk of fraudulent online transactions. It is thus evident that these are

among the many challenges surrounding financial institutions and thus it is imperative for

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management to maintain high levels of motivation and satisfaction in order to retain their

employees.

A study that van Zyl (2011) conducted within a financial services organisation revealed that

gender differences shows that there is a statistical significance for personal situations at home

as a reason for resignation and that females feel stronger about this than males. When

examining the differences between ethnic groups, there are two reasons that are statistically

significant namely, better compensation elsewhere and long working hours. Africans and

Coloureds feel stronger about leaving for better compensation elsewhere than whites (van

Zyl, 2011). The issue of employee turnover within financial services organisations can be

related to low levels of motivation and job satisfaction experienced by its employees.

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Motivation is defined as “the process of arousing and sustaining goal-directed behaviour”

(Nelson & Quick, 2000). Forces for Changes Workforce Technology Economic Shocks

Competition Social Trends World Politics 4 It is thus important that employers enhance and

maintain employee motivation and ultimately increase their job satisfaction experienced.

However, people work for a variety of reasons. Even people within the same culture or

organisation have a wide array of needs and motives. Some people want money, some want

challenge and some want power (Moorhead & Griffin, 1998). What each unique person in an

organisation wants from work plays an instrumental role in determining that person‟s

motivation to work. The authors‟ further postulate that often the difference between highly

effective organisations and less effective organisations lies in the motivations of their

members. Thus, employers need to understand the nature of individual motivation, especially

as it applies to work situations. Another aspect that employees need to consider is the

application of the knowledge of the individual motivation. Work processes and systems

should be aligned with individual needs to ultimately lead to increased motivation and job

satisfaction. For example: reward systems such as pay or status symbols, as future incentives

should be implemented in an attempt to motivate employees to reach work-related and

personal-related goals, simultaneously improving productivity (Nelson & Quick, 2000).

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Motivating employees to make important contributions to their jobs can have a profound

impact on organisational effectiveness (George & Jones, 2005). Organisations exploit various

resources in order to compete successfully. These resources include material, machinery,

money, methods and manpower. According to Nel, et al. (2011, p. 307) “few people realise

that in comparison to other resources, human resources is the only resource that increases in

quality and capacity the more it is utilised.” Organisations cannot afford to ignore this

valuable resource. Motivation is a calculated technique that managers can use to explore 5

human potential and talents (Nel et al., 2011). Motivation is therefore an important concept to

investigate.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

In today‟s competitive business environment companies are facing many challenges and

among those challenges, acquiring the right workforce and retaining it, is of utmost

importance. Nowadays, the human asset is considered to be the most important asset of any

organisation. In order to get efficient and effective results from human resources, employee

motivation is necessary. Motivating employees is one of the most important managerial

functions. According to Nel et al. (2011), success in this endeavour is essential in the quest to

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utilise the full potential of people so as to ensure quality products and service. The authors‟

further postulate that motivation is a very complex issue owing to the uniqueness of people

and the wide range of internal and external factors that have an impact on it. If an employee

is motivated, there will be an increase in job performance and ultimately they may experience

an increase in job satisfaction. Therefore it can be said that there is a relationship between

motivation and job satisfaction. Thus, motivation and job satisfaction is an important topic to

study and to understand as it ultimately is one of the determinants of the success of any

company or institution and also allows insight into which corrective measures could be

implemented to increase job satisfaction in organisations. This view is supported by

Grunenberger (1979) who stipulates that motivation and job satisfaction studies are relevant

to improving the welfare of employees in important aspects of their lives. The author further

hypothesises that 6 increasing the motivation of employees and job satisfaction experienced

by the employees could increase the productivity and subsequently the profitability of

organisations. Literature conducted on the relationship between job satisfaction, motivation

and gender are inconsistent. Some studies according to Grunenberger (1979) have found

females to be more satisfied than men, others have found the opposite and some have found

no difference. These findings can clearly not be drawn from to make absolute conclusions

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about the abovementioned. The author further postulates that females differ from males in

terms of job expectations, where it was found that females value opportunities more where

they are able to work more pleasantly whereas males regarded autonomy and leadership as

more important. A financial services organisation was selected, as employees within such

organisations are constantly faced with challenging and ever-changing job tasks. Global

changes have a tremendous impact on the daily operation of a financial services organisation

and therefore employees are to be motivated at all times to work at an optimal level beneficial

to both themselves and the organisation at large. According to Financial Services Sector

Supplement (n.d), financial services organisations have to constantly work at achieving

sustainable development. It is further stated that the goal of sustainable development is to

“meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet

their own needs.” As key forces in society, organisations of all kinds have an important role

to play in achieving this goal. One of the key challenges of sustainable development is that it

demands new and innovative choices and ways of thinking. It is therefore reasonable to state

that in order for the organisation to reach high performance and to keep abreast of national

and 7 internal changes; this will be dependent on a workforce that has high levels of

motivation and job satisfaction.

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1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this study are to determine:

 The levels of motivation among employees in a financial services organisation.

 The differences between female and males‟ motivation.

 If there is a relationship between the variables such work content, payment, promotion,

recognition, working conditions, benefits, personal, leadership, general and work motivation

and job satisfaction.

 The factors that contribute to the work motivation and job satisfaction experienced by the

employees.

 The impact of biographical variables such as gender, marital status, age, occupational level,

educational level, race and salary level on work motivation and job satisfaction experienced

by the employees.

1.4 HYPOTHESES

The following hypotheses will be investigated:

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H1: There is no statistically significant relationship between work content, payment,

promotion, recognition, working conditions, benefits, personal, leadership, general and work

motivation and job satisfaction in a financial services organisation.

H2: There is no statistically significant difference between the biographical variables (race,

gender, marital status, age, educational level, years of service, nature of work, employment

status and salary level) and work motivation and job satisfaction in a financial services

organisation.

CHAPTER 2- LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Motivating employees to make important contributions on their jobs can have a profound

impact on organisational effectiveness. According to George and Jones (2005), motivation is

central to understanding and managing organisational behaviour because it explains why

people behave as they do in organisations. Motivation is one of the most frequently

researched topics, especially within Organisational Behaviour. One reason for its popularity

is revealed in a Gallup poll, which found that the majority of U.S. employees (55%) have no

enthusiasm for their work (Robbins, Judge, Odendaal & Roodt, 2009). It is thus evident that

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motivation is an issue within organisations. Motivating employees is one of the most

important managerial functions. According to Nel, Werner et al. (2011) success in this

endeavour is essential in the quest to utilise the full potential of people so as to ensure quality

products and service. Motivation is important in organisations because in conjunction with

ability and environment, it determines performance (Moorhead & Griffin, 1998). Nel et al.

