Job satisfaction has been an ordinary and important matter around the world. Job satisfaction is considered as one of the factors of employees’ productivity, as it enables workers to be more productive and concentrate on their work with unrelenting attention. In Bangladesh, ready-made garments (RMG) are the mainstay of economy. So, it is rational for RMG workers to be satisfied with their job in order to contribute more to our economy. But it is a matter of regret that most of the employees of RMG sector suffer unavailability of leaves and rest, lack of evaluation of personal interest, long working hours, unhygienic canteen and toilet facility, which lead to increase their workload and stress level and finally make them less productive. However, our study found that more than 50% workers of Nassa Super Garments Ltd are satisfied with their job, 35% are neutral and only 12% are dissatisfied with their job. Moreover, job security, working condition and decision-making process, unavailability of leaves and rest, pay and other financial incentives, lack of evaluation of personal interest, inefficient canteen facility and rewards and recognition are found statistically significant predictors of employees’ job satisfaction. Among the statistically significant variables unavailability of leaves and rest, lack of evaluation of personal interest and inefficient canteen facility have negative relation with job satisfaction because unstandardized coefficient (B) and standardized coefficient (Beta) are negative. Regression model expresses 90.1% of total variance in the dependent variable (Job satisfaction), whereas ANOVA table indicates that the model is fit and significant for analysis.
Research Article
Job Satisfaction of Ready-Made Garments Workers of Bangladesh: A Study on Nassa Super Garments Limited
https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1442641/v1
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posted 15 Mar, 2022
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Job satisfaction simply refers to employees’ contentment and happiness with their job. Job satisfaction is a positive and delectable emotional state of individuals resulting from self-evaluations of various factors of their job. Job satisfaction occurs, when there is a consistency between job requirement and employees demands. No study over job satisfaction was materialized before the 1930. Hoppock in 1935 published the first exquisite study about job satisfaction. The Hoppock and Herzberg theories integrated with the former researcher Locke in 1976 had revealed some important factors (pay, working condition, promotion and verbal recognition) for studying job satisfaction. Smith, Kendall, and Hulin (1969) defined job satisfaction as the employees’ feelings towards their job. Maslow (1954) regarded job satisfaction in terms of fulfilling human needs. Lofquist and Weiss (1968) pointed out that job satisfaction is attained, when the work environment fulfils the individuals’ needs. Hoy and Miskel (1991), Aizen & Fishbein, (1980); Yavas & Bodur (1999) opined that employees’ beliefs, values and emotions influence their behavior. Satisfied workers always show positive attitude towards their work, but dissatisfied workers show negative attitude. When employees feel contended with their job, they display organizational citizenship behaviors towards the organization (Chiu & Chen, 2005; kabasakal,2011). Job satisfaction may be resulting from various sources regarding quality of supervision, social relationships and the support of colleagues (Moura, Abrams, Retter & Ando, 2009; Schmidt, 2007). Actually, job satisfaction is not only about employee well-being but also numerous organizational outcomes (Lam, Baum, & Pine, 2001; Zhang & Zheng, 2009).
Though, Ready Made Garment (RMG) has greater contribution to the national economy of Bangladesh, RMG workers are facing unhealthy work environment, long working hours, improper evaluation and assessment, workload and stress and insufficient pay (Hossain, 2012 and Chowdhury, 2006). As a result, dissatisfied workers are causing absenteeism and labor unrest, which in turn disrupts business profit and prospects (Ahmed, 2014; Chowdhury, et al, 2006). Without satisfied workers no company can go forward and achieve its goals (Sarkar & afroze, 2014). So, it is important to certain the job satisfaction of workers by taking immediate actions. This paper is particularly concentrating on the job satisfaction of employees, who work at Nassa Super Garments Ltd.
Objectives Of the Study:
- To find out variables, which influence the job satisfaction of employees of Nassa Super Garment Ltd.
- To know the opinion of employees about their working life and finally
- To provide suggestions to minimize the job dissatisfaction of employees.
The Hypothesis
Based on the data collected from Nassa Super Garments Ltd, we are making the following hypothesis
Hypothesis 1: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by General manager’s behavior.
Hypothesis 2: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Job security.
Hypothesis 3: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Working condition and decision-making process.
Hypothesis 4: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Unavailability of leaves and rest.
Hypothesis 5: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Pay and other financial incentives.
