Introduction
Satisfaction means something different for everyone and depends on various criteria. The more standards and criteria one sets for oneself, the more experiences with this feeling will be rarer (Winson, 2013). There is a theory that satisfaction and dissatisfaction form a shared spectrum, where on the one hand is complete satisfaction, but on the other hand, there is complete dissatisfaction. However, these two concepts are independent, so one can be satisfied with work and hate it simultaneously. The statement distinguishes between the hygiene factor and the motivator (Christensen, Allworth, Dillon 2013). As Sorger (2020) described, the man himself/herself is responsible for satisfaction and happiness. It does not affect what work a person does or what his living conditions are. One needs to know what makes him/her happy. If a person uses his/her abilities and skills during his/her life and uses creativity, then he/she feels happy and satisfied. Motivation is connected to satisfaction. If a person is satisfied, the inspiration to live increases (Olexová, Bosáková 2006).
Theoretical background
According to Achor (2014), satisfaction represents a positive mood in the present and a positive outlook for the future. Satisfaction leads to success in almost all areas of life, e.g., work, health, friendship, creativity, and energy. Positive emotions are the driving force of satisfaction because satisfaction is, above all, a feeling. Achor (2014) defined the ten most common positive emotions: balance, joy, hope, pride, gratitude, inspiration, interest, fun, respect, and love. According to research, satisfaction gives people a real chemical advantage, as positive emotions saturate the brain with chemicals that stimulate the brain center. That part of the brain is responsible for learning, and it means that positive emotions help to sort new information, store it, allow you to think faster and more creatively, become better at solving problems, and finally discover new life paths. Life satisfaction and job satisfaction are closely related. Dissatisfaction with one of these spheres has a demotivating effect on a person and causes anorexia, nervous tension, and insomnia. These negative states and feelings will eventually affect the second sphere (Sorger, 2020). According to Winson (2013), satisfaction is related to long-term financial success. The basis of this view is to have an overview of the income and expenses. As stated by Anýžová and Večerník (2019), success largely depends on the employee’s income. Feelings of satisfaction, joy, and happiness are essential living conditions and needs for most employees. However, nowadays, people attach less and less importance to this feeling, so they go to work with nervousness, stress, and stomach discomfort. The most common reasons for employee dissatisfaction are overload, inadequate team, loss of motivation, and interest in activities (Fritz 2006).
Tegze (2019) stated that employee satisfaction is not equal to money. The reason for people’s loyalty to their employer is not their salary. The values that beat the capital are opportunities for self-realization, usefulness, and meaningfulness. According to older research, a person will be satisfied when working hard and achieving success. However, according to new psychological research, it is the right opposite. A person will be successful if he is satisfied and in an optimistic mood, his thinking and mindset are positive, he is cleverer, more motivated, and therefore more effective. The most successful people do not see satisfaction as a reward for their goals but use it to achieve success. Research has shown that satisfied people show higher levels of productivity and performance and at the same time have a greater tendency to lead people and set an example. The results support the need to eliminate stress or coach employees to help them to be more productive and motivated because of their overall satisfaction (Achor 2014; Kovaľová, Zbihlejová, Birknerová, Frankovský, 2018).
Success and fulfillment are synonymous with satisfaction. However, according to Sinek, Mead, and Docker (2019), success is only temporary, but the fulfillment goes more in-depth. The difference between these feelings is when one likes something and loves something. A person’s satisfaction is the outcome of doing things the best he can. It is a feeling of fulfillment, motivation, and finally, it means satisfying the needs of the individual. Proper motivation is essential for the individual to be satisfied (Christensen, Allworth, Dillon, 2013).
Methods
The theoretical part describes the meaning of the terms of satisfaction and related terms. We have focused on declarations of various authors as part of research in this area. Based on theoretical knowledge, we performed an analysis that focuses on people’s life satisfaction.
The aim of the research was to examine the differences and connections in assessing people’s life satisfaction in terms of selected socio-demographic indicators. Based on the goal, two hypotheses were formulated:
Hypothesis 1: There are statistically significant differences between men and women in assessing selected attributes of employee satisfaction.
Hypothesis 2: There are statistically significant correlations between age and selected attributes of employee satisfaction.
Empirical data were obtained by the online questionnaire method and snowball selection. The first part of the questionnaire focused on demographic data, which analyzed gender, age, residence, marital status, education, and work area. The second part of the questionnaire focused on employee satisfaction; a standardized Life Satisfaction Questionnaire was used, assembled by Fahrenberg, Myrtek, Schumacher and Brähler (2001), adapted for the purposes of the topic.
