2) Signs & Causes of Job Dissatisfaction

* Signs of job dissatisfaction in the workplace

We talked about what happens when an employee is dissatisfied in previous article . Here are some additional signs to look out for.

  

1. Lack of Interest

Lack of Interest in one’s work is the first sign of dissatisfaction at the workplace. When employees engage in other activities in the workplace like texting with friends, it shows disinterest in work. This situation only gets worst with time and is an early sign of dissatisfaction in an office.

2. Postponing Work 

Constant postponing of work by employees is yet another issue contributing to reverse job satisfaction. Postponing means dislike towards one’s work, and with procrastination, work only keeps on pilling up. This work later becomes unmanageable, which reduces the employee morale to work on it furthermore.

 

3. Easily Distracted Employees

Being easily distracted at work is never a good mark. It not only declines productivity but also shows boredom at work. You won't encounter employees being easily distracted from the things they love doing. If common everyday occurrences distract your employee easily, it shows disengagement at work.

A study published in Lifehack state that talkative co-workers (cited by 80% of respondents) and office noises (cited by 70% of respondents) are two of the biggest distractions in the workplace.

 

4. Irregular Arrival and Departure from Office

Coming to the office late and leaving early is a sign of escaping from work. This is because it is human nature to avoid things we don’t like. If this is a constant behavior at your workplace, it shows one’s disregard towards work. With time, this disregard for work only transforms for the worst and harms one’s career growth.

 

5. Declining Productivity

Constant declining productivity is the first sign of noticing something’s off. Though it may not be drastic at all times, sometimes it may be because of job dissatisfaction.

Utter and constant declining productivity shows an employee’s lack of initiative to mend a situation. This indifference means the employee performing poorly is not interested in the work.

 

6. Time off during office hours for personal work

Continuously taking time off from office hours for personal work is another sign of annoyance for employees from work. While sometimes it is unavoidable for employees but a frequenting appearance of this is alarming.

A study published in CNBC showed that workers admitted to having spent 2.9 hours every day on non-work related aspects in an employee poll.

 

7. Easily Irritable

Sometimes, it so happens that an employee of yours may be going through a bad day, which makes him/her get irritated quickly. But, if this is a regular occurrence, it denotes low content with work.

Most of the time, a lack of profound gratitude with work has employees feeling irritated in the workplace. An alarming report published in All Work shows that 44% of the studied employees are more annoyed at work than in other places.

If you have easily irritable employees, the chances are that you have job dissatisfaction at work. Constant irritation is a sign of being sick of something which is never good.

 

8. Frequent Leaves

Taking frequent leaves from work life is another sign of unhappy employees in the workplace. Numerous leaves are the sign of a disengaged employee. It shows a person’s lack of commitment to the work, which is an outcome of a lack of interest in the job.

A study by the U.S Department of Labor published in SHRM estimated that almost 3% of a company’s workforce remains absent every day. Employers must take every step in keeping employee absenteeism in check.

 

9. Frequent Signs of Stress, Negativity, and Unhappiness

For most parts of the day, your employees spend more time with each other than almost anyone else. This generally brings a sense of belonging and friendliness, which makes employees typically happy. But, this may not be the case always.

Signs in employees showing regular negativity, stress, and unhappiness at work, shows dissatisfaction with the working environment.

10. Lack of best efforts in work                                                                                   

Last but not least, the employees that fall in the category of “That will do.” Work needs to be a source of fulfillment. When you see employees unwilling to put their best foot forward, it means something is amiss. This “something” is the zeal to make a difference, perform best to one’s ability, and love one’s work.

Forgetting this drive means diminishing love for one’s work, ultimately leading to dissatisfied employees.

These are some of the signs that employees emit out of job dissatisfaction. In times like these, you as employers must take corrective action to mend the situation. Ignoring these signs will only add to declining employee retention and show poor management skills.

* Common Causes of Job Dissatisfaction 

The Human Resource Management Textbook says, “Managers often try to change their compensation packages to keep people from leaving, when compensation isn’t the reason they are leaving at all.” While pay may be a factor in your employee deciding to leave, don’t automatically assume this is the cause. 

