Analysis of Job Satisfaction of the Federal White-Collar Work Force: Findings from the Survey of Federal Employees

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to extend previous work on job satisfaction to identify major job and organizational factors as well as individual characteristics that affect employee job satisfaction, especially among the federal white-collar work force. Using the Survey of Federal Employees, the study shows that job characteristics such as pay satisfaction, promotion opportunity, task clarity and significance, and skills utilization have consistently significant effects on federal government employees' job satisfaction. Organizational characteristics such as organizational commitment and relationship with supervisors and co-workers also show strong effects on employee job satisfaction. This paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for the reinventing-government movement.