Scale Analysis

The Overall Job Satisfaction Scale (OJS-18) was developed in 1951 by Brayfield and Rothe. Among global measures of job satisfaction, the OJS-18 appears to be the most popular and comprehensive, and is widely used in the fields of health and education.

Objective

This scale focuses on the emotional aspects of job satisfaction, while largely ignoring the important role of rational cognitive evaluations. It emphasizes the job itself, overlooking the significance of work outcomes in one’s life. Additionally, it does not address working conditions or the desire to make changes in one’s job—two important indicators of job satisfaction.

Item Scoring

The OJS-18 consists of 18 items, rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“strongly disagree”) to 5 (“strongly agree”). The scale emphasizes emotional rather than cognitive evaluations of job satisfaction.

Statistical Analysis

The total score of the OJS-18 is calculated by summing the scores of all 18 items. Each item is scored from 1 to 5, resulting in a total score range from 18 to 90, with the neutral midpoint being 54.

Validity and Reliability

The OJS-18 is a reliable and valid measure. Analyses have shown high internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87. Additionally, for measuring job satisfaction in a Greek sample, 12 items from the OJS-18 were translated and adapted by Kafetsios and Loumakou in 2007, yielding a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.85, indicating good internal consistency.

References

Brayfield, A. H., & Rothe, H. F. (1951). An index of job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 35, 307–311.
Kafetsios, K., & Loumakou, M. (2007). A comparative evaluation of the effects of trait emotional intelligence and emotion regulation on affect at work and job satisfaction. International Journal of Work Organization and Emotion, 2, 71–87.