Job Satisfaction of Sewing Machine Operators in Sri Lanka: a Case Study

Abstract

Apparel industry is one of the largest foreign exchange earners of Sri Lanka. Sewing Machine Operators (SMOs) can be considered as the key personnel in the apparel industry. One of the major challenges faced by the apparel industry is the retention of skilled SMOs through enhancing their job satisfaction. Therefore, the employers are keen on identifying the level of satisfaction of the SMOs about the job and on taking necessary actions to manage the factors which are associated with job satisfaction. This study focused on the job satisfaction of the SMOs employed in a particular manufacturing division of a reputed apparel company in Sri Lanka. The data were gathered through self-administered questionnaires. In the sample, most of the SMOs are on their first employment. Majority of them represent the age category 20-29. Almost half of them are married and among them nearly 50% of SMOs have children younger than six years. Overall job satisfaction of the SMOs are in a higher state where more than 75% of SMOs indicated satisfied in job satisfaction scale. The food and the number of uniforms provided are the most dissatisfactory aspects. Further, the univariate analysis revealed that SMOs working for more than five years have a higher satisfaction level. The SMOs in the age category 30-34 are highly satisfied and greater than 34 are less satisfied. Married SMOs also display a higher job satisfaction level. Discrete Proportional Hazard model was fitted to model the job satisfaction of SMOs. Place of accommodation, service level, facilitative working environment, effective working relationships and pressure from the family were significant at 5% level. The Deviance test, Pearson chi square test and Parallel lines test concluded the goodness of fit of the model. Odds ratios revealed that the SMOs residing at their own houses are more satisfied than the SMOs residing outside.