Job satisfaction and its determinants - a comparative study of the valuation profession in Austria and Poland

Job satisfaction can be viewed as a general feeling about work or as a set of attitudes relating to different aspects of work. The nature of the job provides one of the traditional explanations for differences in job satisfaction. It is expressed by job characteristics according to Hackman and Oldham, that is, the degree of variety, autonomy, task identity, task importance, and feedback. It is expected that higher levels of each of these characteristics will positively translate into intrinsic job motivation, job satisfaction, and job engagement. In addition to the importance of job characteristics, past research clearly indicates that attitudes toward work depend on cultural context, and levels of job satisfaction vary across countries and nationalities. Our research focuses on the job satisfaction experienced by valuers in Poland and Austria. Based on surveys and in-depth interviews with valuers from the two countries we identify differences in job satisfaction and the reasons behind them. Factors explored include general attitude to the profession, client relationships and pressure exerted on the valuer, the reputation of the valuation profession in society and the ability to balance professional and private duties. Our survey is the first to address the issue of job satisfaction among real estate valuation professionals.