Enjoying Your Work
Richard Brislin
Comparing alternatives
involves looking
at those similarAs roommates at Oregon State University, Mike Wilson and Brad Kim frequently talked about their futures. Both had studied business administration and had on-the-job experience through the university's internship program. Both were about to graduate and began talking about job interviews. Originally from Portland, Ore., Mike had already participated in a number of interviews. Brad, originally from Honolulu, wanted to return home and planned most of his interviews after graduation. Brad knew about the job market through e-mail correspondence with old friends and from the Sunday newspaper his parents sent him each week.
Comparing notes, Mike found that he was interviewing for jobs that paid as much as $10,000 a year more than jobs in Hawaii. Mike also remembered Brad's stories about coping with the cost of living in Hawaii. One day, Mike asked Brad, "How do you feel about the salary structure for jobs in Hawaii? If it bothers you, why don't you interview for some jobs here in Oregon or Washington?" Brad replied that he wanted to live in Hawaii because he valued many aspects of the culture and lifestyle: The climate, closeness to family, the soft interpersonal style among people and year-round outdoor sports. He added, "I've long known about the salary structure for jobs in Hawaii, and people who want to live in Hawaii learn to live with it."
Mike and Brad have encountered different comparison level of alternatives. This term refers to decisions based on comparisons among various possibilities. The possibilities or alternatives, however, differ among various people. Rather than compare themselves with a set and unchanging standard, people make decisions based on comparisons with others who are in similar circumstances. For Mike, his comparison level will be the salaries received by Oregon State graduates who are seeking jobs in the Pacific Northwest. For Brad, his comparison level will be the salaries received by graduates from various universities who are seeking employment in Hawaii. If Brad receives similar compensation as others who are accepting jobs in Hawaii, he will be satisfied.
Even though they don't use the term, people make decisions based on comparisons various between themselves and others who have similar ambitions and qualifications. People are very adept at assessing their qualifications and skills, researching the job market in cities where they want to live, and seeking matches between their skills and current job offerings. If their outcomes compare favorably to others with similar qualifications seeking jobs in the same city, they are satisfied. When they read about recent college graduates accepting salaries of $90,000 and above in New York City or Washington, D.C., they do not become disappointed or resentful. Given that they want to live in a certain place with a certain lifestyle, jobs in these big cities are not part of their comparison level of alternatives.
The purpose of this column is to increase understanding of
human behavior as it has an impact on the workplace. Given the amount
of time people spend at work, job satisfaction should ideally be high and
it should contribute to general life happiness. Enjoyment can increase as
people learn more about workplace psychology, communication, and group influences.
Richard Brislin is a professor in the College of Business Administration,
University of Hawaii. He can be reached through the
College Relations Office: cro@cba.hawaii.edu