Examining the Role of Person-Environment Fit in Improving Teaching Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being: Person Environment Fit and Subjective Wellbeing

Introduction

Teaching is a noble profession which is not only concerned with transfer of the knowledge to the learners but also mentoring them towards a successful professional and personal life. Unlike other professions teaching involves more emotional involvement and commitment with the job. Thus, teaching is a source of motivation and wellbeing not only for the students but also for the teachers themselves. On one hand, college/university teaching is a profession that offers immense respect in the society, lucrative financial incentives, challenging work environment and on other hand it requires good organizational culture, better supervisor and co-workers support, and congenial work environment. Many previous studies including Ball (2003) found teaching with high pressures for performance, similarly, Helsing (2007) hold that teaching is profession with very demanding and highly unpredictable environment. Teaching is very specialized job and requires very specific aptitude and skills to progress in this profession. Those who like and enjoy teaching as a profession, finds it as a source of life satisfaction. Literature provides ample evidence towards the relationship between teaching satisfaction and satisfaction with life, for instance, Ahammed (2011) finds significantly positive relationship between teaching satisfaction and satisfaction with life among university teachers in UAE.

Once it is established that teaching satisfaction and life satisfaction is inevitable for college/university teachers, it is important to identify the factors that increases teaching satisfaction and life satisfaction among college/university teachers. The current study proposes that, in order to achieve higher level of teaching satisfaction and satisfaction with life, it requires strong organizational support, and a good person-environment fit. In their studies, Edwards (1991) and Kristof (1996) hold that positive individual outcomes are the function of interaction of individuals and their environment fit. The good person-environment fit match is not only crucial for individuals also imperative for organizations. That’s why organizations attract, recruit and retain only those talented employees who invigorate organization to achieve its performance goals. To augment this Pfeiffer (1998) endorse the significance of right people at right job in order to achieve better person-organization fit. Drucker (1989) also emphasized the significance of person-environment fit of employees to take best advantage from their human capital and better organizational performance.

The objectives of this study are manifold, it examines the significance and extent of teaching satisfaction and life satisfaction among college/university faculty. It investigates the influence on person-environment fit on teaching satisfaction. It also analyzes the effect of person-environment fit on life satisfaction. Finally, the relationship between teaching satisfaction and life satisfaction among faculty members is also analyzed. The study contributes in existing body of literature on this subject. Although there is ample evidence on the positive outcomes of person-organization fit on job satisfaction and the related outcomes (Chatman 1989; Vancouver and Schmitt, 1991). However, there is little evidence regarding the role of person-organization on teaching satisfaction and life satisfaction, this paper fills this gap by empirically examining the influence of person-environment fit on teaching satisfaction and life satisfaction.