Since the beginning of the human relations movement the theory that “satisfaction causes performance” has been widely accepted. A more recent theory maintains that “performance causes satisfaction” and has also gained prominence. An even newer theory now insists that satisfaction and performance are not related, but that both satisfaction and performance are themselves “functions of rewards.”
As an older citizen, and one who has held a variety of jobs, I have had the opportunity to see each of these theories in practice. While working as a restaurant manager in my younger years I was encouraged to follow the “satisfaction causes performance” theory and did so to the best of my ability. Within my limits I did what I could to keep employees happy so that they were productive. It never really worked all that well. After all, what makes one employee happy may do nothing for the next. I doubt whether any manager is truly capable of making an employee happy or satisfied with their job. At our restaurant there was a lot of disparity among employees when it came to job performance. Continue reading “Satisfaction vs. Job Performance”