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PART 2: Foundations of Individual Behaviour
Ability, values, attitudes, beliefs and job satisfaction
Two people join the same company on the same day. One becomes a star performer; the other quits in a year. Same job, same boss, different outcome. The reason lies inside the individual: what they can do (ability), what they believe is important (values), how they feel about things (attitudes), what they hold to be true (beliefs) and how happy they are with their work (job satisfaction). These are the building blocks of individual behaviour.
2.1 Ability
Ability is an individual’s capacity to perform the various tasks in a job. It is made up of two sets of factors, and a person’s overall ability is the sum of both.
A. Intellectual abilities
These are the abilities needed to perform mental activities: thinking, reasoning and problem-solving. Robbins lists seven major dimensions:
| Dimension | Meaning | Job example |
| Number aptitude | Speed and accuracy in arithmetic. | Accountant, bank cashier. |
| Verbal comprehension | Understanding what is read or heard and how words relate. | Manager, teacher, content writer. |
| Perceptual speed | Identifying visual similarities and differences quickly. | Fire investigator, quality inspector. |
| Inductive reasoning | Identifying a logical sequence in a problem and solving it. | Market researcher spotting a trend. |
| Deductive reasoning | Using logic and judging the implications of an argument. | Supervisor choosing between two suppliers. |
| Spatial visualisation | Imagining how an object would look if its position changed. | Interior designer, mechanical engineer. |
| Memory | Retaining and recalling past experiences. | Salesperson remembering customer details. |
B. Physical abilities
These are the capacities needed for tasks demanding stamina, strength, dexterity and similar skills. They matter more in jobs such as construction, delivery, manufacturing and sports. Examples include dynamic strength, flexibility, body coordination, balance and stamina.
Ability–job fit
Performance is highest when a person’s abilities match the demands of the job. If the ability is too low, the person fails. If it is too high, the person gets bored and leaves. That is why smart hiring focuses on fit, not just on selecting the “most qualified” candidate.
Real-world spotlight
A delivery rider needs balance, stamina and spatial awareness, and a software tester needs deductive reasoning and attention to detail. Putting a brilliant analyst into a job that needs only routine data entry is a waste for the company, and frustrating for the analyst.
Ability vs skill: ability is the natural or developed capacity; skill is the learned, practised competence in a specific task. Training builds skills, but it works best when the basic ability is already there.
2.2 Values
Values are basic convictions that a specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to its opposite (Milton Rokeach). In simple words, values are your inner guidelines about what is right, important and worth striving for, like honesty, family, freedom, success or respect for elders.
Characteristics of values
- They are relatively stable and long-lasting.
- They contain a judgement about what is right or good.
- They are ranked by importance (your value system).
- They form the base for attitudes and behaviour.
Types of values: Rokeach Value Survey
| Type | Meaning | Examples |
| Terminal values | Desirable end-states, the goals we want to achieve in life. | A comfortable life, family security, freedom, wisdom, equality, self-respect. |
| Instrumental values | Preferred modes of behaviour, the means to reach the goals. | Honesty, ambition, responsibility, capability, politeness, self-control. |
Gordon Allport classified people by six dominant value orientations: theoretical (truth and knowledge), economic (usefulness, money), aesthetic (beauty and harmony), social (love and service to people), political (power and influence) and religious (unity and spiritual meaning).
Why values matter in organisations
- They influence how we perceive situations and make decisions.
- They shape attitudes and motivation.
- Person–organisation fit: people are more satisfied when their values match those of the company.
- Value conflict (for example, a worker who values honesty being told to mislead customers) causes stress and exits.
Values across generations and cultures
Different generations often rank values differently. For example, older employees may value job security and loyalty, while many younger employees emphasise growth, flexibility and purpose. Culture matters too. Geert Hofstede compared national cultures on dimensions such as power distance, individualism vs collectivism, masculinity vs femininity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. India is generally described as high in power distance and relatively collectivist, which affects how people treat bosses, family and teamwork. (These are tendencies, not rules for every individual.)
Real-world spotlight
Companies like the Tata Group have long talked about ethics and trusteeship as core values. A job candidate who strongly values integrity will usually feel at home in such a culture, and may struggle in a company that values only quick profit.
2.3 Beliefs
A belief is something a person holds to be true, whether or not it has been proved. Beliefs come from experience, upbringing, culture, religion and education. Examples: “hard work always pays off”, “customers are always right”, “seniors should not be questioned”.
| Beliefs | Values | Attitudes |
| What I think is true. | What I think is important and right. | How I evaluate (like or dislike) a person, thing or event. |
| Based on information or experience. | Deep and long-lasting. | Can change more easily. |
| “Training improves performance.” | “Learning is important.” | “I like attending training.” |
Beliefs form the cognitive base of attitudes. Change the belief, and the attitude may change.
