Academicians' Job Satisfaction and Effective Factors

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the level of job satisfaction of academicians and to determine the effect of socio-demographic characteristics, workload, work-family and family-job conflicts on job satisfaction. The study was conducted with 209 academicians working at a state university. The data were collected using the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale, Work-Family, Family-Work Conflict Scale, and a form including sociodemographic variables. In the study, job satisfaction scores of women compared to men, research assistants compared to professors/associate professors, and academicians not satisfied with their job and salary compared to those satisfied were found out to be significantly low. Variables such as being a woman, working as a research assistant, devoting much time to scientific work, and having a child of 0-6 years of age lead to differences in the scores of work-family, family-work conflict. There is a significant negative relationship between work-family, family-work conflict and job satisfaction. It was determined that despite the job satisfaction level not being low, academicians experience more work-family conflict. It is clear that job-family conflict affects the performance of both the individual and the organization, and that a supporting organizational culture would have a positive effect on job satisfaction as well as on family-work balance. In order to balance the family and career, there is a need to develop both organizational and individual coping strategies.