,Abstract
This thesis is about the extent to which employees of PRODUCT manufacturer X , X Friesland (hereafter:
'X ') experience job satisfaction and the relationship with increasing absenteeism. The objective is to write
an advisory report with recommendations to reduce this phenomenon.
Literature- and practical research was conducted with the main concepts: ‘influencing absenteeism,
job and psychological characteristics, leadership styles, measuring job satisfaction and factors
creating satisfaction and dissatisfaction’. All research was geared towards the real-life situation at X .
The theoretical framework model was the ‘JCM’ with the ‘Factor Theory of Motivation’,’ Maslow's
pyramid’ and the ‘INK/EFQM model’ linked to it. In the practical study, 15 respondents were questioned
based on the core concepts from the JCM model.
The results show that the self-managing teams has its advantages and disadvantages with a
satisfaction score amongst management and employees of 65% and 35% respectively. Lack of
individual appreciation for employees is the main reason for dissatisfaction with 60% of the floor
employees who indicate this. Opportunities for improvement are the provision of internal training and
the promotion of social cohesion.
The significance for X in practice is that absenteeism can be influenced, though in a limited way.. Due to
the nature of the work, ‘challenge and development’ are limited. The most promising improvements are
in the field of IT-training and reducing the ‘perception-distance’ between management and floor
employees.
,Concepts
Job satisfaction: a feeling of fulfilment or enjoyment that a person derives from a professional task
(Zimbardo, 2025)
Based on Yuxin & Farooq (2019), job satisfaction is described by the definition: “an emotional
reflection of employees on the content and usefulness of their work, which is related to the degree to
which job performance is performed” (Dud, 2020).
Sickness absence: sickness refers to health or the absence thereof, while absenteeism means
'negligence'. Two words: illness and absenteeism. One doesn't necessarily have anything to do with
the other (Pink, 2022).
Autonomy: a state of a person in which he or she makes decisions independently, but not necessarily
alone (Benrazavi, 2023).
Skills: the collective whole of interpersonal knowledge and skills with which a person can perform a
task (Pink, 2022).
Task significance: is related to job satisfaction; the content of the task is also assigned to the level of
satisfaction a person experiences (Frost, 2019).
Motivation: what causes a person to behave in a particular way. Initiation, direction, intensity, and
persistence are the most important sub-concepts thereof (Pink, 2022).
, Table of Contents
Abstract..............................................................................................................................................2
Chapter 1 - Introduction.........................................................................................................................8
1.1 Introduction company..................................................................................................................8
1.2 Subject area..................................................................................................................................9
1.3 Problem description...................................................................................................................10
1.4 Key factors..................................................................................................................................11
1.5 Critical incidents.........................................................................................................................11
1.6 Purpose and relevance...............................................................................................................12
1.7 Context.......................................................................................................................................12
1.8 Outline........................................................................................................................................12
1.9 Literary review................................................................................................................................13
1.9.1 Visions on job satisfaction.......................................................................................................13
1.9.2 Factors of job satisfaction....................................................................................................14
1.9.3 Job Related Factors..............................................................................................................16
1.9.4 Pyramid Maslow..................................................................................................................17
1.9.5 INK- / EFQM-model..............................................................................................................19
1.9.6 Comparison & conclusion....................................................................................................21
1.10 Conceptual Model....................................................................................................................22
1.11 Problem Statement and research questions.............................................................................23
Chapter 2 – Method.............................................................................................................................24
2.1 Research design..........................................................................................................................24
2.2 Instrument..................................................................................................................................24
2.3 Population and sample...............................................................................................................25
2.4 Data collection procedure..........................................................................................................26
2.5 Data analysis...............................................................................................................................26
2.6 Ethical issues...............................................................................................................................27
Chapter 3 – Results...............................................................................................................................28
3.1 Sample description.....................................................................................................................28
3.2 Descriptive measures of main study variables............................................................................28
3.3 Explanation coding.....................................................................................................................29
3.4 Analyses research question........................................................................................................29
3.5 Results per core concept JCM-model.........................................................................................30
Chapter 4 – Discussion.........................................................................................................................36
4.1 Interpretation.............................................................................................................................36
This thesis is about the extent to which employees of PRODUCT manufacturer X , X Friesland (hereafter:
'X ') experience job satisfaction and the relationship with increasing absenteeism. The objective is to write
an advisory report with recommendations to reduce this phenomenon.
