Job satisfaction hits highest point in decades

U.S. workers are more satisfied with their jobs than they have been in at least 36 years, according to a new survey, as companies have started to offer more flexible work options after the pandemic disrupted traditional working environments.

Over 62 percent of workers were satisfied with their jobs in 2022, according to a new study by the Conference Board, a business research firm that has conducted polling on the subject since 1987. It is the highest mark in the survey’s history.

The overall satisfaction level was up by 2 percentage points from 2021, with the largest increase in satisfaction coming in work-life balance and workload. The report partly credited a tight labor market for the increase in worker satisfaction, saying employers needing to provide more benefits to remain competitive.

The report also found that workers provided with hybrid working arrangements, who have some flexibility to perform their work partly in person and partly remotely, are happier than those whose jobs are either entirely in person or entirely remote.

Across a majority of the 26 categories surveyed, workers with a hybrid working environment reported a greater job satisfaction. Their overall satisfaction rate was 63.3 percent.

The satisfaction among all workers is up from a valley in 2010, when just 42.6 percent of workers were satisfied with their jobs. The high level of satisfaction comes as the U.S. economy prepares for a possible recession later this year.

Despite the recession fears, the report points out that the labor market is expected to remain hot, meaning employers will have to continue to make moves to entice workers. Apart from competitive pay, the report concluded that employers should focus on improving work experience and culture to attract talent.

The survey, conducted in November, included responses from 1,680 workers.