Within the mentioned questionnaire, respondents commented on their satisfaction in selected areas of life. Regarding the employee and his work environment, areas that were not directly related to the employee’s situation were omitted. The questionnaire consists of ten scales monitoring individual areas of life satisfaction: satisfaction with health, work, and employment, with the financial situation, satisfaction with free time, with one’s own person, marriage, and partnership, with one’s relationship with one’s own children, with sexuality, satisfaction with friends, acquaintances and relatives and satisfaction with the accommodation. The analyzed areas of employee satisfaction were work and employment, financial situation, leisure time, own person, co-workers, and colleagues.
The revised questionnaire captures an individual picture of overall satisfaction and distinguishes five areas (work and employment, financial situation, leisure, own person, co-workers, and colleagues), which contain items related to the area of the workplace (a total of 33 items). Respondents were asked to report their satisfaction or dissatisfaction on a scale from 1 to 7 (1 = very dissatisfied; 2 = dissatisfied; 3 = rather dissatisfied; 4 = neither satisfied nor dissatisfied; 5 = rather satisfied; 6 = satisfied; 7 = very satisfied).
The employee describes mainly the current situation, but some items include retrospective and perspective management.
The research sample consisted of 133 respondents, of which 84 (63,2%) were women, and 49 (36,8%) were men. The average age of the respondents was 39,856 years, of which the youngest respondent was 22 years old, and the oldest respondent was 88 years old. Of the total number of respondents, 67 (50,4%) stated that they came from the countryside, and 66 (49,6%.) respondents chose a city as their place of residence. According to marital status, 74 (55,6%) were married, 45 (33,8%) stated that they were single, 13 (9,8%) were divorced, and only one (0,8%) respondent was a widower. In the question concerning the achieved education, it was analyzed that 69 (51,9%) respondents had completed university education, 63 (47,4%) respondents had completed secondary education, and only one (0,8%) respondent had completed elementary education. Of the total number of respondents, 36 (27,1%) respondents worked in education or research, 25 (18,8%) respondents stated administration as their work area, 25 (18,8%) respondents came from production, 20 (15%) respondents performed service, 18 (13,5%) respondents worked in trade, 6 (4,5%) worked in healthcare, and 3 (2,3%) respondents worked in tourism.
Using the statistical program SPSS to analyze the research hypothesis, Pearson correlation coefficient and t-test, the mathematical-statistical method, were used. Analyzed statistically, significant differences and links are displayed in tables that are described by descriptive statistics.
Results and interpretations
According to the research hypotheses, the results and interpretations were divided into two parts. Based on a mathematical-statistical method: t-test, differences in the assessment of employee satisfaction were examined. Links were processed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
The first part of the research focuses on the identification of statistically significant differences in the assessment of selected attributes of employee satisfaction. We assumed that there existed statistically significant differences in assessing selected attributes of employee satisfaction in terms of gender. Differences in terms of gender obtained in assessing employee satisfaction are in table 1. There was a statistically significant difference in the assessment of Leisure time. The results were obtained by the mathematical-statistical method t-test.
Table 1: Assessment of employee satisfaction in terms of gender
(Source: Authors’ own processing)
According to the results in table 1, men are neither dissatisfied nor satisfied with the amount of free time and vacation they have at work. Women are more satisfied with the amount and the length of their annual leisure after the holidays, which provide them with enough time for quality rest, space for their hobbies, and time spent with loved ones.
Hypothesis 1 is confirmed because of the assumption that there exist statistically significant differences in selected attributes of employee satisfaction in terms of gender.
The second part of the research focuses on the identification of statistically significant links in the assessment of selected attributes of employee satisfaction. The results confirmed the existence of statistically significant links, processed by using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. We assumed that there exist statistically significant links between age and selected attributes of employee satisfaction.
Table 2 shows common links between age and the rate of employee satisfaction. There exist statistically significant links in attributes of work and employment, financial situation, own personality, colleagues.
Table 2: Age correlations in assessment of employee satisfaction
(Source: Authors’ own processing)
**p<0,01 *p <0,05
According to the results, the older people are, the lesser they are concerned with their position in the workplace, future security, career prospects, workload, and responsibilities. More aged employees pay less attention to the possibilities of progress, success, the atmosphere in the workplace, and, finally, the diversity that life offers them. In matters relating to the financial situation, links were found between age and the assessment of employee satisfaction. The older people are, the lesser tension they have with their income, the standard of living, future expectations, and financial security in old age. After a certain age, people are happier with their own person, which means that in the context of life satisfaction, they are less concerned with issues that concern themselves. The older people are, the lesser attention they pay to their abilities, skills, external appearance, self-confidence, and overall character. The older people are, their relationship with co-workers and colleagues causes them lesser tension. While getting older, people pay less attention to the circle of their colleagues, and at the same time, they do not need help and support from them as younger people do. The relationship between co-workers and colleagues includes life commitment and time that colleagues spend outside work together, which older people are less concerned about also.
