Abstract:
The greatest challenge for Romania’s food industry is to achieve technical and economic
parity with the rest of Europe. Therefore, businesses require productive employees, and labor
productivity depends on employee satisfaction. This study’s primary objective was to investigate
employee satisfaction in the bakery industry in order to enhance economic performance. This topic is
rarely researched, but it is necessary to enhance the economic performance and work processes of
this industry. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used, including
an online questionnaire survey of 254 employees and a focus group meeting with 17 managers
from 60 companies in the Northeast and Southeast regions of Romania. Total pay (5.3 points on a
1–7-point scale), amount of work (4.9 points), and number of working hours (4.8 points) were the top
motivators. The average weighted value for job satisfaction on a scale of 100 points was 27.4 points.
The relationship between labor costs and employee satisfaction was strong. Low levels of satisfaction
are costlier for employers than high levels of satisfaction. The originality of this study lies in its
determination of how strongly employees perceive each aspect of job satisfaction and its correlation
to the economic performance of companies.
