Do Employees Really Love Their Jobs?

The Society for Human Resource Management released the results of its annual employee job satisfaction survey, and it appears that workers are the happiest they've been since 2005. As many as 88 percent of workers responded that they were "somewhat satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their current job. The survey asked 517 people about what they want out of a job and their priorities.

SHRM cites the recovered economy as one major factor of such a high job satisfaction score. Meanwhile, workers' priorities remain the same across all generations in the workplace, from the oldest baby boomers down to the youngest millennials.

Behind the Numbers

Of the 88 percent of people who found job satisfaction in 2015, 37 percent were "very satisfied" and 51 percent were "somewhat satisfied" with their current job situation. The 88-percent mark is an improvement from the 77 percent who found satisfaction with jobs in 2005. The rating rose steadily until 2010 after the economic downturn occurred, but then the number rose to meteoric heights starting in 2013.

Respectful treatment of employees ranked as the number one issue affecting worker happiness. Up to 67 percent of workers cited this issue as the top reason for happiness at the office. Employees want to feel connected to their workplaces while receiving feedback and praise for their work. Feelings of appreciation among all workers, regardless of age, creates bonds of trust among employees. This leads to better productivity and better perceptions of the office.

Intergenerational Agreement

The second reason for the high happiness level, marked by 63 percent of respondents, was compensation. Benefits, growth opportunities, job security, and trust between management and team members also ranked highly in terms of aspects that increase job satisfaction. Perhaps the most interesting part of the survey is that all three generations who work together cited the same reasons for happiness at work.

Workers' priorities remained the same from baby boomers to generation Y and millennials. All three groups value respect and compensation.

How Companies Can Maintain Happiness

Millennials are driving a lot of how a company's culture affects overall happiness, according to SHRM's report. Millennials value constant feedback from management, the free exchange of ideas and sharing beliefs with upper management. Employees with families want more time off to care for younger children.

Companies can foster job satisfaction with a few strategies. Businesses can give younger employees new tasks to focus on to keep them engaged in their daily work. Informal, regular feedback provided between quarterly, semi-annual or annual reviews leads to better communication, more overall trust and worker loyalty. Millennials want to know if they are doing their jobs right as they start out their careers so they can look forward to advancement later in life.

Job satisfaction is at a high point among workers, and this trend can continue to rise if companies understand the best ways to handle their employees. From a business standout, it pays for companies to treat their employees right, as happy workers offer better productivity.

Photo courtesy of Eliana Valera at Flickr.com