Review of Air Force Job Satisfaction Research

A comprehensive plan for job satisfaction research has been developed as an outgrowth of the USAF Occupational Survey Program. The long-range goal of the plan is retention of qualified military personnel. This document reviews the basic steps of the plan and discusses projects and findings to date. Discussion centers on the following: (1) an extensive review of the job satisfaction/work motivation theories developed through Air Force research; (2) an experimental Occupational Attitude Inventory which is being analyzed; (3) task-level performance data and job attitudes on two dimensions of satisfaction which have been collected and combined with data from the personnel files to form an extensive single file for job satisfaction research; (4) individual studies of specific factors which affect job attitudes, as well as studies which determine relationships between specific job content and job attitudes; and (5) relationships between individual job attitudes and career decisions, and the need to identify those attitudes most related to reenlistment actions. (Author/PC)