Uncovering the Combined Impact of Process Characteristics and Reward Types on Employees’ Job Satisfaction: A European Quantitative Study

Abstract

Organizations should constantly improve their business processes to increase performance while keeping employees satisfied. Therefore, human actors are considered a success factor in business process management (BPM) projects. This fact amplifies the impact of employees’ satisfaction on business process performance. Although several reward approaches exist, it remains unclear how they affect job satisfaction specifically in combination with certain process characteristics. To address this gap, we conducted a statistical analysis of survey data based on a representative European working conditions dataset. We applied two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA, i.e., controlled for organization size and sector) to explore the interaction effects. By looking at all possible combinations, we uncover how the presence or absence of specific pay modes and process-related aspects influence job satisfaction. Additionally, we reveal and discuss the joint effect of process characteristics and pay-for-performance types on job satisfaction. The results argue for a differentiated approach in pay-for-performance to obtain optimal reward solutions. Moreover, we advise for better strategic planning and facilitating successful BPM implementation.