Theory of Work Adjustment

Further to the post on the Theory of Work Adjustment (here; Dawis et al., 1964) - or TWA - I was thinking that there is a bit more that we could explore. Although an old theory, TWA relates the client to their workplace, giving "a structure for assessing people and their environments, for evaluating the nature of the relationship between people and their environments and for studying the adjustment process" (Hesketh, 1995, p. 275). Each party has requirements to be filled, the client has needs needing satisfaction, and the employer - workplace - too has requirements. When satisfaction and satisfactoriness are both present, there is ‘correspondence’. When one or both parties become dissatisfied with the outcomes, 'discorrespondence', adjustment becomes necessary (Psychology, 2016).

It all sounds so simple, and yet there is a fine balance between satisfaction and satisfactoriness which plays out in TWA (Dawis et al., 1964; Inkson et al., 2015). With satisfaction being the employees’ part; satisfactoriness related to the employer. Both partners are able to make adjustments to keep all parties happy. 

This theory is reminiscent of those old-school ledger books once used for double entry bookkeeping. An entry is required on both sides of the ledger in order to balance. When satisfaction and satisfactoriness have good levels of alignment this will generally dictate the amount of time an employee stays in the job. If the right degree of satisfactoriness can’t be remedied - “when satisfaction and/or satisfactoriness are insufficient, there is discorrespondence” (Inkson et al., 2015, p. 146) - an employee may be fired, and if the satisfaction has diminished it’s time for the employee to decide “Should I Stay or Should I Go” (The Clash, 1982).

In today's environment, the management teams in our organisations need to be proactive in meeting staff 'satisfactoriness' needs. The Theory of Work Adjustment is still driving change in our working world, all these years on (Dawis et al., 1964). 

Sam

References:

Dawis, R. V., England, G. W., & Lofquist, L. H. (1964). A Theory of Work Adjustment. Minnesota Studies in Vocational Rehabilitation, 15, 1-33. https://ia600208.us.archive.org/17/items/ERIC_ED018590/ERIC_ED018590.pdf

Hesketh, B. (1995). Personality adjustment styles: A theory of work adjustment approach to career enhancing strategies. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 46(3), 274-282. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1995.1020

Inkson, K., Dries, N., & Arnold, J. (2015). Understanding Careers (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.

Psychology. (2016). Theory of Work Adjustment. https://psychology.iresearchnet.com/industrial-organizational-psychology/work-motivation/theory-of-work-adjustment/

The Clash. (1982). Should I Stay or Should I Go [Song recorded by The Clash]. On Combat Rock [LP]. US; Epic Records.