Person Environment Fit and Job Satisfaction
Previously conducted research on the relationship between these variables provides valuable insights as per the validation of the hypothesis. A meta-analysis conducted by Ahn and Lee (2019) was based on 15,589 employees whose person-environment fit was analyzed against job-related variables. The scholars integrated person-organization, and person-job fit into the first variable, and job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intention to leave into the second variable. The findings of the study indicate that there is a strong positive relationship between person-environment fit and job satisfaction. Moreover, Redelinghuys et al. (2020), Redelinghuys et al. (2019), and Rocconi et al. (2020) validated the positive relationship between person-environment fit and job satisfaction when it is reinforced by leadership or organizational culture. Similar findings were delivered by Deschênes (2020), who identified that among the components of person-environment fit, the person-job fit was most vividly correlated with job satisfaction.
Moreover, the aspect of age influence on the relationship between the variables was addressed by Rauvola et al. (2019). This study identified that job satisfaction of older adults was more dependent on person-organization fit, while younger employees’ job satisfaction was more significantly influenced by person-job and person-group fit. A study by Gander et al. (2020) used a nationally representative sample of the employed adult population to measure the person-environment, and character strengths influence on job and life satisfaction. It was found that the stronger the character and the better the person-environment fit, the higher the level of job and life satisfaction. Furthermore, other authors concentrated on the impact of person-environment fit on job satisfaction in different fields of occupation and types of organization; the findings unanimously indicated a positive relationship between variable as found in federal employees, police officers, and project management professionals (Wang & Brower, 2018; Wang et al., 2020; White et al., 2021). Thus, the reviewed scholarly literature allows for supporting the hypothesis.
H1: There is a positive relationship between person-environment fit and job satisfaction.
Psychological Capital and Job Satisfaction
Several studies have been found to provide information on the moderating influence of psychological capital, including optimistic worldview, self-efficacy, resilience, and family support, on job satisfaction. According to Kun and Gadanecz (2019) and Aydin Sünbüland Aslan Gördesli (2021), whose primary area of concern was the educational field and teachers’ job experience, psychological capital predetermines better job satisfaction. Valuable insight on the correlation between health outcomes and psychological money was contributed by Diržytė and Perminas (20201), who found that people with fewer health issues demonstrate a higher level of psychological wellbeing, implying better opportunities for life and job satisfaction. A similar field-focused safety-management-related research on the correlation between the two variables found a positive relationship between psychological capital and safety compliance (Ye et al., 2020). Similarly, using data collected from a female sample with the help of a self-reported questionnaire, Ganji and Johnson (2020) identified the positive effect of family support on women’s job retention and satisfaction. Furthermore, Huynh and Hua’s (2020) research on the factors influencing job satisfaction and organizational commitment using data from employees at small- and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam found that job satisfaction and psychological wellbeing were essential determinants for job commitment.
H2: There is a positive relationship between psychological capital and job satisfaction.
Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment
Previous studies investigating the effect of job satisfaction on organizational commitment in various fields provide the basis for supporting the hypothesis. Indeed, according to Romi et al. (2021) and Jigjiddorj et al. (2021), higher levels of job satisfaction led to better organizational performance, compliance with corporate policies and culture, as well as a commitment to the job. Moreover, as found by Zhu et al. (2014), job satisfaction and commitment are the driving forces of sustainable organizational development; identified positive relationships between job satisfaction and loyalty were proposed for practical use. However, as found by Goujani et al. (2019), not all categories of employees as derived from the loyalty matrix have a higher commitment as a result of job satisfaction; namely, the category of hostage employees showed a low level of loyalty. Nonetheless, the positive effect has been persistent in a general population of the reviewed studies.
H3: There is a positive relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Job Satisfaction and Intention to Leave
As the review of previous studies suggests, lower job satisfaction triggers a higher level of likelihood to leave a job. According to Jiang et al. (2019), such factors as job satisfaction, payment, workload, and others, had a negative relationship with the intentions to resign. Similar findings were presented by Sasso et al. (2019) and Al-Muallem and Al-Surimi (2019), who identified that an increased level of nurses’ turnover and pharmacists’ intention to leave was highly dependent on diminished job satisfaction. Moreover, study results obtained by Mashuri and Maharani (2019) support the hypothesis and indicate negative relationships between the two variables. Therefore, since previous research findings provide relevant, verifiable, and credible data on the correlation between job satisfaction and the likelihood to leave a job, one might conclude by supporting the hypothesis.
