For example, employees could become cynical when a company lays off employees to help improve its finances but then produces no evidence of improved profitability. The study also found that hourly employees were more likely than salaried employees to be cynical. However, cynicism was more harmful to the job satisfaction and commitment of salaried employees. Highly cynical salaried employees were much less likely than others to think they would be paid more if they performed well. Our questions measuring cynicism had nothing to do with compensation, yet highly cynical employees still saw a connection.
Cynicism spills over and colors how employees see everything about the company and their jobs.
Wanous's study indicated highly cynical employees were more likely to file grievances against the company, show lower levels of commitment, and were less likely to believe management would reward good work. Cynicism about organizational change becomes its own self-fulfilling prophecy. Causes of Dissatisfaction The Conference Board, a prestigious business study group in New York City, has released a new investigation suggesting there have been sharp declines in many areas of job satisfaction in the American workforce since 1995 despite economic good times for most. Lynn Franco, director of consumer research at the Conference Board, believes today's faster pace of work life and the new demands it places on professionals are factors in the lower level of job satisfaction. She notes that these factors create stress and have a negative effect on employee attitudes.