What Makes Workers Happy? Anticipated Rewards and Job Satisfaction

39 Pages Posted: 29 Oct 2010

See all articles by Susan J. Linz

Susan J. Linz

Michigan State University

Anastasia Semykina

Florida State University

Date Written: October 28, 2010

Abstract

Using data collected from over 9,400 employees in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Serbia, across a wide variety of workplaces and sectors, we identify the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards that workers desire, and the desirability of rewards they expect to receive. We use regression analysis to evaluate the association between anticipated rewards and job satisfaction, hypothesizing that the desirability of the reward matters more for extrinsic than intrinsic rewards. We find that anticipated extrinsic rewards tend to have a greater influence on job satisfaction if these rewards are important to that particular worker. Anticipated intrinsic rewards appear to be equally beneficial to all workers, regardless of their desirability. Anticipated rewards which have the largest effect on job satisfaction include additional pay, respect of co-workers, and more freedom on the job.

Keywords: Job Satisfaction, Transition Economies, Expected Rewards

JEL Classification: J28, P2

Suggested Citation

Linz, Susan J. and Semykina, Anastasia, What Makes Workers Happy? Anticipated Rewards and Job Satisfaction (October 28, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1699302 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1699302

Susan J. Linz (Contact Author)

Michigan State University ( email )

Department of Economics
110 Marshall Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824
United States
(517) 353-7280 (Phone)
(517) 432-1068 (Fax)

Anastasia Semykina

Florida State University ( email )

Tallahasse, FL 32306
United States

HOME PAGE: http://mailer.fsu.edu/~asemykina/

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