Report: Only Half of Americans Like Their Jobs

Reuters via NYTimes.com ^ | 8/21/02

[GeneD]

Filed at 2:57 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans are growing disgruntled with their jobs, getting fed up not only with bonus plans and promotion policies but even with colleagues, according to a report released on Wednesday.

Only about half of the 5,000 households surveyed by the Conference Board, a business-backed research group in New York, said they were happy with their jobs, down from 59 percent in 1995. The drop in job satisfaction came across all ages, incomes and regions of the country.

Worker satisfaction with bonuses, promotion policies, educational training programs and fellow employees all fell since the survey was first conducted seven years ago.

The one aspect of their jobs employees liked was not being there.

``About the only thing workers seem exceptionally pleased about is their commute to work,'' said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's Consumer Research Center.

The survey also found that money seemed to make all the difference in how workers enjoyed their jobs.

Households earning less than $15,000 a year were the least satisfied of all groups, while those earnings more than $50,000 a year were the happiest. But in all income brackets, job satisfaction levels have fallen since 1995.

Middle-age workers, once the sunniest of employees, saw the biggest declines in job satisfaction. A mere 47.4 percent expressed happiness with their jobs, down sharply from 60.9 percent 1995.

Among regions, residents in the Rocky Mountains took the most pleasure from their jobs with a 57 percent satisfaction rate. Workers in New England were the gloomiest, with only 44 percent satisfied.

[cowgirlcutie]

While I do work that I love (transcription), I can see why people are dissatisfied with the workplace. I've worked in a doctor's office where his wife was also employed and she made everyone's life miserable. She paid $10 a month towards her full-time employees' health benefits and thought that that was a good thing! To get a raise out of her was like pulling teeth from a wild boar. I worked at a nephrology clinic where I was supposed to be taking care of medical records, but ended up going on errands to pick up dry cleaning, birthday cakes, etc. The best job I've had is working on my transcription here at home for a local physician.

[El Sordo]

Me too.

I expect that the "Can't get ahead" feeling is there. But only a precious few realize why.

The rest nod their head when someone blames Reagan.

[The_Media_never_lie]

Don't I know you? Aren't you one of my co-workers? We must work at the same place!

[technochick99]

The survey also found that money seemed to make all the difference in how workers enjoyed their jobs.

Well file that under breaking news!