Job satisfaction, or being happy with one’s employment, is an important factor in overall life satisfaction. This, however, is not easy to obtain because there are numerous conditions that must be met first before one can achieve it. For one thing, all components are not just up to the individual. The workplace environment, especially the immediate superior and colleagues, play a crucial role, too. One study, for example, reveals that the boss and the coworkers are more important for job satisfaction. On top of that, workers can only be fully satisfied if their salary matches their expectations and their workload.
Once workers achieve a level of job satisfaction, they are more likely to stay with their current company. This is why employers have to realize the importance of employee engagement and not just rely on technology like HR software to keep the best talents. The following job satisfaction statistics may offer insights.
Job Satisfaction Statistics 2021
General Job Satisfaction Statistics
As mentioned above, compensation plays a big role in job satisfaction. Indeed, one survey revealed that it is one of the major reasons for employee unhappiness. This factor has affected overall job satisfaction ratings, as the next job satisfaction statistics 2021 will show.
- Globally, having a meaningful job or employment is the greatest source of happiness from 43% of respondents in a worldwide happiness survey. (Ipsos, 2020)
- The Global Employee Engagement Index showed that the mean job satisfaction worldwide was 7.1. (Effectory International, 2021)
- One survey revealed that 74% of respondents claimed that they are satisfied with their jobs. This is a 0.6% decrease from the previous year. (World Economic Forum, 2020)
- In the US, the job participation rate is 61.4% as of February 2021. (Investopedia, 2021)
- There were 13.6 million unemployed workers in the US in August 2020. This figure is largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Investopedia, 2021)
- Globally, Qatar leads the top 10 among the countries with the highest labor force participation rate at 88.01%. (World Bank, 2020)
- Rwanda is at the bottom rung of the top 10 with an 84.13% labor force participation rate. (World Bank, 2020)
- Commute to work is a great factor in job satisfaction for 60% of US workers. (PR Newswire, 2019)
- 53% of Millennials versus 36% of Gen Zers in Russia expect to leave their current workplace within two years. (Deloitte, 2020)
- On the other hand, 14% of Millennials and 32% of Gen Zers expect to stay with their current jobs beyond five years. (Deloitte, 2020)
- A survey by the European Commission found that more than 3/4 of respondents are satisfied with their present job situation. (European Commission, 2019)
Job Satisfaction Statistics by Profession
Some jobs have higher satisfaction than others. For example, one of the happiest jobs in the United States is that of a systems analyst. On the other hand, among the unhappiest jobs in the country is that of a security guard. And as the job satisfaction statistics by profession will reveal, being in the field of science and research can only make one dissatisfied.
Research, Academia, Science, & Medicine
- Nearly 3/4 of Russians who are in education or do scientific work or research said that their work brings them joy. (Kelly Services, 2020)
- 30% of physicians in Germany get satisfaction from gratitude from patients and the relationships they cultivate. (Medscape, 2019)
- In France, 62% of physicians find their work satisfying because they are very good at what they do. (Medscape, 2019)
- Interestingly, only 22%, 21%, and 20% of US, UK, and Mexico physicians get satisfaction from their work because they feel they are making the world a better place. (Medscape, 2019)
- 27% of rheumatologists in the US find satisfaction in what they do or in finding answers and diagnoses. (Medscape, 2020)
- Meanwhile, the majority of pediatricians (38%) said they find the gratitude of their patients as the most rewarding part of their work. (Medscape, 2020)
- Similarly, the majority of physicians in the US said the most rewarding part of their work is the gratitude of their patients. (Medscape, 2020)
- 26% of US dermatologists find satisfaction in being good at what they do. (Medscape, 2020)