Literature- and practical research was conducted with the main concepts: ‘influencing absenteeism,
job and psychological characteristics, leadership styles, measuring job satisfaction and factors
creating satisfaction and dissatisfaction’. All research was geared towards the real-life situation at X .
The theoretical framework model was the ‘JCM’ with the ‘Factor Theory of Motivation’,’ Maslow's
pyramid’ and the ‘INK/EFQM model’ linked to it. In the practical study, 15 respondents were questioned
based on the core concepts from the JCM model.
The results show that the self-managing teams has its advantages and disadvantages with a
satisfaction score amongst management and employees of 65% and 35% respectively. Lack of
individual appreciation for employees is the main reason for dissatisfaction with 60% of the floor
employees who indicate this. Opportunities for improvement are the provision of internal training and
the promotion of social cohesion.
The significance for X in practice is that absenteeism can be influenced, though in a limited way.. Due to
the nature of the work, ‘challenge and development’ are limited. The most promising improvements are
in the field of IT-training and reducing the ‘perception-distance’ between management and floor
employees.
,Concepts
Job satisfaction: a feeling of fulfilment or enjoyment that a person derives from a professional task
(Zimbardo, 2025)
Based on Yuxin & Farooq (2019), job satisfaction is described by the definition: “an emotional
reflection of employees on the content and usefulness of their work, which is related to the degree to
which job performance is performed” (Dud, 2020).
Sickness absence: sickness refers to health or the absence thereof, while absenteeism means
'negligence'. Two words: illness and absenteeism. One doesn't necessarily have anything to do with
the other (Pink, 2022).
Autonomy: a state of a person in which he or she makes decisions independently, but not necessarily
alone (Benrazavi, 2023).
Skills: the collective whole of interpersonal knowledge and skills with which a person can perform a
task (Pink, 2022).
Task significance: is related to job satisfaction; the content of the task is also assigned to the level of
satisfaction a person experiences (Frost, 2019).
Motivation: what causes a person to behave in a particular way. Initiation, direction, intensity, and
persistence are the most important sub-concepts thereof (Pink, 2022).
, Table of Contents
Abstract..............................................................................................................................................2
Chapter 1 - Introduction.........................................................................................................................8
1.1 Introduction company..................................................................................................................8
1.2 Subject area..................................................................................................................................9
1.3 Problem description...................................................................................................................10
1.4 Key factors..................................................................................................................................11
1.5 Critical incidents.........................................................................................................................11
1.6 Purpose and relevance...............................................................................................................12
1.7 Context.......................................................................................................................................12
1.8 Outline........................................................................................................................................12
1.9 Literary review................................................................................................................................13
1.9.1 Visions on job satisfaction.......................................................................................................13
1.9.2 Factors of job satisfaction....................................................................................................14
1.9.3 Job Related Factors..............................................................................................................16
1.9.4 Pyramid Maslow..................................................................................................................17
1.9.5 INK- / EFQM-model..............................................................................................................19
1.9.6 Comparison & conclusion....................................................................................................21
1.10 Conceptual Model....................................................................................................................22
1.11 Problem Statement and research questions.............................................................................23
Chapter 2 – Method.............................................................................................................................24
2.1 Research design..........................................................................................................................24
2.2 Instrument..................................................................................................................................24
2.3 Population and sample...............................................................................................................25
2.4 Data collection procedure..........................................................................................................26
2.5 Data analysis...............................................................................................................................26
2.6 Ethical issues...............................................................................................................................27
Chapter 3 – Results...............................................................................................................................28
3.1 Sample description.....................................................................................................................28
3.2 Descriptive measures of main study variables............................................................................28
3.3 Explanation coding.....................................................................................................................29
3.4 Analyses research question........................................................................................................29
3.5 Results per core concept JCM-model.........................................................................................30
Chapter 4 – Discussion.........................................................................................................................36
4.1 Interpretation.............................................................................................................................36
