Job Satisfactionand Preferences of Employees of

Horticultural Companies in Germany

Results from a Quantitative Study

Stephan Meyerding

Image Source: http://www.payandbenefitsmagazine.co.uk/pab/files/imagecache/article_image/images/101952797.jpg, 15.07.2014.

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Why is it important?

►Personnel cost 40 % German horticulture (own calculation ZBG 2012)

►“Megatrends” for business transformation (Meyerding, 2016)

►Demographic Change►War-for-Talents►Changing work attitudes

► Indicator for social sustainability (Meyerding, 2014)

►Other research in this area is based on Herzberg’s Two-Factor-Model (1959) (Bitsch, 2005; Reiche and Sparke, 2012)

which has almost no empirical backing (Rosenstiel, 2000)

1 Introduction

2 Method

Image Source: http://www.nike.com/content/dam/one-nike/en_us/SP14/golf/putters/fsts/02_MethodModCarousel_1600x900_02.jpg.dimg/1600x900q80.jpeg, Date 15.07.2014.

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Warr’s Vitamin Model (Warr, 2007)

2 MethodW

ell-b

eing

Job feature

Constant effect (CE)i.e. Money

Additional decrement (AD)i.e. Control

Subjective optimum

The study contains 28 job features, which can be assigned to Warr‘s 12 Vitamins (Meyerding, 2014, 2015, 2016; Warr, 2007)

(own illustration: Cf. Warr, 2013)

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Warr’s Vitamin Model (Warr, 2007)

Example:

►Vitamin 1: Control (AD)

►Aspects:►1a Task discretion►1b Influence over the

wider organization

2 Method

(own illustration: Cf. Warr, 2013)

Image Source: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/475299643924836352/im7HrNvi_400x400.png, Date 16.07.2014.

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Questionnaire includes 4 main sections

Using a Kunin-Scale (Kunin, 1955) to support the correct evaluation

2 Method

Individual preference

Evaluation of aspects in the

current job

Characteristics of the company

Personal demographics

1 2 3 4

Work satisfaction and life satisfaction5

(own illustration)

(own illustration: Cf. Kunin, 1955 and Salcher, 1995)

3 Material

Image Source: http://www.inc.com/uploaded_files/image/073012_Succession_1725x810-PAN_19130.jpg, Date 15.07.2014.

►Paper-and-Pencil and Web-based Questionnaire

►August 2013 to June 2014►280 datasets►Participants recruited

through presentation on fair (IPM), speeches, two articles in trade press (TASPO) and social media

►Distribution of participants

3 Material

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(own illustration)

Business Lines Age distribution

3 Material

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(own illustrations)

Companies had…► in most cases < 20 employees (excl. seasonal labor)

(76 %, N=218)

► in most cases < 5 seasonal workers (76 %, N=217)

Participants …►42 % are women (N=193)

►18 % are self-employed (N=196)

►84 % are fulltime employees (N=158)

►74 % have a permanent contract (N=144)

►6 % are seasonal workers (N=152)

3 Material

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Participant education level

3 Material

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►The sample is diverse

►A bigger data set would be desirable

►As a large share of seasonal employees in German horticulture are migrant workers, the questionnaire should be translatedinto Polish and Romanian

(own illustration)

4 Results and Conclusions

Image Source: http://www.juvenilearthritis.ie/images_upload/Images-Library/Tween/blackboard-lightbulb.jpg, Date 15.07.2014.

4 Results and Conclusions4.1 Preferences for Job Characteristics (1)

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4 Results and Conclusions4.1 Preferences for Job Characteristics (2)

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Relationships personal characteristics and preferences► Age = adequate equipment (rs=-.19**)

►Managerial responsibility (yes) = influence over organization (rs=.26**)

►Education level = work/home conflict (rs=-.20**) and job security (rs=-.17*)

►Gender (w) = new learning (rs=.16*)

. work/home conflict (rs=.27**)

. emotional dissonance (rs=.17*)

► Number of employees = task coherence (rs=-.14)

4 Results and Conclusions4.2 Spearman Correlations with Job Satisfaction (1)

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Good future prospects (rs=.62)

(N=229, own illustration, ** significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed) * 0.05 level) Image Scores: http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/438704-businessgrowthmotivationcompany-1348011431-807-640x480.jpg, Date 15.07.2014.