- Over a quarter of young healthcare professionals believe that the portability of healthcare data between hospitals or practices would give them workplace satisfaction. (Philips, 2020)
- An overwhelming 56% of young healthcare workers would like the integration of artificial intelligence in their work. For them, this would improve their workplace satisfaction. (Philips, 2020)
- 64% of French doctors were rather satisfied with their current professional situation in 2019. (IFOP, 2019)
- The vast majority of Russian workers in science and education (81%) are either completely dissatisfied or rather dissatisfied with the state of their current salary. (Sostav, 2020)
- Teaching assistant is the happiest job in the US with a BlissScore of 3.658. (CareerBliss, 2021)
Technology
- 65% of developers worldwide said they are either very satisfied or slightly satisfied with their job. (Stack Overflow, 2020)
- 70.2% of developers worldwide consider languages, frameworks, and other technologies they would be using for work as the most important job factor. (Stack Overflow, 2020)
- Over half of the developers in the survey said that company culture is what they value most. (Stack Overflow, 2020)
- 76% of Polish IT workers said that their job brings them joy. (Devire, 2019)
Other White Collar Professions
- Only 68% of Russians whose professions have them overseeing teamwork are satisfied. (Kelly Services, 2020)
- 34% of legal services professionals are satisfied with their jobs because they are good at it. (Martindale, 2020)
- 54% of pilots intend to change jobs in the next 12 months. (FlightGlobal, 2021)
- 69% of Russians in civil service and non-profit work are either completely dissatisfied or rather dissatisfied with their current salaries. (Sostav, 2020)
- 37% of Russian professionals in purchasing are either rather satisfied or completely satisfied with their current level of earnings. (Sostav, 2020)
- The unhappiest job in the US is that of an accountant, with a BlissScore of 1.788. (CareerBliss, 2021)
Blue Collar
Blue-collar jobs are some of the unhappiest professions in the world. However, as the figures below show, a few jobs may be more unsatisfactory in some places than others. For example, truck drivers in India are largely dissatisfied with their jobs. Similarly, 71% of transport and logistics workers in Poland are unhappy with their work. Employers can change this perception. For one, they can deploy fleet management software, which can help truck drivers perform their jobs better.
- A stunning 98.3% of truck drivers in Mumbai, India are dissatisfied with their jobs. (SaveLIFE Foundation, 2020)
- Meanwhile, in Chennai, 57.5% of truck drivers are satisfied with their livelihood. (SaveLIFE Foundation, 2020)
- An overwhelming 70.8% of truck drivers in India said the reason for their dissatisfaction is low or irregular income. (SaveLIFE Foundation, 2020)
- 47% of workers in Russia who do physical work said that their job brings them joy. (Kelly Services, 2020)
- 44.6% of Uber drivers in the US either strongly agree or somewhat agree that they are satisfied with their jobs. (RSG, 2019)
- On the other hand, 52.4% of Lyft drivers in the US either strongly agree or somewhat agree that they are satisfied with their jobs. (RSG, 2019)
- Only 29% of Polish transport and logistics workers said that their job brings them joy. (Devire, 2019)
Top 10 Jobs with Highest Satisfaction (Glassdoor, 2019)
These are the top 10 jobs that have the highest satisfaction rating. For every bullet, you will find the job first then the job satisfaction score. The higher the score is, the more satisfying the job is.
- Recruiting manager – 4.6
- Sales operations manager – 4.5
- Product designer – 4.5
- Marketing assistant – 4.3
- Construction manager – 4.3
- Brand manager – 4.3
- Data scientist – 4.3
- Customer success manager – 4.2
- HR coordinator – 4.2
Top 5 Most Meaningful Jobs
This is the list of the top 5 most meaningful jobs, according to Payscale (n.d.). They are rated so because of the nature of the job itself.
- Clergy – 98%
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary – 96%
- Surgeons – 96%
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education – 96%
- Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School – 95%
5 Least Meaningful Jobs
These are the five out of 454 jobs in a survey that has been found to be the least meaningful.
