As many of you know by now, the results of a report released January 5, 2010 by the Conference Board research group showed that in 2009 only 45 percent of Americans were satifsfied with their jobs. This was down 4 percentage points from 2008. The 2009 results were the lowest recorded by the board in 22 years. (Of course, many Americans would kill to have any job, but that’s another story.)
While the Great Recession undoubtedly plays a role when job holders are underemployed, worker dissatisfaction, according to the report, has been on the rise for the past two decades. Among the findings:
- Fewer workers found their jobs interesting
- Incomes have plateaued in the face of inflation
- Rising health care costs have reduced the amount of take home pay job holders retain
Employment researchers and market economists are concerned that this job dissatisfaction will reduce labor productivity and thus erode the nation’s ability to compete in the increasingly competitive global marketplace.
What’s your job satisfaction level? If you are truly dissatisfied, maybe it’s time to sit down and examine your options. Maybe you need a career insurance policy. As always, I look forward to your comments and feedback.