H4: There is a negative relationship between job satisfaction and intention to leave.
Engagement Moderating Person-Environment Fit and Job Satisfaction
One might assert that engagement moderates the relationship of dependence between the independent variable of person-environment fit and the dependent variable of job satisfaction based on the anticipated increased value of person-environment fit under the influence of engagement, which will ultimately affect job satisfaction, increasing it. Accordingly, managers can promote fit between jobs and employees to achieve organizational fit and improve job satisfaction. The awareness of managers of the moderating effect of engagement can serve as the foundation for implementing practical actions in terms of organizational design, as well as employee socialization and retention. However, person environment fit is not to be considered as a general agenda, but regarding fit perceptions, thus supporting employees on their developmental trajectories (Wang et al., 2020). By remaining aware of person-environment fit and job satisfaction dependence, managers can successfully regulate the organizational mechanisms.
The evidence regards personal resources as predictors of job satisfaction, but scholars do not consider job engagement as a mediator of productivity and job satisfaction (Redelinghuys et al., 2019); Rocconi et al., 2020). Moreover, the range of psychological phenomena that correlate with work engagement or pretend to be prerequisites is wide enough, and their role is not clearly defined. For example, self-efficacy is associated with enthusiasm, and it can be both a prerequisite and an effect. Perhaps employees with more resilience are more capable of remaining interested in work and ready to overcome various difficulties in work, which correlates with resilience as a personal resource. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of engagement as a moderator requires additional theoretical and empirical testing that can be conducted in the future study.
Engagement Moderating Psychological Capital and Job Satisfaction
A positive change in the value of psychological capital, as an independent variable, will result in the consecutive positive change in the dependent variable, job satisfaction. Engagement, as a moderator in the causal relationship between independent variable and dependent variable, might either increase or decrease their relationship. In this case, engagement can be regarded as a stable and deep emotional and motivational state affecting various mental processes, which does not focus on any specific object or form of behavior, but describe an employee’s attitude to work in general. It provides resources, such as physical, social, and organizational aspects, which help to facilitate work requirements associated with high psychophysiological and psychological costs (Kun & Gadanecz, 2019). For example, conflict resolution, overtime work, and stress are moderated through a high degree of engagement, which is essential to achieve the set work goals and stimulate the personal and professional growth of employees.
There is a need to investigate engagement as a moderator between psychological capital and job satisfaction. In particular, since the psychological capital is a resource of socio-psychological relations, due to which an employee is able to successfully achieve the intended goals, one should discover the connection between both dimensions. Despite the fact that both variables function in different ways in terms of a person’s job-related attitudes and behaviors, they should have the same result, such as an increase in the quality of a person’s work, therefore, a rise in job satisfaction (Aydin Sünbüland & Aslan Gördesli, 2021). Moreover, the ability of engagement to either improve or deteriorate job satisfaction caused by psychological capital specifics is critical to study to gain the awareness of the issues to integrate or avoid in a workplace.
Engagement Moderating Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment
Since engagement is not a causal result of job satisfaction, it moderates the relationship between independent (job satisfaction) and dependent (organizational commitment) variables. There is a need to explore the relationships between organizational commitment and job satisfaction in the context of employee performance and engagement. Moral considerations compose one of the components of employee engagement. On the one hand, a satisfied employee is more likely to feel a moral obligation to act loyally to the company. On the other hand, the continuity obligation expresses the concept that the commitment to work is dependent on the balance of costs and benefits for a certain employee. Future research is necessary to identify various methods and strategies to increase organizational commitment through improving the job satisfaction of employees. These include strategies in which employees can work together in a way that creates a strong bond. Those who feel a strong attachment and connection to the workplace demonstrate a higher level of commitment to the organization (Jigjiddorj et al., 2021; Romi et al., 2021). Based on the results obtained, a number of recommendations for the development of employee commitment can be made.
Engagement Moderating Job Satisfaction and Intention to Leave
Since there is a negative relationship between job satisfaction and intention to leave, the value of engagement as a moderator between independent (job satisfaction) and dependent (intention to leave) variables will predetermine the relationship between the variables. It is important to identify the role of engagement in the impact of a low job satisfaction on an employee’s search behavior, which the degree of his or her activity in looking for alternatives and considering proposals for other jobs. An unsuccessful search for alternatives determines the employee’s intention to stay in the organization, and a successful one strengthens the intention to leave (Mashuri & Maharani, 2019). Future research should be devoted to comprehensively considering organizational and personal factors that determine the departure or continuation of work in the organization. In particular, a hypothesis is that a low job satisfaction positively correlates with the intention to leave work because of an unfavorable psychological atmosphere in the workplace, the tension in professional responsibilities, and dissatisfaction with the leadership, which determine the extent of engagement.
