Job Satisfaction: Does it Ditfor Acress Cultures? Evidence shows that job satistaction levels in the United States are dropping. The Conference Board, which surveys large numbers of workers every year, reports the foliowing percentages of individuals feporting that they are at least moderately satiofed with their jobs: 61 percent in 1987; 59 perceent in 1995; 51 percent in 2000;52 percent in 2005 ; and 45 percent in 2009. What are the strongest areas of dissatisfaction? Only one in five empicyees are satisfied with their company's promotions and bonus plans. Surprisingly, satisfaction has dropped the most among those makhy the highest incomes, although they stall have somewhat higher satisfaction than these with relatively low earnings. Even though US workers temain relativily satisfed with their jobs, especially conpared with employees in other countries, this doesnit. explain why job satisfaction levels are dropping. One reason may be that in their drive to increase productivity, many companies continue to downsize, leaving the remaining workers overburdened. Downsizing also lowers the morale of layoll survivors. On the other hard, evidence shows that employees in the Arab world have higher percentages of job satisfaction. A study conducted in the countries of the GCC (UAE. KSA, Kuevait, Dman, Qatar, Bahrain), Levant (Lebanon, Syrla, Jordan), and North Atrica (Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) resultod in 13,376 respondents. Although there was overall satisfaction with authority and responsibilities at work as well as the work environment, about two in five of the respondents are not satisfiod with the level of job security and compensation and benefits. However, satisfaction with physical work conditions and working space in most of the countries is good. Let's look at somv of the most important statistics. Overall, beteeen 75 and 85 percent. of poople in each country said that were very satisfied' or 'satis fied with the responsibilifes at work. The results to the question about boing satisfied with fexibility of work schedules were also quite consistent across all the countries, fanging between 41 and 49 percent. Interpersonal relations with follow workers garve high oulcomes on the scale of very satisfiod and satisfiod, with Oman with the highest at 84 percent. Sources. Based on K. Gurchok., Show Worken Their Value, 5tudy Says. HR Magazine. October 2006, p, 40, "US Job Saststaction Declines," USA Today, April 9, 2007, p. 1B; 5 . Moone, L. Grurberg. and E. Creenberg. The Filects of Similar and Dissimilar Layoff Experiences on Work and Wel? Being Outcomes, "Journat of Decupational Heath Psychologs, duly 2004,pp. 247257. Stsintes taken from "Employee Motivation in the Midde East. Study" Septernber. 2009. Baydeom. Questions: Questions: 1. Identify possible reasons for high employee satisfaction in Arab countries and contrast them with the reasons for decreasing levels of satisfaction in US (identify at least 4 reasons). 2 marks 2. Classify the reasons for satisfaction into either extrinsic or intrinsic factors. 1 mark. 3. What are the important personality. characteristics that contribute for high employee satisfaction in Arab countries (identify at least two characteristics)? 1 mark 4. What is the most prominent cultural characteristic that plays a key role in keeping employees satisfied or dissatisfied in Arab countries? Justify your answer. 1 mark