Abstract
The effects of changes in the motivational properties of jobs on work attitudes and behaviors were assessed in a quasi-experimental design. A number of clerical jobs in a metropolitan bank were redesigned because of a technological innovation. Changes were made without regard for the motivational characteristics of the jobs, and without cognizance by bank personnel that there might be motivational consequences of the changes. Some jobs were made more complex and challenging, some less so, and the motivational properties of still others were essentially unaffected. Measures of job characteristics, employee attitudes, and work behaviors were collected before and after the changes. Results showed that general satisfaction, growth satisfaction, and internal motivation were affected by changes in job characteristics. Satisfaction with the work context was not affected. Effects of the changes on absenteeism and performance depended on the strength of employee growth needs, which also tended to moderate attitudinal reactions to the changes. Contrary to expectation, employee growth needs themselves were not affected by the altered motivational characteristics of the jobs.
Highlights
Title Effects of changes in job characteristics on work attitudes and behaviors: A naturally occurring quasi-experiment
The results show that changes in job characteristics do affect employee reactions to their work as predicted: Employees on jobs that increased in motivating potential gained in internal work motivation and growth satisfaction; the reverse was true for employees whose jobs deteriorated in motivating potential; and little change was obtained for employees whose work was redesigned in a way that minimally altered the Motivating potential score (MPS) of their jobs
These results are generally consistent with previous findings in which static correlational methods have been used to assess the relationships between job characteristics and employee reactions to their work
Summary
Title Effects of changes in job characteristics on work attitudes and behaviors: A naturally occurring quasi-experiment. The effects of changes in the motivational properties of jobs on work attitudes and behaviors were assessed in a quasi-experimental design. Of the published studies that do examine the effects of jobs changes, most are evaluations of job enrichment or work redesign programs, in which changes are explicitly intended to improve employee attitudes and/or productivity. Such evaluations can be very helpful in increasing knowledge about organizational change processes that involve the redesign of work. They are of more limited use in furthering understanding of the impact of changes in job characteristics per se, for a number of reasons.
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