Values, Attitudes, and Their Effects in the Workplace

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Chapter 3

• Values, Attitudes, and Their Effects in the
  Workplace

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Values

• Values
• Basic convictions about what is important to the
  individual
• They contain a judgmental element of what is
  right, good, or desirable.

3
Values

• Types of values
• Terminal Goals that individuals would like to
  achieve during their lifetime
• Instrumental Preferable ways of behaving
• Importance of values
• Values generally influence attitudes and
  behaviour.

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Values vs. Ethics

• Ethics
• The science of morals in human conduct
• Moral principles rules of conduct
• Ethical Values are related to moral judgments
  about right and wrong

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A Framework for Assessing Cultural Values

• Hofstedes Dimensions
• Power Distance
• Individualism Versus Collectivism
• Quantity of Life Versus Quality of Life
• Uncertainty Avoidance
• Long-term versus Short-term Orientation

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Exhibit 3-2 Examples of National Cultural Values
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Canadian Values

• The Elders over 50
• The Boomers born mid 1940s to mid-1960s
• Generation X born mid 1960s to early 1980s
• The Ne(x)t Generation born between 1977-1997

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Canadian Social Values

• The Elders
• Those over 50
• Core Values Belief in order, authority,
  discipline, and the Golden Rule
• The Boomers
• Born mid-1940s to mid-1960s
• Autonomous rebels, anxious communitarians,
  connected enthusiasts, disengaged Darwinists

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Canadian Social Values

• Generation X
• Born mid-1960s to early 1980s
• Thrill-seeking materialists, aimless dependents,
  social hedonists, new Aquarians, autonomous
  post-materialists
• The Ne(x)t Generation
• Born between 1977 and 1997
• Creators, not recipients
• Curious, contrarian, flexible, collaborative,
  high in self-esteem

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Francophone and Anglophone Values

• Francophone Values
• More collectivist or group-oriented
• Greater need for achievement
• Concerned with interpersonal aspects of workplace
• Value affiliation

• Anglophone Values
• Individualist or I-centred
• More task-centred
• Take more risks
• Value autonomy

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Canadian Aboriginal Values

• More collectivist in orientation
• More likely to reflect and advance the goals of
  the community
• Greater sense of family in the workplace
• Greater affiliation and loyalty
• Power distance lower than non-Aboriginal culture
  of Canada and the U.S.
• Greater emphasis on consensual decision-making

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Exhibit 3-3 Ground Rules for Aboriginal
Partnerships

• Modify management operations to reduce negative
  impact to wildlife species
• Modify operations to ensure community access to
  lands and resources
• Protect all those areas identified by community
  members as having biological, cultural and
  historical significance
• Recognize and protect aboriginal and treaty
  rights to hunting, fishing, trapping and
  gathering activities
• Increase forest-based economic opportunities for
  community members
• Increase the involvement of community members in
  decision-making

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Canadian and American Values

• Canadian Values
• Protectionist business environment
• Personality more shy and deferential, less
  violent, more courteous
• More rule-oriented
• Peace, order, equality
• Uncomfortable celebrating success, play it down

• American Values
• Greater faith in the family, the state, religion,
  and the market
• More comfortable with big business
• Intense competition in business
• Individuality and freedom
• More comfortable with the unknown and taking risks

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Canada, the US and Mexico

• Canada and the US
• Lower power distance
• More likely to tolerate abrasiveness and
  insensitivity by managers
• Lower risk takers
• More individualistic
• Less agreeable to teamwork

• Mexico
• Higher power distance
• Managers more autocratic and paternalistic
• Employees defer more to managers
• Greater uncertainty avoidance
• Managers are greater risk takers
• Greater reliance on networks and relationships

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East and Southeast Asian Values

• East and Southeast Asia
• Guanxi relations based on reciprocation
• Relationships meant to be long-term and enduring
• Enforcement relies on personal power and
  authority
• Governed by shame (external pressures on
  performance)

• North America
• Networked relations based on self-interest
• Relationships viewed with immediate gains
• Enforcement relies on institutional law
• Governed by guilt (internal pressures on
  performance)

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Attitudes

• Positive or negative feelings concerning objects,
  people, or events.
• Less stable than values

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Types of Attitudes

• Job Involvement
• . . . measures the degree to which a person
  identifies psychologically with his or her job
  and considers his or her perceived performance
  level important to self-worth.
• Organizational Commitment
• . . . a state in which an employee identifies
  with a particular organization and its goals, and
  wishes to maintain membership in the
  organization.
• Job Satisfaction
• . . . refers to an individuals general attitude
  toward his or her job.

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Canadian Job Satisfaction

• In 1991, 62 per cent of employees reported they
  were highly satisfied with their jobs, compared
  to just 45 per cent in 2001.
• Almost 40 percent of employees would not
  recommend their company as a good place to work.
• 40 percent believe they never see any of the
  benefits of their company making money.
• Almost 40 percent reported that red tape and
  bureaucracy are among the biggest barriers to job
  satisfaction.
• 55 percent reported that they felt the pressure
  of having too much to do.

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Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance

• Satisfaction Affects
• Individual Productivity
• Organizational Productivity
• Absenteeism
• Turnover
• Organizational Citizenship Behaviour

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Expressing Dissatisfaction

• Exit
• Voice
• Loyalty
• Neglect

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Summary and Implications

• Values strongly influence a persons attitudes.
• An employees performance and satisfaction are
  likely to be higher if his or her values fit well
  with the organization.
• Managers should be interested in their employees
  attitudes because attitudes give warning signs of
  potential problems and because they influence
  behaviour.