(2011) postulate that motivation is a very complex 15 issue owing to the uniqueness of

people and the wide range of internal and external factors that have an impact on it. If an

employee is motivated, there is likely to be an increase in job performance and they

ultimately may experience an increase in job satisfaction. Therefore, it can be said that there

is a relationship between motivation and job satisfaction. Thus, motivation and job

satisfaction is an important topic to study and to understand as it ultimately is one of the

determinants of the success of any company or institution and also allows insight into which

corrective measures could be implemented to increase job satisfaction in organisations. This

view is supported by Grunenberger (1979) who stipulates that motivation and job satisfaction

studies are relevant to improving the welfare of employees in important aspects of their lives.

The author further hypothesises that increasing the motivation of employees and job

satisfaction experienced by the employees may increase the productivity and subsequently

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the profitability of organisations. This literature review explores the concept of motivation,

the various theories associated with motivation and how these theories have an influence on

the motivation and performance of employees. The review then continues by providing an

overview of job satisfaction and its relevant dimensions, along with the appropriate

biographical characteristics. Thereafter, the consequences of demotivation and job

dissatisfaction are discussed, which are followed by techniques to create a motivating work

environment. The literature review concludes by explaining certain aspects of managing

employee performance. This should provide a better understanding of not only how

individuals within an organisation are motivated but also what motivates them.

2.2 MOTIVATION AND JOB PERFORMANCE

The term “motivation” is derived from the Latin root word movere, which means “to move”

(Nelson & Quick, 2000). There are many definitions of motivation that have been postulated

over the decades. According to Robbins (2003, p. 43) motivation is the “willingness to do

something and is conditioned by this action‟s ability to satisfy some need for an individual.

The need being a physiological or psychological deficiency that makes certain outcomes

appear attractive”. The author further states that an unsatisfied need creates tension, which

stimulates drives within the individual. These drives generate the search to find particular

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goals that, if attained, will satisfy the need and lead to reduction of tension. This motivation

process can be seen in Figure 2.1 below:

Figure 2.1 Basic Motivation Process

Roberts (2005, p. 14) states that motivation represents “those psychological processes that

cause the arousal, direction and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal directed”.

Motivation therefore, is the set of forces that lead people to behave in particular ways. Some

authors see motivation as being contained within the individual (intrinsic motivation) and

others view it as arising from sources outside the individual (extrinsic motivation). According

to George and Jones (2005, p. 177) intrinsically motivated work behaviour is “behaviour that

is performed for its own sake, where the source of motivation actually comes from

performing the behaviour itself”. It therefore can be said that intrinsically motivated

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employees often remark that their work gives them a sense of accomplishment and

achievement or that they feel that they are doing something worthwhile. The authors‟ further

postulate that extrinsically motivated behaviour is behaviour that is performed to acquire

material, social rewards or to avoid punishment. The behaviour is performed not for its own

sake but rather for its consequences. According to Nel et al. (2011), motivation can further be

described as intentional and directional. Intentional motivation refers to “personal choice and

persistence of action, whereas directional motivation refers to the presence of a driving force

aimed at attaining a specific goal” (Nel et al., 2011, p. 289). A characteristic of a motivated

person is that he or she is always attentive to the specific goal that must be attained. This

individual will constantly aim to reach this goal even when faced with difficulty.

Many factors influence the performance of individual employees. La Motta (1995, as cited in

Roberts, 2005) defines job performance as the result of motivation and ability. “Ability

comprises of training, education, equipment, simplicity of task, experience and both mental

and physical capacity” (Roberts, 2005, p. 14). According to Grobler, Wärnich, Carrell, Elbert

and Hatfield (2006), the factors that influence the performance of employees are the

employees‟ abilities, efforts spent and the continued organisational support they receive.

These individualistic factors may change over time depending on the particular needs and

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motives of the employee. Roberts (2005, as cited in Adams, 2007) states that motivation

influences job performance and that if performance is followed by rewards, a probability of

motivating employees thus occurs. Therefore it is evident that a relationship exists between

motivation and job performance. Gouws (1995, as cited in Roos and van Eeden, n.d.) is of a

similar opinion, and postulates that the factors that motivate employees are the same factors

that contribute towards the employees‟ satisfaction in the workplace and concludes that

motivated employees are generally also satisfied with their work. Motivation therefore

manifests in job satisfaction and performance and thus provides the relationship between job

satisfaction and employee performance. Below is a model which represents the relationship

between motivation and job performance:

Figure 2.2 Motivation and Performance Model

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2.3 THEORIES OF MOTIVATION

In order to understand the concept of motivation and what motivates people one needs to

understand the various theories of motivation. According to George and Jones (2005) theories

of motivation provide answers to questions such as:

 What motivates people?

 Why do they become motivated?

 How do they sustain their motivation? The theories help answer such questions by

explaining why employees behave the way they do in organisations. Theories of motivation

can be divided into content theories and process theories. “Content theories offer ways to

profile or analyze individuals to identify the needs that motivate their 21 behaviour,”

(Schemerhorn, Hunt & Osborn, 1994, p. 168). According to Grunenberger (1979) Maslow‟s

Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg‟s Two Factor Theory, Alderfer‟s ERG Theory and

McClelland‟s Acquired Needs Theory have been described by Campbell as content theories

of motivation.

In contrast, process theories “seek to understand the thought process that takes place in the

minds of people and that act to motivate their behaviour,” (Schermerhorn et al., 1994, p.168).

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The process theories which are discussed include Vroom‟s Expectancy Theory, Porter and

Lawler‟s Expectancy Theory, Equity Theory, Goal-Setting Theory, Value Theory and

Reinforcement Theory. The author then further states that both the content and process

theories of motivation complement one another. Content theories are directly linked with job

satisfaction while process theories are concerned with work efforts and their performance

implications.

2.3.1 THE CONTENT THEORIES OF MOTIVATION

2.3.1.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Maslow‟s hierarchy of needs theory claims that employees are motivated to satisfy five basic

types of needs as illustrated in a five-tier model of human needs (Worrell, 2004).

Schermerhorn et al., (1994) postulate that these needs are divided into higher-order needs

which are the self-actualization and esteem needs and the lower-order needs which are the

belongingness, safety and physiological needs.

Worrell (2004) states that the first-level need which is the physiological need consists of

basic life sustaining needs such as water, food, shelter and sex. The next level of needs is the

physical and financial security needs. The third-level needs are the need for social

acceptance, belonging and love. The fourth level-needs include self-esteem needs and

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recognition by one‟s peers. Lastly the fifth-level need, that is, self-actualization needs which

is at the top of the pyramid includes needs such as personal autonomy and self-direction.

