Occupational Inequalities and Job Satisfaction of Employees: A Comparison between Rural and Urban Sector in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Labour has a dual role in the economic process. It is both an input to production and a source of income. The contribution of labour force on the productivity and development of a country depends on several factors, such as Job satisfaction, level of education, attitudes, health services, infrastructure facilities, communication, employee’s aspirations, income and savings etc. Occupation inequality greatly affects the socio-economic status of an individuals while the job satisfaction can make impact on the performance of employees in an organization. Hence, the main objective of this study is to identify the inequalities of employment and factors which influence the job satisfaction of employees in rural and urban sectors in Sri Lanka. This study is mainly based on primary data. Two districts: Colombo and Rathnapura were selected to represent the urban and the rural sector based on the development disparities. Pre tested questionnaire was managed to collect data from the sample units and descriptive statistical techniques were employed for data analysis. The study clearly shows that there are significant disparities of employment within rural and urban sectors. Nearly half of the rural population works as laborers, while majority of urban sector employees engage in professional jobs. Most of the people in the rural sector about 43 percent are engaged in temporary jobs with low salaries while about 12 percent in the urban sector. Moreover, few crucial factors have affected on the job satisfaction, which need serious attention of the planners and policymakers. The study reveals that job satisfaction of employees mostly depends on the job security, attractive salaries, recognition by the society and friendly environment