Job Satisfaction Statistics

Each one of us in this world always expects to feel happy while working. But not all of us are happy while working. Recent studies show that having a job and being happy about it are two different things. The perception of job satisfaction and how it should look like varies among people.

It is crucial for companies to understand why job satisfaction should be a top priority for them as it can have a great impact on their success. In this article, we bring you a collection of the most recent job satisfaction statistics with important insights.

Let us now dive into our collection of job satisfaction statistics and discover how employee happiness can boost an organization’s productivity and learn how to deploy a winning staff engagement strategy.

On this page, you’ll find:


Key Job Satisfaction Statistics

Here is a list of the top 10 statistics from this article:


  • Employees are 63% more satisfied when their superiors treat them with respect. (Harvard Business Review)
  • High job satisfaction levels are reported by 62% of employees in managerial positions. (Pew Research Center)
  • With their current jobs, 51% of U.S. workers are satisfied. (USA Today)
  • Company culture is an important job satisfaction factor for 79% of Americans. (Speakap)
  • At work, only 34% of U.S. employees are engaged. (Gallup)
  • 91% of highly engaged employees say that they are satisfied with their professional development opportunities. (Bonusly)
  • Globally, retaining some of their most valued employee groups is difficult for more than 50% of all organizations. (Bonusly)
  • Lack of career development(22%), lack of support with work-life balance(12%), manager’s behavior(11%), unsatisfactory compensation and benefits(9%), and poor well-being(9%) are the top reasons given by employees for leaving their jobs. (Learning Hub)
  • In 2020, the top job positions were software developer, dentist, and physician assistant. (US News)
  • In 2019, clergy professions had 90% of satisfied employees. (PayScale)

General Job Satisfaction Statistics

          In an effort to retain high-performing workers, employers have been paying more attention to staff contentment levels in a competitive market where unemployment is low, competition is fierce, and turnover is expensive. In any given organization, happy employees surely make a huge difference. The driving force of any business is those who show up at work with an eagerness to overcome challenges, solve problems, and achieve set goals. Let us first look into some general job satisfaction statistics.


  • Employees are 63% more satisfied when their superiors treat them with respect. (Harvard Business Review)
  • High job satisfaction levels are reported by 62% of employees in managerial positions. (Pew Research Center)
  • Having more work benefits would increase the job satisfaction of 72% of surveyed professionals. (Zoro)
  • Corporate culture influences productivity, creativity, profitability, company value, and growth rate for more than 50% of CEOs. (Zippia)
  • Leaders’ performances are described as poor or very poor by 23% of employees. (Career Builder)
  • Money is cited as the main reason for quitting their jobs by 25% of employees. (Officevibe)
  • For a higher position in a different company, men (40%) are more likely to leave their current job than women (30%). (Globe Newswire)
  • Work-life balance is considered as the most important factor in evaluating a potential job by 83% of millennials. (Flex Jobs)
  • A better-paid job offer from a company that failed to act against employees who were involved in sexual harassment is not accepted by more than 75% of employees. (The Manifest)
  • Workers are almost 4 times more likely to be proud to work for their company when they say their company provides equal opportunities. (Salesforce)

Job Satisfaction in the U.S.

          In the U.S., overall job satisfaction is constantly on the rise. The current situation looks optimistic for the economy, with the increase in job security and especially the wages. But not all of them are satisfied with their jobs, which leaves a lot of room for improvement. In this section of the article, we shall look into some statistics on job satisfaction in the U.S.


  1. With their current jobs, 51% of U.S. workers are satisfied. (USA Today)
  2. Company culture is an important job satisfaction factor for 79% of Americans. (Speakap)
  3. From their job, 51% of workers say they get a sense of identity. (Pew Research Center)
  4. According to 75% of U.S. professionals, new technology is contributing to their job dissatisfaction. (The Economic Times)
  5. 27% of Americans feel that they are not paid enough for the work they put in. (What To Become)
  6. Job burnout is experienced by 55% of U.S. workers. (Tech Republic)
  7. In the previous year, 65% of North Americans reported that they weren’t even recognized even once. (O.C. Tanner)
  8. Annually, U.S. companies spend about $11 billion on employee turnover. (Zippia)
  9. Management training is not received by 58% of U.S. managers. (Career Builder)
  10. Their job is just a job to get them by according to 30% of American workers. (Pew Research Center)

Importance of Employee Engagement

          Rather than a cause worth pursuing, the idea of measuring employee engagement seems to be an endless uphill battle. One must take steps to proactively measure and improve employee engagement since it has a direct impact on productivity, profits, retention, and customer experience. Investing in engagement initiatives is good for both employees and the company. Let us now look into the curation of statistics on the importance of employee engagement.


