A Comparison of Job Satisfaction between Public and Private

More than three out of every five Americans are satisfied with their jobs while only one out of every ten is dissatisfied (Linden, 1987). Work occupies a large portion of the waking hours of most people. To some it is the most important thing in their lives. How people feel about their work affects their basic feelings about themselves, their self-esteem, and their perception of themselves. Also, with today's increased technology in the workplace, greater stress is put. on employees, often leading to job dissatisfaction. Since work occupies such a large part of a person's life, satisfaction with one's job is considered an important part of a person's quality of life. Interest in the study of job satisfaction and how it affects an individual's quality of life within and outside of an organization dates from the 1930s (Lawler, 1983). The 1930 studies include those by Hoppock in 1935 and the Western Electric studies that were published in 1939. The Western Electric studies "... emphasized the importance of studying the attitudes, feelings, and perceptions employees have about their jobs" and "... made the point that employees have strong affective reactions to what happens to them at work" bid.). Because people are affected by numerous and varied motivators, satisfaction with one's job means different things to different people resulting in a multitude of definitions. For the purpose of this article, job satisfaction will be considered simply as a person's attitude or feeling toward his or her job. Job satisfaction continues to be one of the most widely studied variables in the field of organizational behavior. An endless number of studies have been conducted and reports written trying to determine workers' satisfaction with their jobs and the causes of their satisfaction/dissatisfaction.)1) Employee satisfaction with their jobs is a considerable concern for public and private sector managers. Various studies have shown that employee absenteeism, turnover, and other behaviors are related to a person's satisfaction with his job and organization (Vroom, 1964; Griffin and Moorehead, 1986). Being aware of the job satisfaction of workers can enable personnel managers to take steps that will insure commitment and involvement from employees. While many of these reports and studies have been concerned with either the public sector or the private sector, very few recent studies (Mirvis and Hackett, 1983; Smith and Nock, 1980; Solomon, 2986) have compared the job satisfaction levels of these two groups of employees. The purpose of this article is threefold: (1) to discuss similarities and differences between public and private sector management; (2) to review research on job satisfaction in order to compare the two sectors; and (3) to compare job satisfaction between the private and public sector within a sample of managers in the state of Missouri. Implications for management, both global and specific, of the similarities and differences between the two sectors are discussed. DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES In order to compare job satisfaction levels between workers in the public and private sectors, it may be helpful to understand some of the differences and similarities that may exist between the two. Historically, the two sectors have been viewed as different, but varying opinions have emerged concerning the existence of both similarities and differences. Similarities between the public and private sectors emphasize a commonality of general management functions (Allison, 1983; Murray, 1983). Whether public or private, management consists of establishing an organizational purpose and developing objectives; planning; selecting, managing, and motivating personnel; and controlling organizational and personnel performance. While Murray (1983) believes that there is also a convergence of other organizational processes between the public and private sectors, Allison (1983) utilizes three previously developed lists in determining differences in the internal structure and processes between the two sectors. …