Hypothesis 6: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Job nature.
Hypothesis 7: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Workload and stress level.
Hypothesis 8: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Lack of evaluation of personal interest.
Hypothesis 9: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Inefficient canteen facility.
Hypothesis 10: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Management policy.
Hypothesis 11: Ho: Job satisfaction is not influenced by Rewards and recognition.
Following the literature review regarding RMG workers job satisfaction, we prepared a twelve-item questionnaire and distributed to 100 employees of Nassa Super Garments Ltd. 11 questions were independent variables and the last question was on overall job satisfaction. However, based on the 5-point Likert Scale (1 = Highly Dissatisfied, 2 = Dissatisfied, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Satisfied, 5 = Highly Satisfied) the questionnaire was put into SPSS software in order to get our potential result.
Literature Review:
Different writers and prominent personalities made different remarks on job satisfaction. One of the well noted definitions of job satisfaction is the affect theory of Edwin A. Locke (1976), who clarified job satisfaction as mental and emotional happiness that people get from their work or job experience. Spector, 1997 noted that Employees job satisfaction is linked to how they anticipate their works. Miller and Ross, 2002 argued that success and achievement can be determined by job satisfaction. Robbins, (2010) explained job satisfaction as how people react to their jobs. Reilly (1991) deemed job satisfaction to be workers feeling and attitude towards their job. Employees can be productive, if they are contented with necessary things and factors, which influence job satisfaction (Gardon,1995). Job satisfaction is greatly influenced by working environment and culture (Rajendran,1987 and National Center for Educational Statistics, 1997). There is a relevancy of reward system to management policy, which in turn boost up performance of workers (Edward E. Lawler, 1994). Job satisfaction has tremendous relation with the performance and productivity of workers (Aziri, Dehkordi, 2011). Porter and Steers, (2013) referred job satisfaction to individual’s evaluation and autonomous environment for employees. Happiness resulting from Achievements, rewards and recognition promotes job satisfaction (Kaliski, 2007). Bangladesh garments employees’ standard of living, which depend on availability of leaves and rest, medical and housing allowance, justifiable working time, and hygienic canteen facility is very much poor (Dr. Md. Abul Kalam, 2014). Pavitra Dhamija, Shivam Gupta (2018) found that unconducive work environment has negative effect on job satisfaction. Ahmed (2014) depicted that satisfied worker can show creativity and loyalty to the organization. Job satisfaction is influenced significantly by pay and benefits and organization policy (Sajun Saha, Safaa & Darwish,2020). Fair working environment plays an important role in satisfying workers, but in Bangladesh most of the garment workers take the brunt of long working hours (Kumar, 2006). Job security, unbiased evaluation of work, good working environment and work-life balance have impact on job satisfaction (Sarkar, Afroze, 2014). Promotional facilities, supportive line manager and efficient communication among colleagues lead to job satisfaction of workers (Taylor, 2008 and Brief, 2002). Non-financial benefits regarding transport and canteen facility and job security have significant relation with job satisfaction (Nasrudin et all…2001 and Zohir, 2007). According to Haider, Amir & Hasim (2013); Ngatia (2015), financial and non-financial awards encourage workers to show attention towards their work. Flexibility in working hours provides comfortability to employees in accomplishing their task on time, which in turn make them satisfied (Tammelin, Koivunen, & Saari, 2017). But employees, who work under immense pressure and face heavy work load, become frustrated and stressful (Bakotic and Babic, 2013). Overall, job satisfaction is all about some factors, which lead to satisfaction of employees. In addition, job satisfaction not only leads to productivity of workers but also creates a good mental and emotional state of employees.
We prepared Total 35 questionnaires and distributed a twelve-item questionnaire to 100 employees, among whom 66 are men and 34 are women. Data received from all the responses were inputted into SPSS software for analysis. Moreover, some questionnaires were rejected due to lack of credibility and authenticity. Table 1 indicates the percentage of male and female, who responded to the questionnaire.