  • At work, only 34% of U.S. employees are engaged. (Gallup)
  • 91% of highly engaged employees say that they are satisfied with their professional development opportunities. (Bonusly)
  • Values-based employee-recognition programs are adopted by 70% of organizations. (Workhuman)
  • By 2025, $12 trillion to the global GDP can be added by empowering women and advancing their equality in the workplace. (McKinsey)
  • Compared to companies with low or unsustainable levels of engagement, companies with high and sustainable levels of engagement tend to have operating margins up to 3 times higher. (Willis Towers Watson).
  • After measuring employee engagement, an Ohio-based manufacturer was able to increase profits by 24% (Emplify)
  • Boredom is the reason for dissatisfaction at work for 33% of employees. (BK Connection)
  • Because of their boss, 29% of employees changed their job. (HR Dive)
  • Because of no recognition, 45% of survey respondents felt disengaged. (Wrike)
  • In 2019, 16% of people across the globe considered themselves completely engaged. (PR Newswire)

Employee Retention Statistics

          Companies always prefer to look for ways that can cut employment costs and want to stop spending so much time on recruitment. An excellent solution for such problems is employee retention. Apart from reducing costs and turnover hassle, employee retention can increase overall productivity and morale. Now, let us explore some statistics that emphasize the importance of employee retention.


  • Globally, retaining some of their most valued employee groups is difficult for more than 50% of all organizations. (Bonusly)
  • Lack of career development(22%), lack of support with work-life balance(12%),manager’s behavior(11%),unsatisfactory compensation and benefits(9%),and poor well-being(9%) are the top reasons given by employees for leaving their jobs. (Learning Hub)
  • The desire to change jobs is affected by family status. (Paycor)
  • When employees are allowed to work from home, a 13% increase in productivity has been observed. (LinkedIn)
  • If there isn’t a culture of encouraging upward feedback, employees won’t stay. (TINYpulse)
  • 47% of HR professionals cite work location inflexibility as the biggest challenge when it comes to retaining their old workers. (Learning Hub)
  • Employee retention and turnover are cited as their top workforce-management challenge by 47% of HR chiefs. (Workhuman)
  • An important way of improving employee retention is by showing empathy according to 96% of employees. (Forbes)
  • For at least 3 years, a great onboarding experience can lock down 69% of employees. (O.C. Tanner)
  • 89% of job seekers believe it’s important for an employer to have a clear mission and purpose. (Glassdoor)

Job Satisfaction by Career

          Globally, there are a lot of different kinds of good jobs. Some jobs offer high salaries, some jobs are stable, and some jobs have flexible schedules. But the question is are those jobs satisfying for the employees? What makes a job satisfying is more personal. There are a few factors that make a job fulfilling and enjoyable. We shall now look into some statistics that throw light on job satisfaction by career.


  • In 2020, the top job positions were software developer, dentist, and physician assistant. (US News)
  • In 2019, clergy professions had 90% of satisfied employees. (PayScale)
  • Globally, 32.9% of developers are very satisfied with their job. (Statista)
  • With their career paths, 45% of millennials were satisfied. (LaSalle Network)
  • Compared to 50% of in-house employees, 57% of remote workers are satisfied with their job. (CNBC)
  • Work is boring for 81% of the people in legal jobs. (Wise Step)
  • The happiest careers are those that require no formal education. (Career Explorer)
  • Recruiting managers report the highest job satisfaction levels with a job satisfaction score of 4.6 out of 5. (Glassdoor)
  • 70% of adults working in the education sector feel that their job gives them a sense of identity. (Pew Research Center)
  • When there are no progression options available, most people would quit their job. (Career Addict)

Frequently Asked Questions

With a job satisfaction score of 4.6 out of 5 and a median base salary of $70,000, people in the position of recruiting managers have the highest job satisfaction.

The average job satisfaction level stands at 85%. The average is calculated to encompass a more holistic view of the data.

With current career advancement opportunities available to them in the organization they work for, only 29 percent of employees are engaged and very satisfied.

Some of the unhappiest professions include being a security guard, merchandiser, dispatcher, retail clerk, and legal analyst.

The top 10 happiest jobs include being a recruiting manager, dental hygienist, sales operations manager, product designer, marketing assistant, construction manager, brand manager, data scientist, customer success manager, and HR Coordinator.

Conclusion

          From this statistical report on job satisfaction, it is evident that when employees are happy at work, companies do very well. Engaged employees feel great about their job, are able to achieve better results, have a good work-life balance, and also feel appreciated. The positive feelings that these employees generate spill over into the company’s performance, which in turn results in higher productivity and more revenue.A company must start expressing appreciation for their employees because they are your business’s most valuable asset.

Author: Shubham Calmblay

Shubham Calmblay, founder of appsthatdeliver.com, has a decade of experience with various Google products. He has authored 1,000+ guides for ATD, published on prestigious tech blogs. His work has garnered recognition from Protocol.com, Leadsbridge.com, MadMobile.com, and numerous other leading publications and corporations.