4 Results and Conclusions4.2 Spearman Correlations with Job Satisfaction (2)

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(N=229, own illustration, ** significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed) * 0.05 level)

Work-Home-Conflict(rs=.51)

Image Source: http://cmaideas.cmaconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Work-family-conflict.jpg, Date 15.07.2014.

4 Results and Conclusions4.2 Spearman Correlations with Job Satisfaction (3)

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(N=229, own illustration, ** significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed) * 0.05 level)

Fair treatment of employees

(rs=.51)

Image Source: http://fastgodstuff.com/files/2011/10/why_is_life_unfair_top-400x2151.jpg, Date 30.05.2016.

4 Results and Conclusions4.2 Spearman Correlations with Job Satisfaction (4)

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(N=229, own illustration, ** significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed) * 0.05 level)

Adequate equipment(rs=.51)

Image Sources:http://www.meyer-shop.com/item/1160800/116/0/38095/purivoxtriplex-v.html, Date 09.10.2014.

http://www.meyer-shop.com/item/1/0/0/38030/universalkarre.html, Date 09.10.2014.

4 Results and Conclusions4.2 Spearman Correlations with Job Satisfaction (5)

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(N=229, own illustration, ** significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed) * 0.05 level)

Payment(rs=.35)

Image Source: http://microsites.pearl.de/i/07/nc1892_0.jpg, Date 15.07.2014.

4 Results and Conclusions4.3 Person. Characteristics a. Job Aspect Evaluation

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Relationships personal characteristics and job aspects► Age = good future prospects (rs=-.24**)

. pleasant environment (rs=-.19**)

. safe work practices (rs=-.19**) .

. difficulty of job demands (rs=.24**)

►Managerial responsibility(yes)= significance to self(rs=.22**)

. task coherence (rs=.20**)

. new learning (rs=.20**)

. influence over organization (rs=.19)

►Temporary employment(yes)= job security (rs=-.21*)

4 Results and Conclusions4.3 Person. Characteristics a. Job Aspect Evaluation

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Relationships personal characteristics and job aspects►Self-employed (yes) = new learning (rs=.29**)

. task coherence (rs=.24**)

. emotional dissonance (rs=.23**)

. value to society (rs=.19**)

►Gender (male) = influence over organization (rs=.18*)

. job security (rs=.18*)

. value to society (rs=.19**)

. new learning (rs=.15*)

5 Résumé

Image Source: http://www.saratmd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Improving-Self-Efficacy-for-Success-in-Life-C.jpg, Date 15.07.2014.

5 Résumé

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►Employees prefer soft job characteristics such as fair treatment of employees, considerate leadership and emotional dissonance over hard issues such as payment and number and difficulty of job demands

►Good future prospects, work/home conflict, fair treatment of employees and adequate equipment show the strongest relationship with job satisfaction

►The study gives an detailed picture of preferences and relationships of job characteristics and job satisfaction as well as personal characteristics in German horticulture

►Another study shows these preferences and relationships for the next generation and shows the differences between the groups

Thank you

23

Questions and suggestions:

Stephan Meyerding

Center for Business Management in Horticulture and Applied Research e.V.Herrenhäuser Str. 230419 Hannover, GermanyTel.: +49511/762-2669Email: meyerding@zbg.uni-hannover.de Image source: Life satisfaction: http://static.cosmoty.de/images/magazin/gluecklich‐leben‐1.jpg, Date 23.10.2012.

Image source: Job satisfaction: http://rheinland.b4bmittelstand.de/cms_media/module_img/207/103717_1_lightbox_Job_happy_Frau_olly_Fotolia.jpg, Date 23.10.2012.

rs = .53**

Job satisfaction Life satisfaction

28.06.2016 Center for Business Management in Horticulture and Applied Research