In turn, increased attention to workplace relationships, stress at work, and comfort for the employee is a characteristic feature of this issue, which allows assuming that an organization can influence the decision of employees to stay, creating a favorable atmosphere aimed at retention of employees in the company and developing a sense of organizational citizenship in employees. The stimulation of their engagement in the life of the company can be explored based on care demonstration, provision with access to timely and relevant information, and training in the workplace.
Job Satisfaction Mediating Person Environment Fit and Organization Commitment
Since there is a positive relationship between person-environment fit and organizational commitment, job satisfaction might be regarded a mediator between the variables.
Job Satisfaction Mediating Person Environment Fit and Intention to Leave
Job satisfaction is a mediator in the person-environment fit and intention to leave relationship since person-environment fit predetermines job satisfaction, which ultimately affects intention to leave.
Job Satisfaction Mediating Psychological Capital and Organization Commitment
Job satisfaction is a mediator between psychological capital and organizational commitment due to the dependence of job satisfaction on psychological capital, which generates organizational commitment.
Job Satisfaction Mediating Psychological Capital and Intention to Leave
The mediating effect of job satisfaction on psychological capital and intention to leave is validated by the dependence of job satisfaction on psychological capital; job satisfaction level predetermines intention to leave.
Theories to Explain the Framework
Dispositional Approach
Elaborated by Staw and his colleagues, a dispositional approach implies that employees possess particular dispositions that identify the tendencies they have in terms of job satisfaction. According to this theory, personality is the key factor that determines how an employee perceives job satisfaction, including such issues as occupation choice, change of employers, and so on (Morin, 2018). The use of the dispositional approach seems to be beneficial to explore the relations between job satisfaction, person-environment fit, and organizational commitment. For example, considering that the above variables refer to paying attention to employees’ locus of control, self-esteem, and emotional stability, their study cannot be underestimated to ensure a high level of job satisfaction. The mentioned theory states that greater levels of perceived self-efficacy lead to better satisfaction by one’s job (Morin, 2018). The investigation of employees’ conscientiousness, neuroticism, and extraversion / introversion is critical to clarify how to manage their job satisfaction. Depending on how a person approaches and values his or her job, managers can adjust retention strategies.
Affect Theory
An affect theory by Locke is another theoretical foundation that can be used to explain the chosen framework. This theory claims that job satisfaction is largely determined by the value people assign to the various aspects of their work, as well as the extent to which their job-related expectations are met. Morin (2018) emphasizes that the underlying argument is that an individual’s values inform his or her expectations, while the discrepancy between the anticipated benefits and reality identify either satisfaction or dissatisfaction. With regard to the target framework, the affect theory is beneficial to explore the intention to leave or organizational commitment. For instance, this theory assumes that an employee, who prefers teamwork, is more likely to be satisfied while working in cooperation with colleagues, but a more introverted employee would be more satisfied with individual tasks. However, a balance between individual and teamwork should also be followed since excessive amounts of teamwork or solo work can lead to dissatisfaction. Thus, the affect theory is valuable to utilize to better understand how employees identify and view their job satisfaction and associated workplace changes.
Motivator-Hygiene Theory
A motivator-hygiene theory that was developed by Herzberg implies that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are unrelated concepts that are impacted by different factors. While motivating factors influence job satisfaction, hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors do not motivate people, but they merely prevent resentment and maintain a status quo. Hygiene factors are external in nature and relate to the context of the work, which involves remuneration, job safety, working environment, company policies, et cetera (Morin, 2018). The paramount task of the manager is to prevent employee dissatisfaction by resolving issues with hygienic factors, within reasonable limits. Motivation factors include recognition, promotion, achievement, responsibility, and personal growth, leading to increased performance.
To put this theory into practice, an employer needs to address dissatisfaction employees are experiencing, and help them find job satisfaction. To achieve this, Herzberg advised to find and use individual motivating factors for each of employee, which can be accomplished via questionnaires, psychological tests, or studying employee behaviors (Morin, 2018). Accordingly, the motivator-hygiene theory should be applied to study the factors that either motivate or discourage employees to adjust the organizational environment and ensure high performance rates.
References
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