Stone (2005) stipulates that individuals‟ needs exist in a logical order and that the basic

needs, which are the lower order needs, must first be satisfied before those at the higher

levels can be satisfied. Therefore to satisfy one‟s physiological needs, one would need to

have a job and receive the basic wage before one can move on to safety needs (Stone, 2005).

According to Ott, Parkes and Simpson (2008) Maslow‟s theoretical premises can be

summarised in a few phrases:

 All humans have needs that underlie their motivational structure.

 As lower levels of needs are satisfied, they no longer “drive” behaviour.

 Satisfied needs are not motivators.

 As lower-level needs of workers become satisfied, higher-order needs take over as the

motivating factors.

“Maslow‟s theory alerts managers to the dangers of unsatisfied needs dominating employee

attention and influencing their attitudes and behaviour at work. One should also take into

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account that once a need is satisfied, it may no longer act as an effective motivator of

employee behaviour” (Stone, 2005, p. 415).

2.3.1.2 Theory X and Theory Y

McGregor understood people‟s motivation using Maslow‟s need theory. His theory is about

much more than the motivation of people at work. According to Ott et al. (2008) in its 24

totality, it is a cogent articulation of the basic assumptions of the organisational behaviour

perspective. McGregor proposed two distinct views of human beings: one basically negative

labelled as Theory X and the other basically positive labelled as Theory Y (Robbins, 2003).

The author adds that McGregor concluded that a manager‟s view of the nature of human

beings is based on a certain grouping of assumptions and that he or she tends to mould his or

her behaviour towards employees according to those assumptions. The assumptions are

summarised in table 2.2 below:

McGregor believed that Theory X assumptions are appropriate for employees motivated by

lower order needs, whereas Theory Y assumptions are appropriate for employees motivated

by higher order needs (Nelson & Quick, 2000). Robbins (2003) states that there is no

evidence to confirm that either set of assumptions is valid or that accepting Theory Y and

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altering one‟s actions will increase employees‟ motivation. Either Theory X or Theory Y

assumptions may be appropriate in a particular situation.

2.3.1.3 Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

Herzberg built on the theory of Maslow and stipulates that the work itself could serve as a

primary source of job satisfaction (Worrell, 2004). According to Worrell (2004), Herzberg

based his research on motivation by asking workers to comment on two statements. After

analysing the statements, Herzberg and his associates developed the two-factor theory which

is also known as the motivator-hygiene theory. They noticed that respondents identified

different things as sources of work dissatisfaction subsequently called „dissatisfiers‟ or

„hygiene factors‟ than they did as sources of satisfaction subsequently called „satisfiers‟ or

„motivator factors (Schermerhorn et al., 1994).

Below is figure 2.4 which contains examples of hygiene factors and motivator factors:

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 Figure 2.4 Hygiene factors and Motivator factors

These motivator factors are intrinsic factors and motivate the employees to reach their full

potential and thus to reach their highest level of performance (Roberts, 2005). The fulfilment

of higher level needs such as achievement, recognition and opportunity for growth is

associated with the motivator factors (Worrell, 2004). According to Roberts (2005), the

hygiene factors are extrinsic variables which describe the environment and serves primarily

to prevent job dissatisfaction. Factors such as working conditions, pay and interpersonal

relationships must be met to prevent dissatisfaction.

Factors that produce job satisfaction are true motivators and are directly related to job content

and factors leading to dissatisfaction are hygiene or maintenance factors (Stone, 2005). The

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HYGIENE FACTORS that affect job dissatisfaction Quality of supervison Pay Company

ploicies Physical working environment Relations with others Job security MOTIVATOR

FACTORS that affect job satisfaction Promotional opportunities Opportunities for personal

growth recognition Responsibilty Achievement 27 author further state that Herzberg

concluded that only the presence of motivators can produce employee satisfaction and

performance and that hygiene factors do not motivate individuals but their absence can result

in job dissatisfaction.

2.3.1.4 Alderfer’s ERG Theory

Alderfer, while recognizing the value of Maslow‟s understanding motivation, believed that

the original need hierarchy was not quite accurate in identifying and categorizing human

needs (Nelson & Quick, 2000). The ERG theory differs from Maslow‟s theory in that it is

revised to align work with more empirical research. The ERG theory consists of existence,

relatedness and growth needs and the theory is thus grounded on these three needs (Bull,

2005).

According to Schermerhorn et al. (1994), the three needs can be defined as follows: 

Existence needs relate to a person‟s desire for psychological and material well-being. 

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Relatedness needs relate to the desires for social and safety.  Growth needs relate to the

individuals desires for continuous personal growth and development. Bull (2005, p. 32)

defines the three needs as follows: “existence refers to the provision of basic needs to

individuals and includes the physiological and safety needs of individuals identified by

Maslow. Relatedness is the need to develop and maintain good interpersonal relationships

and includes social and esteem needs of individuals identified by Maslow. Growth needs are

an intrinsic desire for personal development based on the self-actualization needs identified

by Maslow in his theory”.

Figure 2.6 Alderfer’s ERG Theory

According to Champoux (2000) movement through the hierarchy is both similar to and

different from Maslow‟s description. Satisfaction of a need leads to movement upward in the

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hierarchy and this movement is known as satisfaction-progression, which is the same as

described for Maslow‟s Hierarchy of Needs Theory (Champoux, 2000). The author continues

by stipulating that frustration of a need that a person wants to satisfy leads to movement

down the hierarchy and this movement is known as frustration-regression, a concept

introduced by the ERG theory that gives additional insight about motivation and human

behavior. Alderfer‟s ERG theory is clearly based on Maslow‟s Theory but does not make use

of the hierarchical progression of needs and alerts us to the fact that needs do not need to

progress in linear fashion as Maslow postulated (Hamman-Fisher, 2008).

2.3.1.5 McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory

McClelland‟s needs theory focuses on personality and learned needs (Nelson & Quick,

2000). McClelland identified three learned or acquired needs which he called manifest needs

which include the achievement, power and affiliation needs. According to Schermerhorn et

al. (1994) the three types of acquired needs can be defined as:  Need for Achievement

(nAch): this is seen as the desire to do something better or more efficiently to solve problems

or to master complex problems.  Need for Affiliation (nAff): this is the desire to establish

and maintain friendly and warm relations with others.  Need for Power (nPower): this is the

desire to control others, to influence their behaviour and be responsible for others.

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CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTION

The chapter focuses primarily on addressing how the research problem was investigated. It

provides an overview of the research design used to investigate the research hypotheses. It

gives reference to the population, sampling method and characteristics of the sample.

Furthermore, the data gathering instruments (that is, the Biographical and Work Satisfaction

and Motivation questionnaires) are discussed. The statistical analysis used to assess the

hypotheses concludes the chapter.

