The effects of sociocultural adaptation of Afghan immigrants on job satisfaction: The case of Bursa province

The phenomenon of migration comes to the fore as an important agenda item in modern societies as well as in the historical process. In the past, this phenomenon, which was seen as migration from village to city in a national context, has gained an international dimension today; The negative effects of factors such as war and economy have caused the displacement of millions of people. Afghan migration to Turkey since the beginning of the 2000s is one of them. The economic and political instability in Afghanistan has caused hundreds of thousands of Afghans to come to Turkey. The main motivation behind the arrival of these immigrants is the aim of earning income by finding the opportunity to work in Turkey. This research aims to reveal the effects of Afghan immigrants' socio-cultural adaptation on job satisfaction by focusing on the sociocultural environment and job satisfaction that Afghan immigrants face in Turkey. In addition, the effects of demographic variables on job satisfaction and sociocultural adaptation are also examined. Minnesota job satisfaction and SCARS-R sociocultural adaptation scales were used in the study. The study data were obtained by applying convenience sampling method to Afghan immigrants working in Bursa. According to the research findings, the increase in the socio-cultural adaptation level of Afghan immigrants reduces their job satisfaction. The main reason for the increase in the level of sociocultural adaptation is the cultural closeness of Afghan immigrants with Turkish society and common religious factors. The possible reasons for the increasing socio-cultural adaptation level to negatively affect job satisfaction are poor working conditions, lack of health insurance and future anxiety. The policy recommendations reached as a result of the study can be listed as follows. By benefiting from the results of this study, employers can take remedial steps on issues such as health insurance, income level and vocational education level in order to increase the job satisfaction level of Afghan immigrants. As a matter of fact, it is a known fact that the increase in the job satisfaction levels of the employees affects the job performance positively.