The dynamic relationship between job satisfaction and job performance

Conventional wisdom indicates that job satisfaction is related to job performance. Contradictory to this belief, most meta-analytic estimates suggest that true statistical relationship between satisfaction and performance is approximately .14. This study shows that the true relationship between satisfaction and performance is underestimated in previous meta-analyses because of two untested moderator effects.; First, an expanded, multi-dimensional definition of performance is necessary in understanding the relationship between satisfaction and performance. Campbell's (1990) performance behavioral taxonomy and Borman and Motowidlo's (1993) two-factor theory of performance are used to define and measure performance. Correlational analyses show that many dimensions of performance have a stronger relationship with dimensions of satisfaction than overall performance and overall satisfaction. Also, hierarchical multiple regression results show that several performance dimensions (defends organizational objectives, job-specific performance, and communication) account for variance in satisfaction dimensions above and beyond that accounted for by overall performance.; Second, career momentum is presented as a useful construct to describe and explain how the relationships between dimensions of satisfaction and performance may systematically change depending on where a person perceives him/herself to be along a career continuum. Evidence is presented for the validity of three career momentum groups, both characteristic differences and differences among the aspects of work most valued by people in each group. Separate correlational analyses for each group reveal different relationships between satisfaction and performance. For the high momentum group, satisfaction with supervision is related to job-specific performance and performance dimensions that get one promoted. In the medium momentum group, satisfaction with pay is related to job-specific performance. The low momentum group displayed relationships between satisfaction with coworker relationships and extra-role behaviors that may qualify one as a diligent employee. Career momentum is a particularly useful moderator as it promotes understanding the relationship between satisfaction and performance.; Evidence is provided that career momentum integrates haphazard previous research on moderators of the satisfaction-performance relationship, and demonstrates an important organizational lesson: People derive satisfaction from different sources, and manipulating these sources of satisfaction will not bring about uniform performance changes.