3.2 POPULATION

According to Sekaran (2003, p. 266), a research population refers to “the entire group of

people, events or things of interest that the researcher wishes to investigate”. The population

for this study comprised of the employees of a financial services organisation in the Western

Cape (N=95).

3.3 SAMPLE

A sample is a subset of the population which consists of some members selected from the

population (Sekaran, 2003). This means that not all the members from the population would

form part of the sample. The author further states that a sample size of thirty percent is

29
appropriate for most research, therefore, the current study utilised a sample of 84 employees

within the financial services organisation. Accordingly, the sample consists of employees

available to participate in the current research study.

3.3.1 SAMPLING DESIGN

A non-probability sampling design was used based on the method of convenience. “In

nonprobability sampling designs the elements in the population have no probabilities attached

to them being chosen as sample subjects. This means that the findings from the study of the

sample cannot be confidently generalized to the population” (Sekaran, 2003, p. 277).

According to Welman and Kruger (2001, as cited in Adams, 2007), non-probability sampling

is less complicated than a probability sampling design and therefore researchers may at times

be less worried about generalizability than they are about obtaining a number of preliminary

information in a quick and inexpensive way. Certain non-probability sampling plans are more

dependable than others and may possibly offer some important leads to potentially useful

information with regards to the population (Sekaran, 2003).

3.3.2 CONVENIENCE SAMPLING

When information is collected from members of the population who are most easily

accessible and conveniently available to provide the required information, this refers to

30
convenience sampling (Neuman, 2001 as cited in Adams, 2007). Several employees were

approached from the financial services organisation and they distributed the questionnaires

on behalf of the researcher to their colleagues who were available to complete the

questionnaires. According to Sekaran (2003), convenience sampling is convenient, quick and

less expensive than most other sampling techniques. The results are not generalisable except

to the extent of the organisations which are represented in the study. The advantages of

making use of convenience sampling would be that it is “quick, convenient, cost-effective

and also less time consuming” (Sekaran, 2003, p. 281). On the other hand, convenience

sampling cannot be confidently generalized to the whole population of employees in all

financial services organisations within South Africa (Sekaran, 2003). The author further

postulates that to overcome the limitations of generalizability, it is thus recommended that

larger sample sizes be used and should be taken into consideration for future studies.

3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN

3.4.1 GATHERING OF THE DATA

A quantitative method was adopted for this study by making use of questionnaires. Sekaran

(2003, p. 233) states that a questionnaire is defined as “a preformulated written set of

questions to which respondents record their answers usually within rather closely defined

31
alternatives”. Denzin and Lincoln (2002) maintain that there are advantages associated with

the use of questionnaires:

 The cost per questionnaire is relatively low.

 Structured information in the questionnaire and few open questions makes analysing

questionnaires relatively straightforward.

 Questionnaires give respondents extended time to formulate accurate responses.

 This method of data collection produces quick results.

 Questionnaires are a stable, consistent and uniform method of collecting data.

The data gathering instruments that were used included a biographical questionnaire and the

Work Satisfaction and Motivation questionnaire as set out by De Beer in 1987. A cover letter

was attached with the questionnaire explaining the nature of the study, assuring participants

that their responses would be kept strictly confidential and that only members of the research

team will have access to the information provided by the respondents. Clear instructions and

the assurance of confidentiality of information given by the respondents must be maintained.

This however reduces the chances of obtaining biased responses (Sekaran 2003).

32
3.4.1.1 BIOGRAPHICAL QUESTIONNAIRE

The biographical questionnaire is a self-developed instrument, which included the following

personal information of individual staff members:

 Race

 Gender

 Marital Status

 Age

 Educational level

 Years of Service in the financial services organisation

 Nature of work

 Employment status

 Salary Level

33
3.4.1.2 WORK SATISFACTION AND MOTIVATION QUESTIONNAIRE

3.4.1.2.1 Nature and Composition

According to Roberts (2005), this questionnaire as set out by De Beer in 1987 includes all

sixteen factors of Hertzberg‟s motivator-hygiene or two-factor theory and consists of nine

categories such as work content, payment, promotion, recognition, working conditions,

benefits, personal, leadership or supervision and general. The dimensions are defined as

follows:

 Work content: elicited the views of the respondents with regards to the type of work they

do.  Payment: examines the respondents‟ satisfaction with their salaries.

 Promotion: surveyed the promotional opportunities within the organisation.

 Recognition: explored whether the respondents‟ were being recognised and were receiving

feedback for their performance on the job.

 Working conditions: attempts to determine whether opportunities were being created to

socially interact with colleagues and establish interpersonal relations.

 Benefits: probed whether the benefits (that is; pension, medical schemes and leave, inter

alia) were of a satisfactory nature.

34
 Personal: looked at the respondents‟ emotions towards their job.

 Leadership or supervision: ascertained whether respondents were satisfied with the

level/nature of management and supervision and the level of such satisfaction.

 General: surveyed whether respondents‟ had contemplated exiting the organisation in

favour of alternative employment, and hence their level of satisfaction with the organisation.

A total score can be calculated for every individual in the sample with reference to the nine

appropriate categories. The individual scales can be plotted on a continuum of an extreme of

one (satisfaction in terms of a specific need) and three (dissatisfaction in terms of the same

need).

3.4.1.2.2 Reliability and Validity

Reliability is “a matter of whether a particular technique, applied repeatedly to the same

object, would yield the same result each time” (Babbie & Mouton, 2001, p. 119). Below are

internal consistency reliabilities (coefficient alpha) of the Work Satisfaction and Motivation

questionnaire:

35
 Table 3.2: Internal Consistency Reliabilities of the Work Satisfaction and Motivation

questionnaire

According to Carr (2005), each item in the questionnaire has a positive correlation with the

overall score and has average correlations ranging from a low of 0.42 to 0.74 with a median

correlation of 0.64. The coverall coefficient-alpha of the questionnaire is 0.82 and that strong

positive item-homogeneity is present in this measuring instrument and is thus an illustration

of the questionnaires test reliability. Validity refers to “the extent to which an empirical

measure adequately reflects the concept‟s meaning” (Babbie & Mouton, 2001, p. 122). This

instrument has face validity because it appears to measure the construct of work motivation.

36
The Work Satisfaction and Motivation Questionnaire was used because it is the most suitable

questionnaire for this study. This is supported by the fact that:

 The reliability of the sub-components of the instrument is consistently high.

 The Internal consistency of the instrument is consistently high, ranging from 0.82 to 0.93.

 The overall reliability (0.82) of the instrument is consistently high which indicates high test

reliability as well has a strong item-homogeneity in this questionnaire.

