Employee Job Satisfaction and Performance in Association With Workplace Responses to the 9/11 Attacks on New York City's World Trade Center

Abstract

Objective: 

Research is needed on disaster-affected workplaces, particularly on employee job satisfaction and performance, to inform workplace responses promoting employee postdisaster adjustment and wellbeing.

Methods: 

Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a volunteer sample of 255 employees of eight workplaces affected by the 9/11 attacks on New York City's World Trade Center nearly 3 years post disaster.

Results: 

The effects of 9/11 on both job satisfaction and job performance were more negative than positive, especially for the Ground Zero employees. Effects on job satisfaction and job performance were generally congruent. Workplace responses focused on individual needs were perceived as positive and those focused on workplace needs as negative.

Conclusions: 

Workplace responses focused on business improvement intended to improve workplace performance may not have the desired effect and may reduce employee job satisfaction and performance.

In Brief

Research is needed on disaster-affected workplaces, particularly on employee job satisfaction and performance, to inform workplace responses promoting employee postdisaster adjustment and wellbeing. Workplace responses focused on business improvement intended to improve workplace performance may not have the desired effect and may reduce employee job satisfaction and performance.