Conference Board survey says you're not alone
By Annette Richmond
If you're unhappy in your current position you're not alone. Job satisfaction in the U.S. has hit a record low, according to a recent Executive Action Report from The Conference Board, a New York City-based non-profit which creates and disseminates knowledge about management and the marketplace.
While discontent was spread across all age brackets, incomes and regions, The Conference Board noted the biggest decline in overall job satisfaction in respondents aged 35 to 44 (from 60.9 percent in 1995 to 47.2 percent in June 2003). The lowest job satisfaction was reported among workers aged 45 to 54 with only 46 percent indicating that they were happy with their jobs. While 54 percent of participants 65 and over said they were satisfied.
Why are employees unhappy? While this may surprise those of you who live with over congested highways, it's not the commute. Fifty-seven percent of survey respondents rated their commute favorably. Company promotion policies and bonus plans received the lowest ratings coming in at 20 percent and 20.1 percent respectively. Education and training also received poor marks with only 29.3 percent of participants indicating that they were happy with those aspects of their jobs.
Regionally, The Conference Board's Job Satisfaction survey found marked differences. Respondents in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) and the West South Central area (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas) were most dissatisfied. Participants in the West North Central states (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) were most satisfied.
The Conference Board's survey supports career-intelligence.com's Jobs & Economy poll. Despite elevated unemployment statistics and a weak economy, 83 percent of respondents said they were considering a job change. With 61 percent stating they would definitely seek a new position when the economy improves. These are the detailed results:
Jobs & Economy: Will you be looking for a new position when the economy improves?
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