Job satisfaction has hit a near-record high among Americans, and workers are feeling much more at ease about job security, according to a survey by The Conference Board.
The survey, just in time for the Labor Day weekend, gauged the job satisfaction of approximately 2,000 workers throughout the U.S. It revealed that about 54% of U.S. workers are satisfied with their employment, an almost 3% jump from the prior year, which marks a near-record increase in the survey’s 32-year history, the board said.
It also showed the satisfaction level of millennials with regard to their wages has rose 9.8% among those under 35. Those ages 33 to 54 are most satisfied, the report showed.
But despite the upbeat attitude and rosy outlook on employment, survey participants are not optimistic about their current job’s potential for future growth. And more than 60% are dissatisfied with their organization’s recognition practices, performance review process and communication channels.
Respondents surprisingly chose commuting to work (60%) as the job aspect that they are most pleased with. That was tied with the people they work with, followed by interest in work with 59.9%. Coming in fourth was the physical environment with 59.3% and job security rounded out the top five with 59.2%.
The top five aspects that workers ranked as least satisfactory are their employers’ bonus plan, followed by promotion policy, performance review process, educational/job training programs and recognition/acknowledgement.
The Conference Board further analyzed the extent to which each aspect influenced respondents’ job satisfaction. It found that potential for future growth was most important. It also found that employees are not motivated purely by salary. In fact, wages ranked 10th out of 23 drivers of satisfaction. And despite reports about workers experiencing more stressful, sometimes longer commutes, travel to and from work generally plays a minimal role in influencing overall job satisfaction, the research showed.
Moreover, the research revealed that men and women value different aspects of their jobs. The top drivers for both genders are potential for future growth, communication channels, and recognition/acknowledgment.
But women place greater priorities on people at work, workload, communication channels and work/life balance. Men on the other hand, are more satisfied with financial drivers, such as wages, promotion policy and bonus plan.
“Our research reveals that workers place the biggest premium on a job’s potential for future growth, but at the moment 60% of U.S. workers feel dissatisfied with this component,” noted Robin Erickson, PhD, an author of the report and a Principal Researcher at The Conference Board.
“To help change course – and ultimately, retain their employees so they gain an edge in this tight labor market – organizations should make a greater commitment to total talent mobility, a holistic approach to both internal and global mobility.”