- Fabric and apparel patternmakers – 25%
- Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers – 25%
- Prepress technicians and workers – 25%
- Gaming supervisors – 20%
- Parking lot attendants – 5%
Source: Stack Overflow, 2020
Job Satisfaction Statistics by Region
If you look at recruitment statistics, aside from salaries and benefits, workers factor in clear communication when it comes to job satisfaction. For example, nearly 60% of US job candidates also weigh in the benefits and perks of the job before accepting an offer. In the following job satisfaction statistics by country, we will see which state’s workers are the most satisfied.
Europe
- In Sweden, 47% of respondents said they will be just as satisfied with their job in 2021 if they will continue to work from home. (Akavia, 2021)
- Workers in Trentino-South Tyrol had the highest job satisfaction level in all of Italy at 8. (Istat, 2021)
- 7.1 – the satisfaction level with their jobs that workers in the region of Basilicata indicated. That is the lowest in all of Italy. (Istat, 2021)
- Most Spanish workers (42.3%) are rather satisfied with remote work. (Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas, 2021)
- 38% of Polish workers said that when they do their job well, it is recognized and appreciated. (Indeks Doceniania, 2020)
- On a scale of 1 to 10, Hungarians rated their job satisfaction 7.1. (Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 2020)
- More than 75% of respondents in Luxembourg expressed that their job situation is good. (European Commission, 2019)
- In comparison, 68% and 65% of Belgium and Netherlands respondents said the same. (European Commission, 2019)
- 53% of workers in the Netherlands like their colleagues in their present jobs that they would not change their current work situation. (Intermediair, 2019)
- Europe’s job satisfaction rating according to a global index is 7.1. (Effectory International, 2021)
Asia-Pacific Region
- A youth development survey in Saudi Arabia showed that 63.94% of youths are somehow satisfied with their jobs. (General Authority for Statistics, 2019)
- Meanwhile, 23.54% of Saudi youths expressed that they were satisfied and 12.52% said they were not satisfied. (General Authority for Statistics, 2019)
- 46% of South Korean professionals revealed that a meaningful job or employment gives them happiness. (Ipsos, 2019)
- Having a meaningful job or employment provides some happiness to 60% of Chinese workers. (Ipsos, 2020)
- Only 33% of Chinese workers related that meaningful work gives them the greatest happiness. (Ipsos, 2020)
- Nearly half of Indians said that meaningful employment or job gives them the greatest happiness. (Ipsos, 2019)
- 44% of Russians admitted that regularly working overtime or working to the limit is a major cause of work stress. (Kelly Services, 2020)
- Asia has the lowest job satisfaction rating in the Global Employee Engagement Index at 6.9. (Effectory International, 2021)
- The more developed countries in East and Southeast Asia have below 7 job satisfaction ratings: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore. (Effectory International, 2021)
- India has the highest job satisfaction rating in the region at 7.9. (Effectory International, 2021)
- The Pacific region has a job satisfaction rating of 7.2. (Effectory International, 2021)
Americas and Africa
- 7.7 – the job satisfaction rating in North America, also the highest in the world. (Effectory International, 2021)
- South America follows with a 7.6 job satisfaction rating. (Effectory International, 2021)
- The greatest contributor to talent retention in the BPO/KPO—ITO industry in Mexico is the work environment (30%). (Instituto Mexicano de Teleservicios, 2021)
- Africa’s job satisfaction rating is 7.3. (Effectory International, 2021).
What are the key factors influencing job satisfaction in 2025?
In 2025, several key factors significantly influence job satisfaction, impacting employee morale and productivity. Understanding these elements is essential for both employers and employees looking to foster a positive work environment.
- Work-Life Balance: Achieving a healthy work-life balance remains a top priority for many employees. Organizations offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible hours, often have higher job satisfaction. Employees value time for personal commitments and mental health.
- Compensation and Benefits: Fair and competitive salaries are crucial. Employees expect compensation that reflects their skills and market standards. Additionally, comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, play a significant role in overall satisfaction.