3.5 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES

3.5.1 DATA ANALYSIS

Once the data is processed and completed, a statistical analysis is performed in order to infer

some properties of the population from the results of the sample. Thus the purpose of

statistics is to summarise and answer questions about the behavioural variability that was

obtained in the research. Statistical analyses involve both descriptive and inferential statistics.

3.5.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS

Descriptive statistics help researchers to summarise data so they can easily be comprehended

(Patten, 2004 as cited in Charles, 2008). For the purpose of this research the descriptive

statistics used in this study includes means, frequencies, percentages and standard deviations.

37
Frequency tables and graphical illustrations were used to provide information on key

demographic variables, as well as the means and standard deviations for the responses on the

87 Work Satisfaction and Motivation Questionnaire. According to Babbie and Mouton (2001)

the mean is a measure of central tendency, and provides an arithmetic average for the

distribution of scores. However, standard deviation offers an index of the spread of a

distribution or the variability in the data (Sekaran, 2003).

3.5.3 INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

The inferential statistics are used to test the research hypotheses. For the purpose of this study

the inferential tests that were used include the Pearson Product Moment Correlation

Coefficient, the t-test and ANOVA.

3.5.3.1 The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient

According to Sekaran (2003) the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient indicates

the direction of the relationship between motivation and the independent variables as well as

the strength and magnitude of that relationship. Roberts (2005, p. 71) states that “the sign of a

correlation coefficient (+ or -) indicates the direction between -1.00 and +1.00. Variables may

be positively and negatively correlated”. Since the study attempts to describe and discuss the

relationship between the different dimensions of the work motivation and job satisfaction

38
questionnaire, as well as the relationship between the biographical variables and motivation,

the Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, is therefore suitable for this study.

3.5.3.2 Significant mean Differences between Two groups: The t-test

There are many instances in which researchers want to investigate whether two groups are

different from each other on a particular interval-scaled or ratio-scaled variable of interest.

For example, do MBA‟s perform better in organisational settings than business students who

have only a bachelor‟s degree? According to Sekeran (2003), a t-test is done to see if there

are any significant differences in the means for two groups on the variable of interest. For the

purpose of this study, the t-test is suitable to determine whether there are significant

differences between gender and motivation amongst employees within a financial services

organisation.

3.5.3.3 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)

In this type of analysis, comparisons can be made between groups sANOVA can be used to

determine whether there is a difference in work motivation amongst employees in different

departmental units within a financial services organisation. This will be based on

predetermined variables, including biographical variables. uch as those found from analysing

the biographical data in comparing findings with regards to work motivation for example

39
(Blaikie, 2003 as cited in Adams, 2007). According to Roberts (2005), this type of analysis

has the distinct advantage that all groups are weighed against each other concurrently with

the appropriate variables. Roberts (2005, as cited in Adams, 2007, p. 72-73) states that the

following are the underpinnings on which ANOVA is grounded:  The groups must be

normally distributed. The groups must be independent.  The population variance must be

homogeneous.  The population distribution must be normal.

CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS

4.1 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this chapter is to present the results that were obtained after applying the

statistical techniques outlined in chapter 3. The results of the statistical analysis, determined

through the application of descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency and dispersion)

and inferential statistics (correlation, t-test and analysis of variance), are presented in the

forms of tables, and graphical representations. The study analyses the work motivation and

satisfaction amongst a sample of employees who were solicited to participate in the research

within a financial services organization. The level of statistical significance for null

hypothesis testing was set at 5%, with all statistical test results being computed at the 2-tailed

40
level of significance in accordance with the non-directional hypotheses presented (Sekaran &

Bougie, 2011).

4.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS

The descriptive statistics computed for the study are presented first in an outline of the

characteristics of the sample with regards to the variables included in the study. Thereafter,

the analyses of the constructs relevant to the study, that is, work motivation and satisfaction,

are presented with the aid of inferential statistical procedures. Conclusions are then drawn on

91 the basis of the obtained results. Finally, the chapter concludes by providing some

suggestions and recommendations that may prove fruitful in future research projects of a

similar nature. The information provided and discussed in the previous chapters will serve as

a background against which the contents of this chapter will be presented and interpreted.

4.2.1 BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

4.2.1 MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY AND DISPERSION

The range of scores for each facet of the work motivation and satisfaction questionnaire is 0–

54. Mean scores of 32 or higher indicate high work motivation and satisfaction, mean scores

101 of 22 and under indicate lower motivation and satisfaction, and mean scores between 23–

31 indicate average work motivation and satisfaction. The mean score (M = 25.28) for Work

41
Content indicates that subjects showed work content to be the dimension which provided the

highest motivation and satisfaction. The standard deviation (4.69) shows that moderate

variation in the responses were obtained with respect to Work content. For the Payment

dimension, the mean score (M = 19.56) indicated that respondents showed payment to be one

of the least motivating and satisfying. The standard deviation (3.37) indicates that there was

similarity in the responses obtained. The mean score (M = 17.42) for Promotion opportunities

indicates that subjects showed promotion to be one of the dimensions which provided the

least motivation and satisfaction. The standard deviation (4.12) shows that there were

moderate variations with to respect to promotion opportunities. In terms of the Recognition

dimension, the mean score (M = 24.39) reveals that respondents rated recognition to be one

of the most satisfying aspects. The standard deviation (3.68) indicates that there were

moderate variations in the responses obtained on this dimension. For the

Leadership/supervision dimension, the mean score (M = 16.78) indicated that respondents

showed leadership/supervision to be one of the least satisfying dimensions. The standard

deviation (3.59) indicates that there was similarity in the responses obtained. 102 With

respect to Working Conditions, the mean score (M = 22.68) indicates that respondents

showed working conditions to be relatively motivating. The standard deviation (3.17)

42
indicates that there was similarity in the responses obtained. Respondents rated Benefits, with

a mean score (M = 16.38) to be the least motivating and satisfying. The standard deviation

(2.69) indicates that there was similarity in the responses obtained. For the Personal, the

mean score (M = 24.42) indicated that respondents indicated that this aspect was average in

relation to motivation, although a slightly larger standard deviation (6.33) suggests that there

was more dissimilarity in the responses obtained, in relation to the other dimensions assessed.

For the General dimension, the mean score (M = 24.39) indicates that respondents showed

this aspect to be moderately motivating or satisfying. The standard deviation (5.16), which is

fairly large, suggests some discrepancy between respondents in their evaluation of this aspect.

4.3 INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

Cronbach‟s Alpha is viewed as an index of reliability associated with the variation accounted

for by the true score of the underlying construct (Cronbach, 2004). It is argued that Alpha

coefficients range in value from 0 to 1 and may be used to describe the reliability of factors

extracted from dichotomous and or multi-point formatted questionnaires or scales. However,

there is no lower limit to the coefficient, however, the closer Cronbach‟s coefficient alpha is

to 1, the greater the internal consistency of the items of the scale (Cronbach, 2004). The

scores obtained for the work motivation and job satisfaction questionnaire which was

43
administered can be regarded as satisfactory in terms of the reliability of the instrument.

