Work Attitudes
This chapter explains the difference between work attitudes and work
behaviors. Our attitudes toward our job and careers affect our workplace behavior. We hear and read about having a positive
attitude, but as managers and leaders, we need to know how to create an
environment that fosters the attitudes and behaviors we want people to
have. This text helps us understand how people's personalities and fit with their work environment affect their performance and commitment
to the organization.
Key Takeaway
Work attitudes are the feelings we have toward different aspects of the work environment. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment are two key attitudes that are the most relevant to important outcomes. Attitudes create an intention to behave in a certain way and may predict actual behavior under certain conditions. People develop positive work attitudes as a result of their personality, fit with their environment, stress levels they experience, relationships they develop, perceived fairness of their pay, company policies, interpersonal treatment, whether their psychological contract is violated, and the presence of policies addressing work–life conflict. When people have more positive work attitudes, they may have the inclination to perform better, display citizenship behaviors, and be absent less often and for shorter periods of time, and they are less likely to quit their jobs within a short period of time. When workplace attitudes are more positive, companies benefit in the form of higher safety and better customer service, as well as higher company performance.