Implications on Performance and Satisfaction

Roles, norms and status have a significant impact on groups behaviour. Let us review the influence of each.

1. Roles
   When a person plays out his/ her role as it is supposed to be played, it improves the ability of others to predict the behaviour of the role incumbent. We can predict an individual’s behaviour in new encounters by superimposing the role requirements of the situation upon him / her. Knowledge of an incumbent’s role perception and other’s expectations can also be beneficial in predicting role conflict and possibly explaining the behaviour of the individual experiencing the conflict
2. Norms
   Norms control group member behaviour by establishing standards of right or wrong. If we know the norms of a given group, it can help us to explain the attitudes and behaviour of its members. Where norms support high output, we can expect individual performance to be markedly higher than where group norms aim to restrict output. Similarly, acceptable standards of absence will be dictated by the group norms. Given the inverse correlation between satisfaction and turnover, it would also be reasonable to assume that if the group’s norms reinforce complaining and consistent outward demonstration of job dissatisfaction, the propensity for members to terminate employment may be greater. On the other hand, members may enjoy this batching and it may not affect turnover rates. For example, It is not unusual for union members to play the role of “abused and exploited worker”. The group may establish such stereotype as part of the norm. In such cases, it may have no real influence on satisfaction or quitting rates.
3. Status
   Inequities create frustrations and can adversely influence productivity, satisfaction and willingness to remain with an organization. There appears to be a strong correlation between the prestige of an occupation and member’s satisfaction with their job. The prestige of an occupation depends on the amount of skill the job calls for, the degree of specialized education and training it requires, the level responding and autonomy involved in work performance and the income, which it brings. All these factors have direct relationship to satisfaction and at the same time are linked to status. The higher the status of occupation, the more satisfied are persons who engage in it. In North America, professionals have the highest occupational prestige and they also have the highest level of work satisfaction. In contrast, significantly lower scores were made by skilled tradesmen and blue-collar workers.