George and Mallery (2003) argue that coefficients above 0.8 can be considered to be good

indicators of the reliability of an instrument. Hence with the current study, this was exceeded,

indicating a high degree or reliability.

4.4 CONCLUSION

This chapter objectively presented the results of the study using descriptive statistics to

describe the results and inferential statistics to make inferences about characteristics of the

population based on the sample solicited to participate in the study. This enabled the

researcher to identify significant relationships and differences between the variables in the

study. Chapter 5 provides implications of the findings, discusses the findings juxtaposed

against previous research findings, presents limitations and offers conclusions based on the

current research.

44
Chapter 5: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter concludes the research investigation by outlining the results that were described

in chapter 4. It provides a detailed discussion of those results and where appropriate,

literature will be incorporated into the discussion. The previous chapters serve as a basis

against which the contents of this chapter are presented and interpreted. Firstly, an outline of

the descriptive statistics that were computed for the study is presented, which includes the

characteristics of the sample used. Thereafter, reference is made to the inferential statistics

describing the relevant constructs of the study. The chapter comprises of the limitations of the

study and concludes with recommendations for future research.

5.2 DESCRIPTIVE RESULTS

5.2.1 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS: THE SAMPLE IN RELATION TO

BIOGRAPHICAL VARIABLES

This section outlines the descriptive statistics calculated on the basis of the variables included

in the biographical questionnaire. 108 The final sample consisted of 84 employees, of whom

the sample was more representative of females 55% (n = 46) than males, 45% (n = 38). The

45
racial composition of the sample comprises of 14% (n = 12) White respondents which are the

minority of the sample, whereas the majority of the respondents are Coloureds, 57% (n = 48).

With respect to marital status, 2% (n = 2) of the respondents were widowed, which illustrates

the minority of the sample, while the majority of the sample is married, 56% (n = 47). With

respect to the age distribution of the sample, the minority lies within the age group 40-49, 5%

(n = 4) and the majority lies within the age group 30-39, 43% (n = 36). The majority of the

respondents have completed grade 12, 45% (n = 38) and 24% (n = 20) respondents have

completed a postgraduate qualification, which illustrates the minority. With regards to the

nature of the work of the respondents, the minority comprises of 8% (n = 7) occupying

secretarial positions and the majority of the respondents occupy technical or specialist

positions, 55% (n = 46). The majority of the respondents occupy permanent positions, 79% (n

= 66) and the rest of the sample occupy contract positions, 21% (n = 18). The salary

composition comprises of 7% (n = 6) representing the minority and the majority of the

respondents earn between 3-6 salary level, 62% (n = 52).

46
5.2.2 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS IN RELATION TO THE DIMENSIONS OF THE

WORK MOTIVATION AND JOB SATISFACTION QUESTIONNAIRE

This section outlines the descriptive statistics calculated on the basis of the dimensions

included in the work motivation and job satisfaction questionnaire. The results demonstrated

in Table 4.1 indicate that employees at the financial services organisation where the study

was conducted, reported that the dimension work content provides the highest motivation and

job satisfaction (M=25.28; SD=4.69). The standard deviation indicates that moderated

variations in the responses were obtained. The personal (M=24.42; SD=6.33) and recognition

(M=24.39; SD=3.68) dimensions are rated respectively, the second and third highest

dimensions contributing to high levels of motivation and job satisfaction. However, the

general dimension (M=24.39; SD=5.16) obtained the same score as the personal dimension

but obtained a large standard deviation indicating that there was some difference between the

respondents. Thus, the general dimension is moderately motivating and satisfying. The

working conditions dimension (M=22.68; SD=3.17) is relatively motivating. The payment,

promotion, leadership/supervision and benefits dimensions are among the least motivating

and satisfying. Amongst all the mentioned dimensions, benefits contribute the least to

employee motivation and job satisfaction. It therefore implies that employees within the

47
financial services organisation are the least motivated and satisfied with their payment,

promotion opportunities, leadership/supervision and benefits received In summary Table 4.1

shows that the work content, personal, recognition, working conditions and general

dimensions contribute to high levels of motivation and job satisfaction; whereas payment,

promotion, leadership/supervision and benefits dimensions are said to be the least

contributory dimensions.

5. 3 INFERENTIAL RESULTS

5.3.1 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

The following hypotheses were investigated to explore the relationships between employee

motivation and job satisfaction.

HYPOTHESIS 1:

There is no statistically significant relationship between work content, payment, promotion,

recognition, working conditions, benefits, personal, leadership/supervision, general and work

motivation and job satisfaction in a financial services organisation.

48
The relationship between work content and work motivation and job satisfaction

The results in the study indicate that a statistically significant, direct and positive

correlation exists between work content and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.51, p

< 0.01). Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. The results obtained indicate that the

work content dimension provides the highest motivation and satisfaction.

A previous study completed by Tyilana (2005) explored the impact of motivation on job

satisfaction of journalistic employees employed by the national broadcaster. The study

made use of 200 journalistic employees and gathered data through a questionnaire.

Tyilana‟s study is in support of the current study as it stipulates that work content plays a

dominant role in contributing to job satisfaction.

According to Roos and van Eeden (n.d) work content is significantly and positively

related to job satisfaction. Roos and van Eeden conducted a study aimed at investigating

the relationship between employee motivation, job satisfaction and corporate culture

among 118 marketing research employees. Three questionnaires were used as the data

gathering instruments, namely: the Motivation Questionnaire (MQ), the Experience of

Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire (WLO) and the Corporate Culture

Questionnaire (CCQ). The authors postulate that the extent to which employees perceive

49
 their work as challenging, stimulating and meaningful has an impact on employee

motivation and satisfaction.

b) The relationship between payment and work motivation and job satisfaction

The results indicate that there is a statistically significant, direct and positive relationship

between payment and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.58, p < 0.01). Thus, the null

hypothesis is rejected. Research findings of a study done by Kakkos, Trevillas and

Fillipou (2010) are in support of the current study‟s results. Kakkos, et al. study was

conducted among 143 employees from 112 both private and public banks in Greece and

its aim was to investigate the link between work motivation, job satisfaction and work

stress by making use of a questionnaire developed by adapting existing multi-dimensional

scales to capture needs satisfaction, work stress and employee job satisfaction by

providing respondents with 7-point scaled questions for each multi-item measure

employed. In the study pay was found to be a significant determinant of employees‟ job

satisfaction. Another study that was conducted within the banking industry in Saudi

