Task satisfaction: the effect of relative performance information versus outcome feedback
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
ISSN: 1741-0401
Article publication date: 12 August 2020
Issue publication date: 2 November 2021
Abstract
Purpose
In this empirical study, the primary aim is to examine whether the type of feedback provided, relative performance information (RPI) vs outcome, affects individual's task satisfaction in a context without financial incentives. A secondary objective is to explore whether differences in individuals' task satisfaction were associated with their performance level.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants completed a mundane, effort-based task in a 1 × 2 between-subjects experimental design where the type of feedback was manipulated at two levels (RPI vs outcome).
Findings
The results revealed a positive link between providing RPI feedback to individuals and their self-reported task satisfaction compared to individuals provided with outcome feedback. We find that individuals' task satisfaction is not associated with their task performance, supporting our prediction that the level of knowledge of results affects individuals' task satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
The experimental task used in this study was mundane and effort intensive. Consequently, future research may be needed to examine whether the results generalize to more creative, less effort-intensive tasks. This study also utilized student participants as a proxy for employees, which is appropriate for the task, but may not generalize to organizational settings requiring specialized knowledge or task experience.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that organizations may find providing employees with RPI to be a relatively low-cost, non-financial incentive for improving employee task satisfaction, a construct documented to reduce employee turnover and absenteeism.
Originality/value
While prior research focuses on the effects of providing RPI on individuals' performance and effort, this study extends prior research to individuals' task satisfaction, an affective construct, illustrating that RPI is multi-dimensional. Our results also have implications for theory. We extend the feedback proposition of the widely applied Job Characteristics Model (JCM) by illustrating the type of feedback provided to individuals has task satisfaction effects beyond those associated with the mere presence of feedback.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Maia Farkas, K. Doreen MacAulay, and Mark Mellon for their helpful comments. We also thank workshop participants at the 2014 American Accounting Association Diversity Conference, the 2014 American Accounting Association Midwest Regional Meeting, and two anonymous reviewers from the 2015 American Accounting Association Management Accounting Section Conference.
Citation
Marley, R. and Kersting, L. (2021), "Task satisfaction: the effect of relative performance information versus outcome feedback", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 70 No. 8, pp. 2281-2293. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-08-2019-0378
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited