Final answer:
Employee satisfaction with meeting minimum expectations can be due to multiple factors, including levels of work stress, pay, feedback, and workplace bureaucracy. Additionally, the feeling of control and contribution at work significantly affects job satisfaction. Surveys and Likert scales help measure these aspects to understand employee contentment better.
Step-by-step explanation:
Employees may be satisfied with reaching only minimum expectations due to various factors, including their perception of job satisfaction which is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple aspects. According to research by Saari & Judge (2004), job satisfaction is impacted by work content, personality, and cultural background. Factors such as work stress, pay, work environment, levels of feedback, bureaucracy, personal responsibility, and work overload can contribute to an employee's decision to aim for minimum expectations. Additionally, the perception of job control and involvement in decision-making processes are essential for job satisfaction, as found by researchers like Melvin Kohn.
Job satisfaction surveys frequently utilize Likert scales to measure an employee's contentment and pinpoint specific areas of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. It is important to note that while job satisfaction is related to job performance, organizational citizenship, and overall life satisfaction, it has a more tenuous connection with employee turnover, according to Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller (2012). On the other hand, symbolic interactionists would argue that a sense of control over work and integral contribution to work outcomes are key drivers of satisfaction.