- Career Development Opportunities: Employees want to grow within their roles. Access to training, mentorship, and clear pathways for advancement can enhance job satisfaction. Organizations that invest in employee development often enjoy higher retention rates.
- Positive Work Environment: A supportive and inclusive workplace culture fosters satisfaction. Recognition from management and positive relationships among coworkers contribute to a collaborative atmosphere where employees feel valued.
- Job Security: Job security is a significant concern in uncertain economic times. Employees who feel secure in their positions are more likely to be satisfied and engaged in their work.
Satisfy and Retain Workers
When Fortune revealed its 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2021, Cisco came out at the top. That is no surprise: the tech company delayed layoffs they have previously announced and they gave extended benefits to workers. The company also did not forget their hourly workers. Plus, it paid attention to employee well-being, especially at the height of the pandemic.
Organizations can take a leaf out of Cisco’s playbook. Employee engagement and proper payroll management are critical in keeping valuable workers happy. The job satisfaction statistics above showed that the salary level is a great driver of happiness at work. As long as workers are compensated accordingly, they will be contented. And when they are satisfied, the company greatly benefits, too, due to increased efficiency and productivity.
Moreover, if corporations train employees beyond onboarding, they can enhance their skills to fit the needs of the company in the future. That is more prudent than finding new workers to fill the skills gap. With that, they can increase the happiness of employees.
Key Insights
- Importance of Compensation: Compensation is a major factor influencing job satisfaction globally. Many employees cite salary as a key reason for their unhappiness at work.
- Work Environment and Relationships: The workplace environment, including relationships with immediate superiors and colleagues, significantly impacts job satisfaction. A positive work culture leads to higher satisfaction.
- Job Meaningfulness: Having a meaningful job is a significant source of happiness for employees. A large percentage of workers globally find happiness in jobs they consider meaningful.
- Regional Variations: Job satisfaction varies by region, with North America reporting the highest levels of job satisfaction, while Asia has the lowest.
- Profession-Specific Satisfaction: Certain professions, such as teaching assistants and recruiting managers, report higher satisfaction levels, while jobs like security guards and truck drivers often report lower satisfaction.
- Impact of Commute: For a significant number of workers, especially in the US, the daily commute is a critical factor in their job satisfaction.
- Retention and Engagement: Job satisfaction influences employee retention. Employers who focus on employee engagement and well-being, such as offering competitive salaries and fostering positive work environments, can better retain their talent.
- Technology’s Role: The integration of technology, like AI and data portability in healthcare, can enhance job satisfaction by improving work efficiency and reducing workload.
- Generational Differences: Millennials and Gen Z have different expectations and levels of job satisfaction, with a notable percentage expecting to leave their current jobs within two years.
FAQ
- What factors are most important for job satisfaction? Compensation, workplace environment, meaningfulness of the job, and the commute are among the most important factors influencing job satisfaction.
- How does job satisfaction impact employee retention? Higher job satisfaction leads to better employee retention as satisfied employees are more likely to stay with their current employer, reducing turnover rates.
- Which regions have the highest and lowest job satisfaction levels? North America has the highest job satisfaction levels, while Asia has the lowest.
- What professions report the highest job satisfaction? Professions like teaching assistants, recruiting managers, and data scientists report high job satisfaction levels.
- How does the commute affect job satisfaction? A significant portion of US workers report that their commute greatly impacts their job satisfaction, with a long or difficult commute often leading to lower satisfaction.
- How do generational differences affect job satisfaction? Millennials and Gen Z have different expectations from their jobs, with a higher percentage of Millennials expecting to leave their current job within two years compared to Gen Z.
- What role does technology play in job satisfaction? Technology, especially AI and data portability in healthcare, can enhance job satisfaction by improving work efficiency and reducing workload.
- What steps can employers take to improve job satisfaction? Employers can improve job satisfaction by offering competitive salaries, fostering a positive work environment, investing in employee well-being, and providing opportunities for professional development.
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