According to statistics from February 2022, 65% of U.S employees are satisfied with their jobs, but only 20% are passionate about them. Notice that these statistics don’t address how many people are actively employed, it just speaks to the percentage that are. This makes it a little tougher to ascertain the true meaning of this. But let’s take them at face value. To be honest, with everyone’s behavior lately, I am surprised that the statistics are even this positive. I sometimes wonder if the majority of people in the United States even want to work anymore. I am extremely thankful that I have found some that do.
So, why is job satisfaction so important? Doesn’t it only matter that the work gets done? The short answer is no. The completion of work is not the only significant factor. Job satisfaction really matters. Let’s look at why.
Job satisfaction affects workers, which in turn affects the company. When workers are happy with their careers, they become better team players. They tend to align themselves in a sincere way with the company mission and goals. This leads to employees being PR ambassadors, spreading the word about how much they love working there and then generating more word of mouth business for the company.
There is way less job turnover when employees are satisfied. This means less HR headaches and less time and money spent on hiring. On top of that, satisfied workers are more productive and more motivated to complete their tasks. They will work harder and company profit will increase. It’s a win win.
So, let’s take a look at what makes jobs satisfying. 60% of U.S employees feel that their co workers are the biggest factor in their work happiness. This does not necessarily refer to their upper level bosses. These are the people that they work with every day. If they all get along, have each other’s backs, and work as a team,, everything goes better and is more enjoyable. Even if they are not a fan of their boss, as long as they get along with their co workers, things usually function ok. Another 74% of U.S employees believe that company culture is the biggest contributing factor. It makes sense. A healthy and positive work environment makes any day go better. I have to agree with this. Having a good team around me has made work more enjoyable than it has been in years.
What are some of the most satisfying jobs in the workforce? According to U.S News and World Report, PayScale and CareerBliss, this is the list of the most satisfying jobs available:
Chiropractor
Chief Executive
Conservation Scientist
Physician
Nurse
Physical Therapist
Teachers
Clergy
Psychologist
Surgeon
What is so special about these jobs? From my estimation, all of these jobs have some characteristics in common. There is variety. New things happen every day. The job is ever changing. They have an opportunity to advance. They involve helping people. They have higher salaries, which decreases bill pay stress. All of these factors contribute to job satisfaction.
What makes a job less satisfying? Less flexibility, lower pay, lack of benefits, poor work environment, no opportunity for advancement and high turnover rate all lead to less job satisfaction. Jobs that fall into this category include parking lot attendants, fast food cooks, dishwashers, cashiers, waiters, and retail salespeople.
Now, having said all of this, I am sure that a lot of employees don’t fit into these categories. Some cooks love their jobs. Some teachers hate theirs. I am not attempting to generalize. These examples are research-based. I realize that there are always exceptions.
We have discussed all the statistics. Now let’s talk about why I think job satisfaction is important. I think it is important because I literally can’t do my job well without it. I am grateful every day that I love what I do. I know this from the bottom of my heart. I have really been tested lately. Many of us have. Times have been really rough these last three years. I have worked without pay, through cancer, through family mental health issues, through my husband’s heart attack, and through the pandemic. I haven’t worked for reimbursement. I have worked because I love it. I still do. As long as I keep that in mind, and as long as that is still true, I will keep on doing it.
Dr. Katz