GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- A recent Gallup poll shows that more than eight in 10 American workers are satisfied with their current jobs, including 41% who say they are "completely satisfied." When asked to rate their satisfaction with several aspects of their jobs, workers are most satisfied with the physical safety of their workplaces and their relations with co-workers. On-the-job stress and pay are the two aspects with which Americans are least satisfied.
The poll, conducted August 16-19, assessed workers' satisfaction with 17 different aspects of their jobs. More than six in 10 workers say they are "completely satisfied" with the physical safety conditions of their workplaces and their relations with co-workers. Slightly fewer say they are satisfied with the flexibility of their hours. More than half express a high level of satisfaction with the opportunity they have to do what they do best, their job security, the amount of vacation time they receive, the overall contribution their employers make to society, and their bosses or immediate supervisors.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, less than a quarter of workers are completely satisfied with the amount of on-the-job-stress in their jobs and the amount of money they earn. Workers also express some displeasure with the benefits they receive from their employers, as only about a third are completely satisfied with their retirement plans and health insurance benefits.
JOB SATISFACTION SUMMARY TABLE
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Dissatisfied |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
||
|
The physical safety conditions of your workplace |
65 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
Your relations with co-workers |
64 |
28 |
5 |
|
|
The flexibility of your hours |
57 |
28 |
14 |
|
|
The opportunity you have to do what you do best |
54 |
32 |
14 |
|
|
Your job security |
54 |
30 |
15 |
|
|
The amount of vacation time you receive |
52 |
25 |
18 |
|
|
The overall contribution your employer makes to society |
51 |
32 |
14 |
|
|
Your boss or immediate supervisor |
51 |
29 |
14 |
|
|
The amount of work that is required of you |
47 |
35 |
18 |
|
|
The opportunity you have to learn and grow |
47 |
33 |
19 |
|
|
The respect your employer has for your opinions |
44 |
32 |
20 |
|
|
The recognition you receive at work for your work accomplishments |
39 |
36 |
23 |
|
|
The health insurance benefits your employer offers |
36 |
27 |
26 |
|
|
Your chances for promotion |
32 |
30 |
25 |
|
|
The retirement plan your employer offers |
31 |
34 |
24 |
|
|
The amount of money you earn |
24 |
46 |
30 |
|
|
The amount of on-the-job stress in your job |
22 |
40 |
36 |
|
Very few differences exist on the various job aspects by subgroup, even though an earlier Gallup Poll analysis showed that higher-income and more educated respondents tend to express higher levels ofoveralljob satisfaction. The data do show that those with a high school education or less tend to be more satisfied with their bosses than are those with at least some college education, by a 59% to 47% margin. Additionally, women are more likely than men to say they are completely satisfied with their bosses or immediate supervisors (55% to 47%) and with the overall contribution their employers make to society (57% to 47%).
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 599 adults, 18 years and older, currently employed full-time or part-time, conducted August 16-19, 2001. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 4 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your job? Would you say you are -- completely satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or completely dissatisfied with your job?
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
41 |
44 |
11 |
4 |
0 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
39 |
47 |
12 |
2 |
* |
|
1997 Aug 22-25 |
35 |
51 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
|
1989 Jul 18-21 |
28 |
61 |
8 |
3 |
* |
|
* Less than 0.5% |
|||||
Now I'll read a list of job characteristics. For each, please tell me how satisfied or dissatisfied you are with your current job in this regard. First, are you completely satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or completely dissatisfied with [RANDOM ORDER]?
A. Your job security
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
54 |
30 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
48 |
33 |
11 |
7 |
1 |
|
1998 Oct |
52 |
35 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
|
1993 May 10-12 |
46 |
33 |
9 |
11 |
1 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
35 |
44 |
12 |
7 |
2 |
|
1989 Jul 18-21 |
45 |
42 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
B. The opportunity you have to learn and grow
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
47 |
33 |
11 |
8 |
1 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
43 |
38 |
11 |
7 |
1 |
C. The amount of vacation time you receive
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
52 |
25 |
9 |
9 |
5 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
50 |
30 |
9 |
9 |
2 |
|
1998 Oct |
47 |
34 |
9 |
9 |
1 |
|
1993 May 10-12 |
50 |
22 |
13 |
13 |
2 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
35 |
43 |
12 |
7 |
3 |
D. The amount of on-the-job stress in your job
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
22 |
40 |
23 |
13 |
2 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
21 |
44 |
22 |
12 |
1 |
|
1998 Oct |
22 |
42 |
23 |
11 |
2 |
|
1993 May 10-12 |
24 |
36 |
25 |
14 |
1 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
17 |
44 |
24 |
11 |
3 |
E. The amount of work that is required of you
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
47 |
35 |
13 |
5 |
* |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
46 |
35 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
|
1998 Oct |
45 |
40 |
11 |
4 |
* |
|
1993 May 10-12 |
47 |
35 |
13 |
5 |
* |
F. Your chances for promotion
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
32 |
30 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
32 |
32 |
15 |
12 |
9 |
|
1998 Oct |
30 |
37 |
16 |
13 |
4 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
20 |
40 |
18 |
11 |
11 |
|
1989 Jul 18-21 |
29 |
38 |
19 |
6 |
8 |
G. The flexibility of your hours
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
57 |
28 |
9 |
5 |
1 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
56 |
31 |
8 |
5 |
* |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
39 |
44 |
10 |
6 |
1 |
|
1989 Jul 18-21 |
46 |
40 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
H. The health insurance benefits your employer offers
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
36 |
27 |
11 |
15 |
11 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
33 |
30 |
14 |
14 |
9 |
I. The retirement plan your employer offers
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
31 |
34 |
8 |
16 |
11 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
31 |
30 |
10 |
19 |
10 |
J. The recognition you receive at work for your work accomplishments
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
39 |
36 |
13 |
10 |
2 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
38 |
35 |
14 |
11 |
2 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
24 |
52 |
17 |
5 |
2 |
K. The amount of money you earn
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
24 |
46 |
18 |
12 |
* |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
23 |
47 |
16 |
14 |
* |
|
1998 Oct |
21 |
48 |
19 |
11 |
1 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
13 |
53 |
23 |
10 |
1 |
|
1989 Jul 18-21 |
16 |
56 |
19 |
8 |
1 |
L. Your boss or immediate supervisor
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
51 |
29 |
8 |
6 |
6 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
47 |
35 |
7 |
4 |
7 |
|
1998 Oct |
47 |
38 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
|
1991 Jul 25-28 |
37 |
45 |
10 |
6 |
* |
|
1989 Jul 18-21 |
40 |
45 |
9 |
4 |
2 |
M. The physical safety conditions of your workplace
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
65 |
25 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
63 |
28 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
N. Your relations with co-workers
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
64 |
28 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
|
1999 Aug 24-26 |
67 |
27 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
O. The opportunity you have to do what you do best
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
54% |
32 |
10 |
4 |
* |
P. The respect your employer has for your opinions
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
44% |
32 |
11 |
9 |
4 |
Q. The overall contribution your employer makes to society
|
Completely satisfied |
Somewhat satisfied |
Somewhat dissatisfied |
Completely dissatisfied |
No |
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
51% |
32 |
9 |
5 |
3 |
* Less than 0.5%
