Word count: 36.510 - Stenden University of Applied Sciences Leeuwarden

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Colophon

Word count: 36.510

Taal: Engels / Language: English Stenden University of Applied Sciences Leeuwarden

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Abstract This thesis is about the extent to which employees of potato manufacturer X experience job satisfaction and the relationship with increasing absenteeism. The objective is to write an advisory report with recommendations to reduce this phenomenon.Literature- and practical research was conducted with the main concepts: ‘influencing absenteeism, job and psychological characteristics, leadership styles, measuring job satisfaction and factors creating satisfaction and dissatisfaction’. All research was geared towards the real-life situation at X .The theoretical framework model was the ‘JCM’ with the ‘Factor Theory of Motivation’,’ Maslow's pyramid’ and the ‘INK/EFQM model’ linked to it. In the practical study, 15 respondents were questioned based on the core concepts from the JCM model.The results show that the self-managing teams has its advantages and disadvantages with a satisfaction score amongst management and employees of 65% and 35% respectively. Lack of individual appreciation for employees is the main reason for dissatisfaction with 60% of the floor employees who indicate this. Opportunities for improvement are the provision of internal training and the promotion of social cohesion.The significance for X in practice is that absenteeism can be influenced, though in a limited way.. Due to the nature of the work, ‘challenge and development’ are limited. The most promising improvements are in the field of IT-training and reducing the ‘perception-distance’ between management and floor employees.

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Concepts Job satisfaction: a feeling of fulfilment or enjoyment that a person derives from a professional task (Zimbardo, 2018) Based on Yuxin & Farooq (2019), job satisfaction is described by the definition: “an emotional reflection of employees on the content and usefulness of their work, which is related to the degree to which job performance is performed” (Dud, 2020).Sickness absence: sickness refers to health or the absence thereof, while absenteeism means 'negligence'. Two words: illness and absenteeism. One doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the other (Pink, 2011).Autonomy: a state of a person in which he or she makes decisions independently, but not necessarily alone (Benrazavi, 2013).Skills: the collective whole of interpersonal knowledge and skills with which a person can perform a task (Pink, 2011).Task significance: is related to job satisfaction; the content of the task is also assigned to the level of satisfaction a person experiences (Frost, 2019).Motivation: what causes a person to behave in a particular way. Initiation, direction, intensity, and persistence are the most important sub-concepts thereof (Pink, 2011).

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