Mediating Effects of Career Stage on Job-Related Characteristics - Job Satisfaction Relationship

Abstract

Despite the fact that job satisfaction has occupied the attention of many authors for decades, this is still fruitful area to investigate because there are still many important questions that require answers. One of these questions is whether the career stages, in which employees currently are, influence which job related characteristics have dominate influence on their job satisfaction. These question arises from the fact that each career stage bring to employees specific concerns, challenges, expectations and needs regarding the job. Our assumption was that career stages have mediating effect on job related characteristic - job satisfaction relationship. In order to test this assumption, primary research was conducted in organizations in Serbia. The sample included 813 employees. For checking the initial assumptions, descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance were applied. The research methodology also included theoretical analysis of the concept of job satisfaction and career stages in process of career development. Results of the study showed that career stages have mediating influence on job related characteristics - job satisfaction to a large extent, except when it is about pay and contingent rewards which have significant influence on job satisfaction for the employees in all career stages. These results could be explained by unfavorable economical conditions in Serbia such as low standard of living and law salaries which put this aspects of work environment in the focus of every employee nevertheless of career stage in which he/she is.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.29.2.18637