Application: Job Satisfaction
Variety of factors influence individuals' job satisfaction. This Application Assignment provides an opportunity to analyze some of these factors and to think about how this relates to your current or future as a health care manager.
Review the Learning Resources, including the "Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit" case. Also, conduct your own research on this topic using the Walden library and credible Web sites.
Read the Job Satisfaction Interview Document and prepare to interview five individuals. Ideally, you will interview two individuals in managerial or supervisory positions and three employees in health care organizations. Do not interview your own supervisor or direct reports.
You are encouraged to modify the Job Satisfaction Interview Document to incorporate your own questions devised from the Learning Resources and your own research.
Conduct each interview as follows:
• Ask the participant to rank each of the survey items in order of importance to him or her (i.e., #1 has the most influence on the work experience and job satisfaction, and so on).
• Ask the participant follow-up questions as appropriate.
• Note information about the participant that will help you conduct your analysis. For instance, include first names, professional credentials, and levels of experience.
Then, analyze the information you have collected in conjunction with the research and ideas presented in the Learning Resources, as well as the resources that you have identified on your own. Consider the following questions:
• What similarities and differences do you notice between and among various individuals (e.g., managers versus employees)? What patterns emerge?
• What contextual factors should inform your analysis? For instance, how might the current economic climate inform individuals' responses? How could the level of education and training an individual has influence what he or she values most in a job?
Create a 2- to 3-page paper in which you:
• Analyze two or more key factors that influence job satisfaction, noting why you think these factors are particularly important. Include specific references to your interviews and at least four resources in your analysis.
• Propose strategies for how health care managers can help to promote a positive work experience and job satisfaction for their direct reports. Explain how and why this is important for helping an organization to fulfill its mission, vision, and values, and achieve its goals and objectives.
Your written assignments should follow APA guidelines. Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and from additional scholarly sources as appropriate.
Job Satisfaction Interview Document
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Survey Items
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Order of Importance
(i.e., Rank the items: #1 has the most influence on the work experience and job satisfaction, and so on)
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Pay
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Benefits
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Job security
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Quality of supervisor
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Potential for promotion/growth path
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Communication within the organization
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Peer relationships
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Training opportunities
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Mission of the organization
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Intellectual challenge and reward of work performed on a day-to-day basis
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Organizational culture
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Work-life balance
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Union participation
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Healthy and safe work environment
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(Add additional survey items)
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