A comparative study of faculty job satisfaction: looking beyond the aggregate

Abstract

This study considers the job satisfaction of faculty at a private, four-year, large university. As faculty are forward-facing, customer-serving, grant-receiving employees who directly impact the bottom line, monitoring their job satisfaction is similar to a wellness check; done regularly, one can find otherwise unknown issues before they become detrimental to the health of the organization. A survey created by Smerek and Peterson (2007) was modified to fit the population under study. The survey questions were grouped by job factors identified in the Two-Factor Theory by Herzberg et al. (1959) and used a 6-point Likert scale. Additional questions were employed to assess how recent events impacted job satisfaction. Data were analyzed by faculty status, college of appointment, gender, and minority status. Although not irrefutable, the data show that despite negative perceptions of total compensation and senior management, faculty have job satisfaction driven by satisfaction with the work itself and good relationships with co-workers and direct supervisors. In other words, faculty find satisfaction in the work, but not the work environment.