Arabia complements the findings in the current study. The study was completed by

Jehnzeb, Rasheed, Rasheed and Aamir (2012), conducted among 568 employees from

both the private and public sectors and utilising a questionnaire as a data gathering

50
 instrument. The study found that there is a significant positive correlation between

employees‟ motivation and job satisfaction. It therefore can be said that pay is positively

related to motivation and job satisfaction.

c) The relationship between promotion and work motivation and job satisfaction

The results indicate that there is a statistically significant, direct and positive relationship

between promotion and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.49, p < 0.01). Therefore, the

null hypothesis is rejected. Previous research that was completed by Hamman-Fisher (2008)

corroborates these findings. The study was aimed at investigating the relationship between

job satisfaction and organisational justice amongst academic employees in agricultural

colleges in South Africa. 113 Three questionnaires were used to gather data. With regards to

promotion, the study revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between

promotion and job satisfaction. A study which was conducted by Josias (2005) aimed at

exploring the relationship between job satisfaction and absenteeism in a selected field

services section within an electricity utility in the Western Cape amongst 140 employees

within the field services department complements the current study. Three questionnaires

were used as collection methods; namely: a biographical questionnaire, a questionnaire on

51
sickness absence and the Job satisfaction Survey (JSS). Results indicated that there is a

statistically significant relationship between promotion and job satisfaction.

d) The relationship between recognition and work motivation and job satisfaction

The results indicate that there is a statistically significant, direct and positive relationship

between recognition and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.38, p < 0.01). Thus, the null

hypothesis is rejected. A study completed by Ali and Ahmed (2009) who made use of the

Work Motivation and Job Satisfaction questionnaire developed by De Beer in 1987 is in

support of this result. The objective of the research was to highlight the impact of reward and

recognition programs on employee motivation and satisfaction. The sample chosen for this

research was eighty employees from the Unilever companies. It was found in this study that

there is a significant 114 relationship between recognition and work motivation and job

satisfaction (r = 0.92, p < 0.01). Another study conducted by Shah, Rehman, Akhtar, Zafar

and Riaz (2012) is consistent with the result of the current study. The study was conducted

among 379 employees on various hierarchical levels within public educational institutions

with the purpose to know the impact of reward and recognition, satisfaction with supervision

and work itself on job satisfaction. Guzman (2007) conducted a study that obtained results

that are contrary to these findings. The study aimed to answer the calls for examination of

52
motivation and job satisfaction as mediators of the relationships between work environment

variables and work outcome variables. The study utilised a previously administered climate

survey designed for a federal government agency and the sample consisted of 963

respondents. According to Guzman (2007) a working environment in which recognition

exists does not have an influence on motivation and job satisfaction. However, this can be

attributed to the amount of variance (SD=0.153) contributed to these findings.

e) The relationship between working conditions and work motivation and job

satisfaction

The results indicate that there is a statistically significant, direct and positive relationship

between working conditions and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.41, p < 0.01). Hence,

the null hypothesis is rejected. 115 In a study analysing the effect of job motivation, work

environment and leadership on organisational citizenship behaviour by Oetomo and Oetomo

(2011), the study revealed results that are different to those of the current study. The data was

obtained from 270 civil servants working at the Megatan District government within

Indonesia using questionnaires. The results indicated that the work environment variable

produces no significant impact on employee satisfaction in the Magetan district government.

Ololube (n.d) conducted a study with the overall purpose to explore and explain job

53
satisfaction and work motivation in relation to Nigerian teachers‟ needs satisfaction for

school effectiveness by making use of a survey named “Teachers‟ Job Satisfaction and

Motivation Questionnaire”. According to Ololube (n.d, p. 14) “Nigerian teachers‟

dissatisfaction with pay and fringe benefits, material rewards and advancement, as well as

better working conditions were associated with the intention to leave the teaching profession”

it therefore can be said that there is a statistically significant relationship between working

conditions and motivation and job satisfaction.

f) The relationship between benefits and work motivation and job satisfaction

The results indicate that there is a statistically significant, direct and positive relationship

between benefits and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.41, p < 0.01). Therefore, the

null hypothesis is rejected. In a previous study, similar results were found. The study was

conducted by Igalens and Roussel (1999) with the purpose to investigate the relation between

compensation package, 116 work motivation and job satisfaction. Two samples of

employees, 269 exempt employees and 297 non-exempt employees were studied separately

in order to identify the differences of reaction between these two groups through the usage of

a questionnaire. The results indicated that there is a positive and significant, but weak relation

between benefit satisfaction and job satisfaction. Another study by Ghazanfar, Chuanmin,

54
Kahn and Bashir (2011) yielded similar results, but came to a different conclusion because of

the weak relationship existing between benefits and work motivation and satisfaction. The

study was aimed at examining the relationship between satisfaction with compensation and

motivation. A practical survey consisting of selfadministered questionnaire was used to study

the population in question, which were managerial cadre employees of the sales departments

of the cellular service providers in Lahore. Data pertaining to the satisfaction with

compensation and work motivation suggest that benefits had a positive but weak relationship

with the work motivation. Benefits include allowances and reimbursements for miscellaneous

expenses, company housing and company conveyance. Therefore, the researchers concluded

that benefits are not a dimension that contributes to motivating an employee.

g) The relationship between personal and work motivation and job satisfaction

In the study, the results indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between

personal and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.32, p < 0.05). Thus, the null hypothesis

is rejected. In the study conducted by Ali and Ahmed (2009), the results complement the

findings of the current study. A significant correlation was found to exist between the

personal dimension and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.37, p < 0.05). Roberts (2005)

conducted a study at an insurance company within the Western Cape exploring the

55
relationship between rewards, recognition and motivation. The sample consisted of 184

employees and the researcher used the Work Satisfaction and Motivation Questionnaire as a

data gathering instrument, along with a biographical questionnaire. The results yielded that

there is a statistically significant relationship between personal and work motivation and

satisfaction. As a result, the respondents‟ feelings towards their job have a positive influence

on motivation and satisfaction. Another study completed by Barzoki, Attafar, Jannati (2012)

is in support of the findings of the current research. The study was conducted among 147

Golpaygeon City Saipa Corporation Industrial Complex‟s staff members, analysing the

factors affecting employees‟ motivation on Hertzberg‟s factors theory. A questionnaire

designed by the researcher was utilised to gather data. It was found that there are three

aspects which the person has to control simultaneously, that is, their job, family and personal

matters. It was therefore concluded that personal life influences the motivation of employees.

h) The relationship between leadership/supervision and work motivation and job

The results indicate that there is a statistically significant, direct and positive relationship

between leadership/supervision and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.39, p < 0.01).

Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected. These findings are consistent with previous studies

56
such as Shah, et al. (2012) who reported that supervision is significantly related with job

satisfaction (r = 0.62, p < 0.05). Another study that serves as support to the findings of the

current study is a study completed by Carr (2005) amongst 109 retail managers examining

their motivation at a retail organisation within the Western Cape. The Work Satisfaction and

Motivation Questionnaire was used and the results obtained showed that a significant and

positive relationship existed between leadership/supervision and work satisfaction and

motivation. However, in a study conducted by Charles (2008) his results obtained were

different to that of the current study. The purpose of his study was to investigate the

relationship between union service delivery, motivation and job satisfaction amongst

unionised workers in a media organisation in the Western Cape. The study made use of 75

employees and a biographical questionnaire, as well as the Work Motivation and Satisfaction

Questionnaire were used as data gathering instruments. The results indicated that

leadership/supervision did not correlate significantly with motivation and satisfaction (r =

0.127, p > 0.005).

i) The relationship between general and work motivation and job satisfaction

In the study, the results indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between

general and work motivation and satisfaction (r = 0.27, p < 0.05). Therefore, the null

57
hypothesis is rejected. Ali and Ahmed (2009) obtained a result that is consistent with these

results. The results showed that a statistically significant relationship does exist between the

general dimension and work satisfaction and motivation (r = 0.43, p < 0.05). However, in a

study conducted by Adams (2007), opposing results were reported. The study was conducted

with the aim to explore the work motivation amongst 81 employees in a government

department in the provincial government of the Western Cape. The study utilised the Work

Satisfaction and Motivation Questionnaire to gather data. In the research it was found that the

general dimension did not contribute significantly to explaining the variance in work

motivation and satisfaction.

HYPOTHESIS 2:

There is no statistically significant relationship between the biographical variables (race,

gender, marital status, age, educational level, years of service, nature of work, employment

status and salary level) and work motivation and job satisfaction in a financial services

organisation.

j) Race

The study has found that there are statistically significant differences in work motivation and

satisfaction based on the biographical characteristics of the respondents. With regards to race,

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there is a statistically significant difference in work motivation and satisfaction based on race

(p < 0.05). Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. In a study by Brush, Moch and Dooyan

conducted in 1987, it was stated that there are significant associations between race and job

satisfaction between black and white employees. The researchers found black employees to

have lower levels of job satisfaction than their white employees. The findings also revealed

that the main reasons for this were cultural reasons. However, there were studies that showed

no association between job satisfaction and race (Dehaloo, 2011). In a study by Scott,

Swortzel and Taylor (2005) determining what demographic factors were related to the level

of job satisfaction of 195 Extension agents. The results obtained stated that a low significant

relationship was found between race and job satisfaction. Another study by Lee and Lee

(2012) is in support of the results of the current study. The study was conducted with the

purpose to investigate the relationships between the hospitality workforce and certain job

satisfaction factors according to age, gender, native language and racialethnicity. The

findings yielded that there exists a significant relationship between race and job satisfaction.

It however, can be said that there is inconsistent literature documented on the relationship

between race and job satisfaction.

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k) Gender

There is a statistically significant difference in work motivation and satisfaction based on

gender (p < 0.05). Thus, the null hypothesis is rejected. These results are similar to findings

in a study with the purpose to investigate the relationship between employee motivation and

job involvement amongst 145 employees within a financial institution, completed in 2010 by

Govender and Parumasur. The study made use of two questionnaires namely: the Employee

Motivation Questionnaire and the Job Involvement Questionnaire. In this study, male and

female respondents displayed significant differences. This difference in motivation between

males and females can be attributed to how they perceive their work. “Men place a higher

value than women do on instrumental values such as basic salary and bonuses, whereas

women place more importance than men do on interpersonal relationships at the workplace,

respectful treatment by the employer and the possibility of reconciling work and family life”

(Govender & Parumasur, 2010, p. 249). Another study completed by Ayub and Rafif (2011)

with the aim to assess the correlation between motivation and job satisfaction and evaluating

the gender difference in work motivation and job satisfaction among 80 middle managers of

banks within Pakistan. The Job Satisfaction Survey and the Motivation at Work Scale were

used as data gathering instruments. The results yielded that a significant gender difference

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was found on the variable of work motivation (F = 4.324, p < 0.05). The findings are in line

with previous research which states that women are rather highly motivated to avoid success

because they are likely 122 to expect negative consequences like social rejection and/or

feeling of being unfeminine. The results also indicated that there is a difference on the job

satisfaction variable which can be attributed to the fact that men place emphasis on salary

whereas as women place emphasis on personal growth. It was also stated that male

employees are more satisfied than female employees. In a study completed by Lee (n.d),

some of the findings complement and others oppose the results of the current study. The

study‟s aim was to analyse the effect of the working conditions on job satisfaction and giving

special attention to gender differences within Korea. The sample consisted of 4216

employees and the study made use of an analysing model and the 9th Korean Labour and

Income Panel (KLIP) as data gathering instruments. According to the results, males‟

satisfaction is higher than females‟ in accountability and welfare benefits even though it was

not statistically significant. There was also, no significant difference in wage or payment

between genders but females‟ satisfaction in job stability, job contents, working hours and

satisfaction of job position. However, in a study conducted by Roos (2005), there is a

difference in results to that of the current study. The study was conducted amongst 118

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employees within a marketing research company, with the purpose to explore the relationship

between employee motivation, job satisfaction and corporate culture. The results showed that

no significant differences were evident for motivation between males and females. Gender

differences in job satisfaction have been researched extensively and no conclusive evidence

has been found with regard to the levels of satisfaction among men and women.

l) Marital status

There is a statistically significant difference in work motivation and satisfaction based on

marital status (p < 0.05). Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected. In a study conducted by

Matin, Kalali and Anvari (2012) the results were contrary to the findings of the current study.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the moderating effect of demographic variables

on the relationship between job burnout and its consequences among the staff of an Iranian

public sector company. It was found that marital status does not have an influence on the

relationship between job burnout and organizational commitment, job satisfaction and

intention to leave. A study completed by Scott, Swortzel and Taylor (2005) the results

revealed that no significant relationships were found between marital status and the job

satisfaction constructs. Only two low relationships were found. These relationships were

found between marital status and internal work motivation and between marital status and

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satisfaction with pay. The current study‟s findings were consistent with a previous study

done by Adams (2007). The results obtained indicated that statistically differences in working

conditions based on marital status were found in this study. This can be due to married

employees having both family responsibilities, such as taking care of his/her spouse and

children, and work responsibilities; whereas ideally, single employees just have work

responsibilities. However, the other dimensions such as payment, promotion, recognition,

benefits, personal, work content, leadership/supervision and general, no statistically

significant differences were found based on marital status.

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