|
Gender
|
Frequency
|
Percent
|
Cumulative (%)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Male
|
66
|
66
|
66
|
|
Female
|
34
|
34
|
100
|
|
Total
|
100
|
100
|
|
Satisfaction Level
|
Frequency
|
%
|
Cumulative (%)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Highly satisfied
|
18
|
18
|
18
|
|
Satisfied
|
35
|
35
|
53
|
|
Neutral
|
35
|
35
|
88
|
|
Dissatisfied
|
5
|
5
|
93
|
|
Highly Dissatisfied
|
7
|
7
|
100
|
|
Total
|
100
|
100
|
From Table 2, we see more than 50% respondents are satisfied with their job (18% are highly satisfied and 35% are satisfied). On the other hand, 35% respondents are neutral with their job. Finally, 12% are dissatisfied with their job. (7% are highly dissatisfied and 5% are dissatisfied)
|
Variables
|
Mean
|
Std. Deviation
|
|---|---|---|
|
GENERAL MANAGER'S BEHAVIOUR
|
3.94
|
1.144
|
|
JOB SECURITY
|
4.56
|
0.902
|
|
WORKING CONDITION AND DECISION- MAKING PROCESS
|
4.48
|
0.785
|
|
UNAVAILABILITY OF LEAVES AND REST
|
2.32
|
1.197
|
|
PAY AND OTHER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
|
4.26
|
0.981
|
|
JOB NATURE
|
3.88
|
1.343
|
|
WORKLOAD AND STRESS LEVEL
|
2.20
|
0.984
|
|
LACK OF EVALUATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST
|
2.24
|
1.360
|
|
INEFFICIENT CANTEEN FACILITY
|
2.02
|
0.937
|
|
MANAGEMENT POLICY
|
4.06
|
1.179
|
|
REWARDS AND RECOGNITION
|
4.80
|
0.402
|
|
OVERALL, JOB SATISFACTION
|
3.52
|
1.019
|
Table 3 elucidates the mean and Std. Deviation of 11 variables that have impact on job satisfaction. We see employees, who responded to the questionnaire, are satisfied with their job because overall job satisfaction is 3.52.(Satisfaction range represents from 3.1 to 4). In addition, Job satisfaction is below 3 in case of unavailability of leaves and rest, workload and stress level, lack of evaluation of personal interest and inefficient canteen facility, because these four variables have generally negative impact on job satisfaction.
Table 4 shows the correlation between dependent variable (job satisfaction) and independent variables at the 0.05 level of significance. In accordance with table 4, we see job security, working condition and decision-making process have high positive correlation with job satisfaction while rewards and recognition have moderate positive (0.619) correlation with job satisfaction. We also observe that inefficient canteen facility and workload and stress level have low (-0.436) and negligible (-0.231) negative correlation with job satisfaction. All the correlations are found statistically significant at 0.05 level.
General Manager’s Behavior (GMB), Job Security (JS), Working Condition and Decision-Making Process (WCADP), Unavailability of leaves and Rest (UOLAR), Pay and Other Financial Incentives (PAOFI), Job Nature (JN), Workload and Stress Level (WASL), Lack of Evaluation of Personal Interest (LOEOPI), Inefficient Canteen Facility (ICF), Management Policy (MP), Rewards and Recognition (RAR)
Table 5 indicates Pearson correlations among independent variables. We see rewards and recognition are highly correlated (0.624) with working condition and decision-making process. Moreover, there is a high and positive correlation (0.663) between job security and general manager’s behavior, as a general manager (GM) along with director and others responsible can decide whether employees continue their job or not. Job security is also reliant upon working condition & decision-making process because they are highly correlated (0.652). On the other hand, there is negligible negative correlation between inefficient canteen facility and rewards and recognition (-.034), because rewards and recognition can never depend on inefficient canteen facility. Correlation (-.054) between job security and workload and stress level is also negligible negative, as job security is not contingent upon workload and stress level. However, workers face unavailability of leaves and rest and lack of evaluation of personal interest for mainly management policy (correlation between management policy and unavailability of leaves and rest is 0.579 and lack of evaluation of personal interest is 0.463 respectively)
Table 6 indicates the range of Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Following the given range of correlation coefficient, we made remark on correlation between dependent and independent variables and correlations among independent variables.