2.4 Attitudes
Attitudes are evaluative statements, favourable or unfavourable, about objects, people or events. They reflect how we feel about something. When you say “I like my job”, you are expressing an attitude.
Three components of an attitude (ABC)
| Component | Meaning | Example (about a job) |
| Cognitive (belief) | The opinion or belief part. | “My salary is unfair.” |
| Affective (feeling) | The emotional part. | “I am angry and upset about my pay.” |
| Behavioural (intention) | The intention to act. | “I am going to start looking for another job.” |
Cognitive dissonance
Leon Festinger (1957) proposed that people dislike inconsistency between their attitudes and their behaviour, and feel uncomfortable (dissonance) when it happens. They try to reduce the discomfort by changing the attitude, changing the behaviour or rationalising. Example: an employee who believes in honesty but pads an expense report may tell themselves “everyone does it”.
Does attitude predict behaviour?
Often, but not always. The link is stronger when the attitude is specific, strongly held, based on direct experience and when social pressure is low. Someone who says they like their company may still leave if another firm offers a big jump in pay.
Major job attitudes
| Job attitude | Meaning |
| Job satisfaction | Positive feeling about the job from evaluating its characteristics. |
| Job involvement | The degree to which a person identifies with the job and considers performance important to self-worth. |
| Psychological empowerment | Belief that one has influence over the work, with autonomy and meaning. |
| Organisational commitment | Identification with the organisation and wish to stay. Meyer and Allen: affective (I want to stay), continuance (I need to stay) and normative (I ought to stay). |
| Perceived organisational support | Belief that the organisation values contributions and cares about well-being. |
| Employee engagement | Involvement, enthusiasm and energy for the work. |
How can attitudes be changed?
- Provide new information that changes beliefs.
- Create positive experiences (for example, a good induction).
- Use persuasive and credible communication.
- Involve people in decisions, because participation reduces resistance.
- Use role models and peer influence.
2.5 Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a positive feeling about one’s job that results from an evaluation of its characteristics. A person with high satisfaction holds positive attitudes about the job; a person with low satisfaction holds negative ones.
Factors that determine job satisfaction
| Factor | Explanation |
| The work itself | Interesting, varied tasks with some autonomy and learning give satisfaction. Boring, repetitive work reduces it. |
| Pay and benefits | Fair pay matters more as a sign of fairness and recognition than just as money. |
| Promotion opportunities | Visible, fair chances to grow. |
| Supervision | Supportive, respectful, competent bosses. |
| Co-workers | Friendly, cooperative colleagues. |
| Working conditions | Safe, clean, comfortable workplace and reasonable hours. |
| Personality and fit | Positive, confident people tend to be more satisfied; fit between person and job matters. |
Measuring job satisfaction
Two common approaches: a single global rating (“Overall, how satisfied are you?”) and a summation score that adds up satisfaction with different facets such as work, pay, promotion, supervision and co-workers. Well-known tools are the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ).
Effects of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction
- Performance: a modest positive link; satisfied employees are somewhat more productive.
- OCB: satisfied employees help more, especially when they feel treated fairly.
- Customer satisfaction: happy frontline staff usually serve customers better.
- Absenteeism and turnover: dissatisfaction increases both.
- Workplace deviance: theft, slacking, bullying and withdrawal are more common among the dissatisfied.
Responses to dissatisfaction: EVLN model
Employees show dissatisfaction in four ways, along two lines: active or passive, constructive or destructive.
| Response | What the employee does | Active / Passive | Constructive / Destructive |
| Exit | Quits or transfers. | Active | Destructive |
| Voice | Suggests improvements, discusses problems with the boss. | Active | Constructive |
| Loyalty | Waits patiently, trusts that things will improve. | Passive | Constructive |
| Neglect | Allows conditions to worsen, reduces effort, comes late. | Passive | Destructive |
Real-world spotlight
A bank employee is unhappy because promotion decisions seem unfair. One colleague talks to HR (voice). One waits silently hoping things improve (loyalty). One starts coming late and doing the minimum (neglect). One joins another bank (exit). The same cause produces four different behaviours, and only voice gives the organisation a chance to fix the problem.
Satisfaction is not the same as motivation
Satisfaction is an attitude (how you feel about the job). Motivation is a drive (how hard and how long you try). A person can be satisfied but not very motivated, or motivated but not yet satisfied.
