There are several theories of job satisfaction, aiming to explain how people find fulfillment with their profession and occupation.

These theories suggest that jobs are not only viewed as a way to earn a living but are also an extension of the individual’s identity and thus, his happiness. People with high levels of job satisfaction tend to be more productive and successful in their work lives.

One of the most widely-known job satisfaction theories is the ‘Range of Affect theory’. In this guide, let us try to understand what this theory is and what it tells about performance of an employee at work.

Range of Affect Theory – A Complete Guide

Job satisfaction is a measure of an employee’s contentedness with the job or individual aspects of the job. It can be measured as cognitive, affective, and behavioral elements. Edwin A Locke has given a popular definition of job satisfaction as a positive state of emotion resulting from one’s appraisal at work. Others define it as simply how happy the individual is with the job.

According to Edwin A Locke and Cathy Durham, there are four self-evaluations that determine one’s disposition towards job satisfaction – the locus of control, self-esteem, neuroticism, and self-efficacy. They proposed a job satisfaction model that states that higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy result in higher job satisfaction.

Moreover, it also suggests that an internal locus of control which means believing one has control over his/her own life as compared to external factors also leads to better work satisfaction. Lower levels of neuroticism also lead to higher satisfaction with the job.

Edwin A Locke’s Range of Affect Theory – An Overview

The Range of Affect Theory was introduced in 1976 by Edwin A Locke and has ever since remained the most popular job satisfaction model. This theory is based on the concept that an individual’s job satisfaction depends on two factors – his expectations from the job and the actual things he receives. The level of satisfaction is determined based on the discrepancy between the two.

The smaller the gap between what one wants and what he gets in a job, the higher is the chance of his satisfaction in the work. Locke’s Range of Affect Theory also recognizes the importance of how the person prioritizes different aspects of the job. It states that a person values one aspect of the job more than others and that aspect affects how well satisfied he is with the job.

For example, one employee might value social connections with colleagues. This means he experiences greater job satisfaction when this factor is met properly. If one person values a culture of teamwork and collaboration, he is likely to feel dissatisfied when this expectation is not fulfilled by the job.

Affect Theory of Job Satisfaction

The Affect Theory of Job Satisfaction is one of the most prominent concepts when it comes to determining work satisfaction among employees. According to this theory, the satisfaction of a person with his job is directly dependent on the discrepancy between what one wants and what he gets.

This theory also says that how much a person values an aspect of work moderates how satisfied or dissatisfied he gets when expectations are met or not met. When an individual values a specific aspect of work, his job satisfaction is affected both positively and negatively by the aspect as compared to one who does not value that aspect.

To understand this, consider that Employee X values autonomy in the workplace while Employee Y is not bothered about autonomy. Based on the Affect Theory, X will be more satisfied in a position at the job where there is a high degree of autonomy and less or not at all satisfied with no autonomy. This is not the case for Employee Y.

The theory also suggests that too much of a particular aspect produces stronger feelings and greater dissatisfaction. The more the employee values a specific aspect, the greater is the dissatisfaction when it is not fulfilled.

Other Job Satisfaction Models & Theories

While the Range of Affect Theory is the most popular job satisfaction theory, there are many other models and theories of job satisfaction including the two-factor theory, job characteristic model, and dispositional theory.

Dispositional Theory

This is a well-known theory of job satisfaction that suggests that the natural disposition of people affects their level of satisfaction towards work, regardless of their jobs. According to this concept, an individual’s personality is a significant factor determining job satisfaction.

An employee who has an introverted personality may have lower self-esteem and experience a lower level of job satisfaction while one who has an internal locus of control believes he is in control of things and has higher job satisfaction.

Two-Factor Theory

Another popular theory of job satisfaction, the Two-Factor theory points out two factors that determine the satisfaction of an individual in his job. The first of the two factors that could satisfy or dissatisfy an employee are the motivational factors that could boost his performance so that he attains better satisfaction. These could be bonuses, promotions, and recognition.

The other factor affecting job satisfaction can be hygiene-related factors that don’t need to be motivating but could result in dissatisfaction if not adequately available. Some of the examples of these factors are company policies, salary, workplace environment, and non-monetary employee perks.

Job Characteristics Model

This is probably the most job-focused job satisfaction theory and is popularly used to evaluate how job characteristics impact outcomes like satisfaction from work. According to this model, there are five features of a job affecting the psychological states of the person, thereby influencing the outcomes of work.

The five core job characteristics are task identity, skill variety, feedback, autonomy, and task significance. These features can be mixed to create a motivating potential score for the job to evaluate how the job affects the person’s behavior and attitude.

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Final Thoughts

Whether you are working as a solopreneur, or as a part of a small business or large enterprise, there are some universal factors influencing how positive you feel towards your job. The Range of Affect Theory and other models aim to help gauge the level of job satisfaction taking into consideration various factors important to employees. Employers can use these theories and models to improve job satisfaction at the workplace with the right measures.

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