Job Descriptive Index (JDI)
HR & WorkReliability: alphas 0.84–0.92 across 5 facets3 sample items
About this scale
A 72-item measure of job satisfaction with five facets: work itself, pay, promotion opportunities, supervision, and coworkers. Foundational job-satisfaction instrument.
Sample item(s)
“[Work itself] Fascinating / Routine / Satisfying”
“[Pay] Income adequate for normal expenses”
“[Coworkers] Stimulating / Boring / Helpful”
Reliability
Reported internal consistency: alphas 0.84–0.92 across 5 facets. As a rule of thumb, Cronbach’s α ≥ .70 is considered acceptable, ≥ .80 good, and ≥ .90 excellent for established measures.
Notes
Adjective checklist format; foundational in industrial psychology.
Source & citation
Smith, P. C., Kendall, L. M., & Hulin, C. L. (1969): The measurement of satisfaction in work and retirement. Rand McNally.
Source. Scale details are summarised from the publication cited above. Always consult the original source for the full item set, scoring, and permission to use.
Use it in your research
Need to check the reliability or psychometrics of this scale in your own data? Use the free DrAIStudio research tools:
Cronbach’s alpha calculator
All statistical calculators
Search the full Scale Atlas
Academic writing humanizer