Hypothesis 2 is confirmed because of the assumption that there are statistically significant links between age and selected attributes of satisfaction in employees.
Discussion and conclusion
The first research hypothesis addressed the issues of significant differences in assessing selected attributes of employee satisfaction in terms of gender. A statistically significant gender difference occurred in one area, namely the assessment of leisure time. According to the results, women are more satisfied with the length and quality of time-out or the duration of holidays available additionally to employment.
We can draw attention to the research on human satisfaction at work by Šuteková (2020). The aim of the research was to find out the relationship and attitudes of people to work in a specific information and software company. Another research goal was to limit the extent to which gender, age, education, and length of practice affect the life satisfaction of employees. When assessing the life satisfaction of the employees of a particular company, there was a gender difference, and the men expressed their dissatisfaction with the financial situation, whether it was the number of wages, financial remuneration, or employee benefits. Men and women evaluated work and employment positively to the same extent. Kozelová (2016) examined the satisfaction of employees of the Financial Administration of the Slovak Republic. The author states that women are more satisfied with the work they do. Men have work expectations that are difficult to achieve, and after some time this causes dissatisfaction.
The proven work-life balance method is the best way to achieve employee satisfaction and maximize performance. It is a work-life balance. The superior should establish the working time to be as flexible as possible. Either a form of the long and short week or work from home if the scope of work allows it. The so-called home office is assembled with online applications, which used to record the beginning and end of the work, and breaks during working hours, and it allows superiors or employees to monitor the number of worked hours. In addition to the work-life balance methods described, Frederick (2021) added the condition of a healthy workplace. This term stands for scholarships to employees who can use them to provide health-innovative office materials, such as a desk, ergonomic office chair or armchair, folding table or laptop stand, and the like.
Because of the correlation between employee age and the degree of satisfaction in terms of work and employment, financial situation, person, and co-workers, the second research hypothesis was confirmed. According to research results, the older employees are, the less they are concerned with the current and future situation, working conditions, obligations, and related benefits. The older people are, the less tension they experience in financial issues. The amount of income, interest in the standard of living, the state of the property, and financial security in old age decrease with increasing age, are not so emphasized. After years people are happier with their own person, spend less time improving their abilities, skills, external appearance, self-confidence, and, finally, their vitality. Similar research was carried out by Hajda and Hajdu (2014). They examined employee satisfaction in 27 European countries. The authors dealt with the degree of employee satisfaction according to their age, and division of the workplace into subjective and objective factors. Subjective factors include, for example, diversity of work, the opportunity to learn new things, health-dangerous work, flexible working hours, job security, and lack of free time. Objective factors are the type of contract, working time, occupation type, and gross monthly salary. Both factors affect the satisfaction of younger employees. Working conditions are important for older employees. Employees of the younger age groups showed low satisfaction with working hours, but they considered it influential to have a constant opportunity to improve and learn new things.
Jarkovská (2013) also examined the impact of the age of employees on their satisfaction. According to the results, younger people are happier with their work because they do not have much experience, they do not know the labor market and other workplaces, so they have nothing to compare to their current workplace. The possibilities and opportunities for older employees are reduced, which means that their satisfaction is declining.
Employee satisfaction highly depends on the relationships established between co-workers and superiors. A good leader should pay attention to improving relationships within the team through teambuilding programs outside the workplace and organize various competitions to create a cohesive team. To create strong teams and close relationships, it is necessary to combine older and younger colleagues. Some resorts and camps take teambuilding to the next level. These positions are precisely specialized in building strong teams led by professional instructors. The camps offer various activities, among which we can include the so-called survival camp (management training). Through these activities, it is shown who is a strong member of the group, the strengths, and weaknesses of individuals; employees get used to each other, and teams are built.
Comparing the results of our research and research from other authors, female employees are more satisfied, and better adapted to the conditions and opportunities that life offers them. The results confirmed that employees of older generations are less concerned about their employment and the feelings they have, and in case of problems, they are less interested in the possibilities of how to solve them. The paper serves to raise awareness of employee satisfaction and provide management with valuable insight into how they can achieve employee satisfaction and thus achieve their loyalty.
Acknowledgment
This paper is supported by the grant VEGA 2/0068/19 Attitudes towards Migrants in the Socio-psychological Context.
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