U.S. workers are feeling good about their jobs again.
So says the latest research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in its latest Employee Job Satisfaction and Engagement Survey.
SHRM recorded the largest increase in the number of employees satisfied with their jobs since the survey was first conducted in 2002. The survey showed that 86% of U.S. employees reported overall satisfaction with their job in 2014, an improvement of five points over the year before.
At 86%, the percentage of employees happy in their work matches the highest level of satisfaction during the last 10 years, researchers said. Since 2004, job satisfaction peaked at 86% in 2009 and then declined in the aftermath of the recession.
According to the poll, the top contributor to job satisfaction was “respectful treatment of all employees at all levels,” rated as very important by 72% of employees. “Trust between employees and senior management” came in second at 64%.
Benefits were rated as the third most important contributor to job satisfaction, with 63% of employees indicating they were very important. With the exception of 2012, benefits have been among the top five contributors to job satisfaction since the survey began in 2002.
Among the other top contributors to job satisfaction were job security (noted as very important by 59% of respondents), relationship with immediate supervisor (58%), opportunities to uses skills and abilities (58%) and immediate supervisor’s respect for ideas (56%).
The annual survey also measured employee engagement — employees’ connection and commitment to their work and organization. It found that 79% of employees were satisfied with their relationships with co-workers, and 76% were satisfied with the contribution their work made to the employer’s business goals.
Other survey results:
- 92% of employees said they were confident that they could meet their work goals.
- 88% said they were determined to accomplish their work goals.
- 76% said they had a clear understanding of their organization’s vision and mission.
- 74% said they were highly motivated by work goals, which is an increase of 10 points from the year before.
The survey sample included 600 randomly selected individuals who were employed in full- or part-time roles.
