UNIT – I Lesson 1 HRM – AN OVERVIEW Lesson Outline Nature of ...

The problem of increasing productivity implies the complete, appropriate and
efficient utilization of available resources of human beings, machines, money, power,
land, time and other wherewithal. Productivity as a concept connotes a mass attack on
waste of every type of resources and in all fields of production. It implies development of
a constant urge to find improved, cheaper, quicker, easier and safer ways of doing a job,
manufacturing a product or providing a service.
4.10.1. Job-Satisfaction and Productivity
Many employers set the goal for making employees happy on the assumption that this will
lead to high productivity. This is possibly a misdirected assumption. Managers who follow
this strategy could end up with a very happy but poorly performing group of employees.
While unhappy workers might become unproductive, happy workers are not always
productive workers. If feeling of satisfaction does have a positive effect on productivity,
which effect has been found to be fairly small and negligible. Peak performance in an
individual depends upon a myriad of variables like visualization, positive self-concept,
intense focus and concentration while facing demanding situations.
Factors affecting productivity would also differ according to the nature of the job.
An employee’s productivity level on machine-paced jobs is going to be more influenced
by the speed of the tools and mechanical devices than by his or her level of satisfaction.
However, the satisfaction-performance correlations are found to be stronger for higherlevel
employees. Thus, one might expect the relationship to be more relevant for
individuals in professional, supervisory, executive and managerial positions rather than for
manual workers. In front office jobs that involve direct face-to-face interaction with
customers and other visitors, satisfaction could influence the subtle forms of behavior of
employees including their postures and gestures, which could alter their personal
effectiveness.
The more valid conclusion emerging amidst management scientists is that
productivity would lead to satisfaction than the other way round. Managers would get
better results by directing their attention primarily to the question of what will help
employees to become more productive. Successful job performance should then logically
lead to feelings of accomplishment. The secondary outcomes would be in the forms of
increased pay, perquisites, promotions and other automatic rewards which are desirable
outcomes of working hard and smart, from a job-holder’s point of view. These feelings
would then contribute towards satisfaction with the job.