But correlation can’t explain the relation between dependent and independent variables in the most emphatic way. Therefore, we have adapted regression model, which can analyze the relation between dependent variable and independent variables properly.
|
Model
|
R
|
R Square
|
Adjusted R Square
|
Std. Error of the Estimate
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
.949a
|
.901
|
.888
|
.468
|
Predictors: (Constant), GENERAL MANAGER’S BEHAVIOR, JOB SECURITY, WORKING CONDITION AND DECISION- MAKING PROCESS, UNAVAILABILITY OF LEAVES AND REST, PAY AND OTHER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, JOB NATURE, WORKLOAD AND STRESS LEVEL, LACK OF EVALUATION OF PERSONAL INTERESR, INEFFICIENT CANTEEN FACILITY, MANAGEMENT POLICY, REWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Table 7 shows regression model summary, in which R square plays an important role. Alphabet R indicates the strength of relation between what we predicted and what the result has been measured. However, in this model our main focus on R square, which accounts for particular amount of total variance in the dependent variable. We see the value of R square is .901 or 90.1%, meaning that 90.1% of the independent variables directly affect the dependent variable (overall job satisfaction). It also indicates that 90.1% of total variance in the dependent variable must be explained by independent variables and the remaining 9.9% are explained by other variables, which are not included in our research study.
|
Model
|
Sum of Squares
|
Df
|
Mean Square
|
F
|
Sig.
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Regression
|
174.202
|
11
|
15.837
|
72.439
|
.000b
|
|
Residual
|
19.238
|
88
|
0.219
|
|||
|
Total
|
193.44
|
99
|
||||
a. Dependent Variable: OVERALL JOB SATISFACTION
b. Predictors: (Constant), GENERAL MANAGER'S BEHAVIOR, JOB SECURITY, WORKING CONDITION AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, UNAVAILABILITY OF LEAVES AND REST, PAY AND OTHER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, JOB NATURE, WORKLOAD AND STRESS LEVEL, LACK OF EVALUATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST, INEFFICIENT CANTEEN FACILITY, MANAGEMENT POLICY, REWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Table 8 ANOVA clarifies whether regression model is significant or not. We see the value of “sig” is 0.000. That means the model is significant and fit for further analysis. It also indicates that independent variables (job security, working condition and decision-making process, unavailability of leaves and rest, pay and other financial incentives, lack of evaluation of personal interest, inefficient canteen facility, rewards and recognition, general manager’s behavior, job security, workload and stress level and management policy) affect the dependent variable significantly. We have plotted next coefficients table to check the significance of each variable.
Based on table 9 we see that job security, working condition and decision-making process, unavailability of leaves and rest, pay and other financial incentives, lack of evaluation of personal interest, inefficient canteen facility and rewards and recognition have statistically significant relation with job satisfaction of employees of Nassa Super Garments Limited, because p value of these variables is lower than 0.05. So, we are able to reject Ho 2, Ho 3, Ho 4, Ho 5, Ho 8, Ho 9 and Ho 11 at 0.05 level of significance. On the other hand, general manager’s behavior, job security, workload and stress level and management policy have no significant relation with the job satisfaction of employees. (P value is larger than 0.05). None of them offers any significant amount of unique variance in explaining dependent variable (job satisfaction). They may have indirect effect on job satisfaction. Therefore, we fail to reject Ho 1, Ho 6, Ho 7 and Ho 10 at 0.05 level of significance. The relation between dependent variable and independent variables can be written by the following equation:
Overall job satisfaction = 1.423 + 0.010[General manager’s behavior] + 0.529[Job security] + 0.711[Working environment and decision-making process] + -0.316[Unavailability of leaves and rest] + 0.146[Pay and other financial incentives] + 0.027[Job nature] + -0.061[Workload and stress level] + -0.479[Lack of evaluation of personal interest] + -0.186[Inefficient canteen facility] + 0.082[Management policy] + 0.207[Rewards and recognition]
Coefficient table indicates that a unite increase in General manager’s behavior increases job satisfaction by 0.010, a unite increase in job security increases job satisfaction by 0.529, a unite increase in working environment and decision-making process increases job satisfaction by 0.711, a unit increase in unavailability of leaves and rest decreases job satisfaction by -0.316, a unit increase in pay and other financial incentives increases job satisfaction by 0.146, a unit increase in job nature increases job satisfaction by 0.027, a unit increase in workload and stress level decreases job satisfaction by -0.061, a unit increase in lack of evaluation of personal interest decreases job satisfaction by -0.479, a unit increase in inefficient canteen facility decreases job satisfaction by -0.186, a unit increase in management policy increases job satisfaction by 0.082 and finally a unit increase in rewards and recognition increases job satisfaction by 0.207.
