Effects of Quality of Work Life on Job Satisfaction and Job Performance among Employees at a Defence Related Automotive Plant

Managing employee’s job satisfaction and job performance has become crucial issues and challenges faced by the organisations and significantly affect with the quality of work life. In conjunction with these issues, this study aims to investigate the quality of work life dimensions i.e. remuneration and benefit, work environment and job security and its effect on employee’s job satisfaction and job performance in the context of defence related automotive plant employees. The central research objectives are as follows: (a) to determine employees’ perceived level of remuneration and benefit, work environment, job security, job satisfaction, and job performance at an automotive plant; (2) to compare the level of job satisfaction and job performance by gender and job category; and (3) to examine the direct effect of remuneration and benefit, work environment and job security on job satisfaction and job performance. This quantitative research study was’carried out through a survey of 273 middle management and non-managerial employees, who were selected using the proportionate stratified random sampling method. Data were collected by administrating a questionnaire survey, consisting of four sections: demographic information, questions about three dimensions of quality of work life, job satisfaction and job performance. Collected data were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Science version 25.0 and Smart Partial Least Square version 3.0 software. Research findings showed that the employees perceived the level of remuneration and benefit, work environment, job security, and job satisfaction to be at a moderate level, whereas job performance is perceived to be at a high level in the automotive plant. The results indicated that there were no significant differences among the two genders and job categories concerning employees’ perception of job satisfaction and job pcrlbrmance. The analysis revealed that the variables of remuneration and benefit (/^ = 0.634), work environment (/^ = 0,418) and job security (/^ = 0.943) have a major effect on job satisfaction whilst the same three variables only had minor effect on job performance with each scoring (/^ = 0.041), (/^ = 0.090) and (/^ = 0.116). Findings suggest that job security has the strongest effect on employees’ job satisfaction and job performance in comparison with other variables of quality of work life. This study also highlights the fact that inadequate remuneration and benefits packages, unfavourable working environment and lack of job security can impact employee’s job satisfaction and Job performance. The findings of the study will be helpfiil especially for the management to take action and formulate proper quality of work life strategies for automotive plant employees to deliver a high level of job satisfaction and job performance and continue to stay in the organisation as well as for future organisational success.

Mengurus kepuasan kerja dan prestasi kerja pekerja menjadi salah satu isu penting dan cabaran oleh sesebuah organisasi dan ia mempunyai kaitan dengan kualiti kehidupan pekeija. Sejajar dengan isu ini, kajian ini bertujuan mengkaji dimensi kualiti kehidupan kerja iaitu remunerasi dan faedah, persekitaran kerja dan keselamatan pekerjaan, serta kesannya terhadap kepuasan kerja dan prestasi pekerja dalam konteks pekerja kilang automotif berunsur pertahanan. Objektif kajian ini adalah seperti berikut: (a) mengenalpasti tahap remunerasi dan facedah, persekitaran kerja, keselamatan pekerjaan, kepuasan kerja dan prestasi kerja pekerja kilang automotif; (b) membandingkan tahap kepuasan kerja dan prestasi kerja oleh jantina dan kategori kerja; dan (c) mengkaji kesan langsung di antara remunerasi dan faedah, persekitaran kerja dan keselamatan pekerjaan terhadap kepuasan kerja dan prestasi kerja. Kajian penyelidikan kuantitatif ini dijalankan melalui tinjauan terhadap 273 pekerja pengurusan pertengahan dan pekerja bukan pengurusan serta pemilihan responden ini dipilih menggunakan kaedah pensampelan rawak berstrata. Data dikumpul dengan mentadbir borang kaji selidik, terdiri daripada empat bahagian: maklumat demografi, soalan mengenai tiga dimensi kualiti kehidupan kerja, kepuasan kerja, dan prestasi kerja. Data yang dikumpulkan dianalisis menggunakan alat Statistical Packages for Social Science versi 25.0 dan Smart Partial Least Square versi 3.0. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa pekerja melihat pemboleh ubah remunerasi dan faedah, persekitaran kerja, keselamatan pekerjaan dan kepuasan kerja berada pada tahap sederhana, sementara prestasi kerja mempunyai tahap yang tinggi di kilang automotif ini. Kajian ini mendapati tiada perbezaan yang signifikan antara kedua-dua kategori jantina dan pekerjaan berhubung dengan persepsi pekerja tentang kepuasan kerja dan prestasi kerja. Analisis mcmbuktikaii bahawa pembolehubah remunerasi dan faedah (/^ = 0.634), persekitaran kerja (/^ = 0.418), dan keselamatan pekerjaan (/^ = 0.943) mempunyai saiz kesan yang besar terhadap ■ kepuasan keija, manakala tiga pembolehubah yang sama hanya mempunyai saiz kesan kecil pada prestasi keija dengan setiap jumlalTi (/^ = 0.041), (/^ = 0.090) dan (/^ = 0.116). Kajian ini juga mendapati keselamatan pekerjaan mempunyai kesan yang paling kuat terhadap kepuasan keija dan prestasi kerja berbanding pembolehubah lain di dalam dimensi kualiti kehidupan keija. Kajian ini juga menekankan bahawa pakej remunerasi dan faedah yang tidak mencukupi, persekitaran keija yang kurang memuaskan dan kekurangan keselamatan pekeijaan boleh mempengaruhi kepuasan keija dan prestasi keija. Dapatan kajian ini diharap dapat membantu terutamanya pihak pengurusan untuk mengambil tindakan dan merancang strategi kehidupan kerja yang berkualiti dan sesuai untuk pekerja kilang automotif dalam memberikan kepuasan keija dan prestasi kerja yang tinggi. seterusnya kekal di dalam organisasi ini dan terus mencapai kejayaan organisasi pada masa hadapan.