ABSTRACTTwo hundred and ninety female shop floor workers and sixty‐five female shop floor ex‐workers of a large electrical/electronic engineering company were given a multiple choice questionnaire and unstructured interview.Thirty per cent of the total sample expressed general dissatisfaction with their job.An analysis of their responses indicated the over‐riding importance of the work itself as a determinant of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction.An analysis of reasons for leaving the company indicated that ‘voluntary’ labour turnover resulted mainly from dissatisfaction with the work.No evidence was gained to support Herzberg's principle of duality, although thepractical implicationsfrom the study are very similar to those evident in the motivation/hygie