We have already found that General manager’s behavior, Job nature, Workload and stress level and management policy are statistically insignificant predictors of overall job satisfaction. We also observe that the standardized coefficients (Beta) and unstandardized coefficients(B) of unavailability of leaves and rest, lack of evaluation of personal interest and inefficient canteen facility are negative, meaning that these three variables have negative relation with job satisfaction. But they are found as statistically significant predictor of dependent variable (overall job satisfaction). So, we can say that unavailability of leaves and rest, lack of evaluation of personal interest and inefficient canteen facility are significant negative predictors of job satisfaction. However, depending on P value (0.05), Ho 2, Ho 3, Ho 4, Ho 5, Ho 8, Ho 9 and Ho 11 have been rejected. That indicates they significantly influence the job satisfaction of employees of Nasa Super Garments Ltd. Moreover, Ho 1, Ho 6, Ho 7 and Ho 10 have been deemed to have less or indirect impact on employees’ job satisfaction. In the coefficients table the value of VIF plays a significant role in identifying multicollinearity problem. We see that the value of VIF of each variable is lower than 5. That means there is no multicollinearity issue in our calculation.
This paper has highlighted some important factors, which are significantly positive and negative predictors of the job satisfaction of employees of Nassa Super Garments Ltd located in Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. From coefficients table it is observed that job security, working condition and decision-making process, pay and other financial incentives, and rewards and recognition are significant positive predictors of job satisfaction. But, unavailability of leaves and rest, lack of evaluation of personal interest and inefficient canteen facility have statistically significant and negative relation with job satisfaction. Table 7 discloses that 90.1% of total variance in the dependent variable (Overall job satisfaction) must be explained by independent variables and the rest of the variance can be explained by other variables, which can be efficient communication among employees, training facility, efficient management policy, transport facility, feedback culture and career development opportunities. The correlation between dependent variable (Overall job satisfaction) and independent variables was also found to be statistically significant at 0.05 level of significance (Table 4). In addition, Table 5 illustrated correlation among some particular independent variables, which tremendously influence job satisfaction.
Our main aim in this research study was to identify factors affecting job satisfaction of employees of Nassa Super Garments Ltd. With the help of regression analysis, we have pointed out factors, which offer significant amount of unique variance in the dependent variable. That means these factors significantly influence dependent variable (job satisfaction). So, we can say that the authority of Nassa Super Garments Ltd must motivate employees with such factors regarding job security, working condition and decision-making process, pay and other financial incentives, and rewards and recognition. On the other hand, unavailability of leaves and rest, lack of evaluation of personal interest and inefficient canteen facility have negative significant effect on job satisfaction. Therefore, the authority of Nassa Super Garments Ltd should evaluate their employees properly and provide availability of leaves and rest and efficient canteen facility to employees so that they can enjoy their work. But authority should also focus on factors, which have indirect effect on employees’ job satisfaction.
Limitations and scope for further research:
This paper is totally limited to the employees of Nassa Super Garments Ltd, which along with other RMG industries is contributing successfully to the economy of Bangladesh. It had not been possible for us to visit more than one garment industry because of ongoing global pandemic. That’s why we have small sample size (100), as comparing to the employees working in the rest of the garment industries. Moreover, by measuring the satisfaction level of employees of only one organization, it is not wise to make substantial recommendations for the job satisfaction of garment employees. Therefore, there is a vast scope for other journals and scholars to conduct their research on RMG industries and highlight the quality of work life of workers.
1)Conflict of Interest
There is no sign of conflict of interest
2)Ethical approval
All activities performed in this paper involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
3)Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from each study participant after they were told of the potential risks and benefits as well as the investigational nature of the study.
Financial Support
We clearly mention that no organization or institution has supported financially for conducting this research paper. Author (Fm. Asikullah), Co-authors (Dr. Bilkis Raihana & Foara Zaman) have not received financial help from any organization or institution.
Author & Corresponding Author Information
Fm. Asikullah (Author & Corresponding Author)
Research Assistant, Department of Economics, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), Dhaka-1230, E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. Bilkis Raihana (Co-author)
Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), Dhaka-1230, E-mail: [email protected]
Foara Zaman (Co-author)
Research Assistant, Department of Economics, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), Dhaka-1230, E-mail: [email protected]
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