Job Satisfaction Matrix
Statement - A taxi driver in the US has better job satisfaction than a manager in India!
After reading a few things about motivations to work and related satisfaction at work, I deduced how different it is work in cultures with different environmental setup.
Parameters considered:
1. Money - How much of a factor money is playing on their life? Are they achieving their goals? Is money a motivation factor for them to work?
2. People/Customers - People at work place and customer behavior has an impact on job satisfaction. Better these values are, job satisfaction enhances.
3. Work environment - Support from policies, processes, organization system, etc make it a factor to make or break positive attitude at work.
4. Stress (de-stress factor) - Stress creates a sense of fear, in turn affecting performance. Hence, it is a factor to consider. In my calculation, higher the de-stressing value, better is the effect.
Driver
1. Money - In India or US, person in this field will be little satisfied with the earnings. They always try to earn more and in most scenarios, are in debt. In a scale of 1 to 10, it is 5/10 in India and 6/10 in US. 5/10 vs 6/10
People/Customers - People/customers are very biased in India. There is a sense of medium to low respect. This is the reason some drivers always have a stubborn nature towards customers. Dignity of labor in US wins over this aspect. 5/10 vs 8/10
Work environment - Pathetic in India. Imagine driving on Indian roads for 10 hours a day! This is like having a bossy and micromanaging manager trying to put you down every hour at office. You can't sustain it for long. In US, roads are good, policies/rules are straightforward. 1/10 vs 8/10
Stress factor - 1/10 vs 6/10. Only worry in US is traffic jams in downtowns that need patience.
Overall - 12/40 vs 28/40
Software Engineer
Money - Indian SE is very much satisfied and has a good living in society. In US, the spectrum range is huge for this role. 8/10 vs 7/10
People - In general, SEs have nice people around them. It takes a while to settle down if people around them are new. Other than the initial phase, SEs jell well. 7/10 vs 8/10
Work environment - 7/10 vs 8/10
Stress factor - Early on in career, SEs have very little power to make decisions. Management is fully responsible in planning work and ensuring that SEs are not put under any pressure. There is a 50-50 chance that SEs in India are stressed - 5/10 vs 8/10
Overall - 27/40 vs 31/40
Managers (in big organizations)
Money - Managers enjoy all the benefits in big organizations. With sufficient experience in their belt, they tend to be master takers (similar to master payers). 7/10 vs 8/10
People - Managers are sandwiched between engineers and higher management. Because of this, they need to satisfy both sets of people to get the work done. 6/10 vs 6/10
Work environment - 7/10 vs 8/10
Stress factor - 6/20 vs 6/10
Overall - 26/40 vs 28/40
Doctors??
Overall - 29/40 vs 35/40
Based on above numbers, we can say that, money is not the only factor for job satisfaction. Basic things like people, policies and stress level play major role for a person to be satisfied at work. I started doing these calculations after I saw a taxi driver one morning really stressed out with very little patience! Next time you see a driver on road in India, right of way is his. Let him go.
After reading a few things about motivations to work and related satisfaction at work, I deduced how different it is work in cultures with different environmental setup.
Parameters considered:
1. Money - How much of a factor money is playing on their life? Are they achieving their goals? Is money a motivation factor for them to work?
2. People/Customers - People at work place and customer behavior has an impact on job satisfaction. Better these values are, job satisfaction enhances.
3. Work environment - Support from policies, processes, organization system, etc make it a factor to make or break positive attitude at work.
4. Stress (de-stress factor) - Stress creates a sense of fear, in turn affecting performance. Hence, it is a factor to consider. In my calculation, higher the de-stressing value, better is the effect.
Driver
1. Money - In India or US, person in this field will be little satisfied with the earnings. They always try to earn more and in most scenarios, are in debt. In a scale of 1 to 10, it is 5/10 in India and 6/10 in US. 5/10 vs 6/10
People/Customers - People/customers are very biased in India. There is a sense of medium to low respect. This is the reason some drivers always have a stubborn nature towards customers. Dignity of labor in US wins over this aspect. 5/10 vs 8/10
Work environment - Pathetic in India. Imagine driving on Indian roads for 10 hours a day! This is like having a bossy and micromanaging manager trying to put you down every hour at office. You can't sustain it for long. In US, roads are good, policies/rules are straightforward. 1/10 vs 8/10
Stress factor - 1/10 vs 6/10. Only worry in US is traffic jams in downtowns that need patience.
Overall - 12/40 vs 28/40
Software Engineer
Money - Indian SE is very much satisfied and has a good living in society. In US, the spectrum range is huge for this role. 8/10 vs 7/10
People - In general, SEs have nice people around them. It takes a while to settle down if people around them are new. Other than the initial phase, SEs jell well. 7/10 vs 8/10
Work environment - 7/10 vs 8/10
Stress factor - Early on in career, SEs have very little power to make decisions. Management is fully responsible in planning work and ensuring that SEs are not put under any pressure. There is a 50-50 chance that SEs in India are stressed - 5/10 vs 8/10
Overall - 27/40 vs 31/40
Managers (in big organizations)
Money - Managers enjoy all the benefits in big organizations. With sufficient experience in their belt, they tend to be master takers (similar to master payers). 7/10 vs 8/10
People - Managers are sandwiched between engineers and higher management. Because of this, they need to satisfy both sets of people to get the work done. 6/10 vs 6/10
Work environment - 7/10 vs 8/10
Stress factor - 6/20 vs 6/10
Overall - 26/40 vs 28/40
Doctors??
Overall - 29/40 vs 35/40
Based on above numbers, we can say that, money is not the only factor for job satisfaction. Basic things like people, policies and stress level play major role for a person to be satisfied at work. I started doing these calculations after I saw a taxi driver one morning really stressed out with very little patience! Next time you see a driver on road in India, right of way is his. Let him go.
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