Is It An Interesting Job, And Will I Persist, Perform, And Be More Content? A Quasi-Experimental Investigation

Abstract

The influence of interest on job completion time, ordinary and worthy job performance, and job satisfaction is investigated following the provision of job‐related prior knowledge. This quasiexperimental posttest research compared studies of low‐ and high‐value jobs. In Study 1, participants (n = 75) completed a dressing job (low value). In Study 2, participants (n = 71) completed a computer job (high value). Interest in the low‐value job was found to trigger significant job performance and job satisfaction, but no significant impact was noted on job completion time. However, worthy job performance (in which performance is evaluated by total cost spent to acquire desired output) of the lowvalue job was nonsignificant and inverse to job performance. Interest in the highvalue job was seen to significantly affect job completion time and job satisfaction, but not job performance. In contrast to Study 1, worthy job performance was consistent with job performance and seen as significant. The results are discussed, and further research studies are recommended.