The Effects of Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction on Job Performance in the Restaurant Industry

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of job characteristics and job satisfaction on job performance in the restaurant industry. The job characteristics comprised of the following five dimensions: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and job feedback. The sample consisted of 300 chefs from full service restaurants in 5, 4, and 3- star rating hotels in Bangkok. Questionnaire with 5-level rating scales and the in-depth interviews were employed as the research instrument. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used and data were statistically analyzed by means of confirmation factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The structural equation model showed good consistence with the empirical data by the indications of (CMIN/DF = 1.101, GFI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.018, CFI = 0.997, TLI = 0.995, RMR = 0.019). The results indicated that job autonomy was positively related to job performance while task identity and job feedback were positively related to job satisfaction, and job satisfaction was positively related to job performance. Task identity and job feedback were positively related to job performance through job satisfaction. The findings of qualitative method were as follows. 1) Autonomy in kitchen job allowed chefs to initiate more control on their working process and feel more responsible to their working outcomes. This would lead to more motivation and better job performance. 2) When chefs were able to perform their job from the beginning to the end and were able to get the job feedback, they would feel proud on themselves due to the competent to perform on such performance with more confidence and success. This would lead to job satisfaction. 3) Being able to receive job feedback would partially help chefs to develop themselves at work. This would be the basis for staff to feel better and lead to more job satisfaction. 4) Job satisfaction was an essential part that would lead to a better job performance because when chefs were delighted and had a preference on their job, they would be more attentive to their work with more determination that would result in better job outcome.