Personal and Organizational Determinants of Job Satisfaction for Workers With Disabilities

Abstract

Although persons with disabilities are underrepresented in the workforce, a substantial portion of adults with disabilities does work. Job satisfaction, an important predictor of productivity, job tenure, and absenteeism, may be influenced by a unique set of personal and organizational factors for persons with disabilities. Using data from the 2015 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey (KFNEDS), we examine personal and organizational predictors of job satisfaction for American workers with disabilities. Findings from the study suggest that educational attainment, perceived pay disparities, and supervisor attitudes are associated with job satisfaction for workers with disabilities. Coworker attitudes were not associated with job satisfaction for this population.

Assessment of Occupational Health and Job Satisfaction in Workers with Intellectual Disability: A Job Demands–Resources Perspective

“…Consequently, people with ID are underrepresented in the labor force [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Nevertheless, an increasing number of adults with ID are entering employment and engaging in productive activity [ 18 , 19 ], either within normalized, community-integrated enterprises or in sheltered employment [ 20 , 21 ].…”

“…Satisfaction also seems to depend on personal factors, as well as on characteristics and conditions in which the work is done but, above all, on the appraisal of the workers themselves of these factors, in particular the nature of the tasks, working conditions, physical and psychological demands, social relations, and perceived support from colleagues and supervisors. Likewise, features such as the perception of autonomy, self-determination, decision-making, independence, and motivation have been found to be related to job satisfaction in the scarce research carried out in this field [ 19 , 39 , 40 , 51 , 52 , 53 ]. Those features, when perceived negatively, can become stress-inducing risk factors and jeopardize worker health and organizational outcomes.…”

“…Social support from coworkers or supervisors, obtaining feedback on performance, and having autonomy are examples of resources. Numerous investigations with ID workers have identified job demands and resources associated with their well-being and job satisfaction [ 19 , 39 , 40 , 44 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ].…”

“…In relation to employment, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [11] recognizes "the right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labor market and work environment that is open, inclusive, and accessible to persons with disabilities" (p. 19). The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is based on the commitment to leave no one behind.…”

Fostering Well-Being Among Public Employees With Disabilities: The Roles of Disability-Inclusive Human Resource Practices, Job Resources, and Public Service Motivation

“…Many individuals with disabilities, with the aspiration to serve the community and help other people with disabilities, choose to work in the nonprofit or public sector (Riccucci, 2018). Although well-being serves as a vital predictor for work performance among employees with disabilities (Cavanagh et al, 2017; Sundar & Brucker, 2019; Westoby & Shevellar, 2019), one of the salient organizational levers for their well-being is human resource (HR) practices (Bartram et al, 2019; Baumgärtner et al, 2015; Luu, 2018b). Research has remained rather quiet about the nexuses between HR practices and well-being among employees with disabilities in general (Bartram et al, 2019) and in the public sector in particular.…”