The reasons for job dissatisfaction are numerous. Nonetheless, if you confront potential sources with corrective action, you can work toward preventing the problem altogether. Being alert to and seeking remedies for the following job dissatisfaction factors will help your organization build a satisfying work environment:

* Lack of appreciation

All human beings have an inherent longing to feel appreciated in both our personal and professional lives. Feeling valued at work goes beyond just recognition for performance. People want to believe they have worth as employees and colleagues because they are esteemed for who they are as a person. 

 Without knowing their presence matters, they can lose their sense of purpose within the organization and become dissatisfied with their job. A Glassdoor survey showed that 53% of employees believe that receiving more appreciation from their boss would make them stay longer with their employer.

* Being or feeling underpaid

While pay rate alone doesn’t guarantee contentment, believing you are underpaid can contribute to job dissatisfaction. If an employee thinks their compensation doesn’t match their work performance, they will feel undervalued. They may also blame their job for any financial difficulties they’re facing. A new opportunity with higher pay can easily entice someone to leave their current job. 

Does your organization offer competitive salaries that are at least at the market rate? If not, it’s time to propose a new pay structure and consider salary increases. Devise a payroll and compensation strategy that offers performance bonuses and promotions to support employees’ career trajectories.

* Inadequate management

The relationship employees have with management is a significant contributor to how they feel about their jobs. When employees don’t like how they’re being supervised or don’t trust their managers, their loyalty starts to unravel. Then they are less likely to be satisfied in their roles and can even become dissident.

Managers who have poor leadership skills can harm the success of your business. People want to be led with straightforward instructions. Uncertainty and lack of direction are often sources of frustration in the workplace. Conversely, employees who are inspired by their leaders will be more invested in their work.

* Limited career growth prospects

The hope of career advancement lies within most people’s work aspirations. Interest in a current job will increase when it offers some potential to look forward to. On the other hand, when employees see their growth opportunities stall or vanish, it can foster job dissatisfaction. Feeling stagnant can send workers right out the door to better prospects.

 

* Lack of training and development options

Many people purposely seek employment with a company that is willing to invest in the learning and development of its employees. Helping staff grow can motivate them to do better in their jobs and be more devoted to the organization. In addition, feeling encouraged and set up for career advancement can help employees feel more satisfied with their current role.

 

* Workplace relationships

The correlation between work relationships and employee satisfaction cannot be overstated. Even if the job itself isn’t ideal, a tight-knit team can make people happy to come to work. On the other hand, a toxic workplace can ruin an otherwise fulfilling job. Coworkers don’t have to be best friends, but they should at least be relaxed and comfortable with each other.

Take a close look at your workplace culture to identify potential improvements, especially if employees are making complaints. For example, do managers address tensions between staff members? Does an employee’s rude or bullying behavior toward others need to be confronted?

 

* Work-life balance

Full-time workers spend most of their day at work, but everyone needs time to focus on their family, friends, hobbies, and other responsibilities. Employees can feel overwhelmed if there isn’t a clear-cut distinction between their work and personal lives. If your organization doesn’t recognize how important it is for employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance, you’ll be dealing with burnout and low job dissatisfaction.

 

* Job isn’t interesting or meaningful

People seek employment that is inspiring and fulfilling. They can easily lose interest in a job they believe isn’t challenging enough or doesn’t make a significant contribution.

Tedious tasks are often job dissatisfaction factors. When technology can help streamline or modernize record-keeping and other processes, it reduces the time employees must devote to dull job duties. This leaves more room for the work employees find worthwhile.

    

              

The above mention signs and causes are the key factors to affect Job Dissatisfaction. In present economic and political situation of the country these factors are highly concern things to an organization. If we unable to meet this sensitive factors organizations affected bad impacts in short time and Long time.

Reference

1. https://eddy.com/hr-encyclopedia/job-dissatisfaction/ on 10.05.2022

2. https://bizfluent.com/info-10041931-advantages-effective-communication-workplace.html on 10.05.222

3.Ross J. (no date) The Main Reasons For Dissatisfaction ... and Solutions to Help. [online]. Available from: https://www.cashort.com/blog/top-5-reasons on 10.05.2022