An exploratory study on factors influencing job satisfaction of employees in the Sri Lankan Telecommunication industry: special reference to Eastern Province

Abstract

The Telecommunication industry plays a vital role in the economic development of Sri Lanka. Maintaining a high level of job satisfaction among the employees in the industry ts very important. This research attempts to study the factors influencing the job satisfaction of the employees and to measure the level of job satisfaction in the ‘| ¢lecommunication industry in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The study considered five demographic factors and nine job-related factors that influence on job satisfaction of employees. The theoretical framework was drawn out {rom previous literature and a questionnaire was designed by the researcher based on the factors chosen. 150 non-managerial category employees were selected on a simple random sampling basis and the questionnaire was distributed among them in November 2013. Responses received from 121 employees were analyzed with the aid of SPSS software using correlation, regression, factor, and descriptive analyses. Out of the fourteen hypotheses developed, nine were accepted. Results of the study have shown that the demographic factors including age, educational qualification and experience of employees are significantly influencing the job satisfaction of the employees in the industry. Further, the analyses have shown that the job-related factors including pay, promotion, fringe benefits, and contingent rewards are significantly influencing the job satisfaction of employees in the industry. Further, the study revealed that most of the employees are satisfied in the industry. The regression analysis has shown that, 84.1% of the variation in job satisfaction of the employees could be explained by the demographic and job-related factors considered in the study. Finally, recommendations are made to improve the job satisfaction of the employees in the industry. Considering the importance of employee’s job satisfaction and its effect on the effectiveness and productivity of the organizations, the firms in the industry should take necessary actions.