It should come as no surprise that happier workers perform better. However, if you need numbers and studies to show your boss — we compiled a list of job satisfaction statistics from the most reputable sources out there. If you need more ammo, you’ll also find numbers on job dissatisfaction, worker happiness and productivity, satisfaction rates by industry, and satisfaction rates by country. Read on — you’ve got this!
Top Job Satisfaction Statistics in 2024
In 2022, 88% of US workers were at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs.
Only 36% of employees of all ages have received a raise in the 12 months.
In the US, 46% of employees want a better work-life balance.
Having the option to work remotely matters to 76% of US employees.
Women are 7 percentage points less likely than men to feel satisfied with pay.
20% of workers aren’t satisfied with their pay.
68% are at least somewhat satisfied with their company’s healthcare plan.
Just a 1% rise in job ratings increases company revenue by 0.62%–1.01%.
Happy employees are 13% more productive.
Finance employees show high levels of job satisfaction at 70% overall.
Job Satisfaction Rates in the US
In 2022, 88% of US workers were at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs.
Job satisfaction rates in the US for the year 2022 seem to have gone up by 1% compared to 2021. Gallup’s survey is conducted every year, showing results that range back to 1993 and are fairly consistent: usually, just 10% to 15% of people aren’t satisfied with their jobs.
(Gallup)
Women are 7 percentage points less likely than men to feel satisfied with pay.
Worker satisfaction with pay is lower among women, followed by a lower likelihood of asking for a promotion (26% of women vs. 34% of men), and a lower likelihood of asking for a raise (31% of women vs. 38% of men). What’s more, 39% of women feel their managers listen to them, compared to 47% of men.
(PwC)
20% of workers aren’t satisfied with their pay.
Attitudes towards pay are a crucial element of employee satisfaction statistics, which point out that 8% are completely dissatisfied and 12% are somewhat dissatisfied. 42% of employees say they are somewhat satisfied, while a lucky 36% are completely happy about the numbers on their paychecks.
(Gallup)
66% of US workers were at least somewhat satisfied with their company’s retirement plan.
Job dissatisfaction statistics reveal employees aren’t as satisfied with benefits as they are with pay. What’s worrying is that 14% are completely dissatisfied with the retirement plan on offer, while another 10% are somewhat dissatisfied.
(Gallup)
68% are at least somewhat satisfied with their company’s healthcare plan.
A decent healthcare plan is crucial for anyone living in the USA, and job satisfaction statistics show that at 17%, more people are completely dissatisfied with health plans than with pay, retirement plans, vacation time, flexibility, and interpersonal relations. Another 8% are somewhat dissatisfied.
(Gallup)
88% of employees consider health insurance the most important benefit.
When it comes to unhappy employees, statistics show that health insurance plans are a source of dissatisfaction for the largest share of workers. At the same time, they are the most important benefit. In order of importance, employees also mentioned retirement plans (82%), leave (82%), family care (70%), and flexibility (70%).
(SHRM)
Job Satisfaction Statistics by Profession and Type of Work
Jobs with the highest satisfaction combine meaningful and satisfying work.
98% of clergy members see high meaning in their job, while 90% find satisfaction, as do postsecondary English teachers, religious activities and education directors, education administrators, radiation therapists, chiropractors, and psychiatrists.
(Payscale)
In 2022, only 12% of K-12 teachers said they were very satisfied with their jobs.
Current teacher job satisfaction statistics are highly discouraging, as 12% is the lowest rate of teacher satisfaction on record. For comparison, in 2012, 39% of teachers were highly satisfied with their job. Moreover, between 1990 and 2010, teacher job satisfaction was consistently above 50%. 44% of teachers are considering leaving their job in the next two years.
(EdWeek Research Center)
Finance employees show high levels of job satisfaction at 70% overall.
For example, the job satisfaction rate is 68% for financial analysts, 70% for the accounting industry, 74% for financial examiners, and 77% for financial managers and personal financial advisors.
(Payscale)
Employee satisfaction has the strongest impact on company performance in finance.
The London School of Economics meta-study provided empirical evidence for one of the most widely accepted facts about job satisfaction. It showed that, across industries, job satisfaction has a strong correlation to employee productivity (0.26) and customer loyalty (0.31). The correlation is the strongest in finance at 0.30 for employee productivity and 0.37 for customer loyalty and retention.
(LSE)
40% of RNs were very satisfied with their job in 2021.
There is a considerable decrease in nursing job satisfaction, as statistics show high job satisfaction was at 62% in 2018. Currently, 8% of RNs say they plan to leave their profession in the next three years, while 15% plan to retire.
(Critical Care Nurse)
8 out of 10 employees in retail are satisfied with their job.
Statistics on job satisfaction in retail work provided by the National Retail Federation show that the majority of retail workers are satisfied with their current jobs. This is extremely important as one in four US jobs is related to retail.
(National Retail Federation)
Parking lot attendant is at the top of the list of jobs with the lowest satisfaction.
Some job satisfaction facts simply aren’t surprising: it’s also the least meaningful job according to parking attendants themselves. Other professionals that report low job satisfaction are dishwashers, fast food cooks, counter and rental clerks, cafeteria attendants, and dry cleaning workers.
(Payscale)
Employment Satisfaction Statistics: What Matters to Employees
In the previous 12 months, only 36% of employees of all ages have received a raise.
During the Great Resignation, companies are actively trying to attract and retain talent and better pay is a tried way to improve worker satisfaction. However, younger employees were more likely to get a raise. So while 41% of employees aged 18–24 and 43% of workers aged 25–34 received a raise, job satisfaction data show only 28% of those older than 55 got an increase.
(Randstad)
Only 22% of workers received better benefits.
Around one-fifth of workers got better healthcare and retirement plans or more paid time off in the last year, job satisfaction stats reveal. So even though organizations keep having issues with attracting and retaining talent, benefits that contribute to work-life balance and well-being, just like pay increases, remain underutilized as strategies.
(Randstad)
Employees who have made an internal move within the company are more likely to stay in the company.
An employee who has made a move within roles has a 75% likelihood of staying with their company after two years of working. However, career satisfaction statistics reveal that an employee who hasn’t changed roles is only 56% likely to stay. Linkedin’s Workplace Learning Report for 2023 shows growth opportunities can help reduce employee turnover rates.
(Linkedin)
Having the option to work remotely matters to 76% of US employees.
One of the largest job satisfaction trends is the flexibility of work hours and location, and figures on remote work confirm this. While being able to work remotely matters more to Millennials and Gen Z, what matters to all age groups are flexible hours. This is true for 86% of US workers and 83% of global workers.
(Randstad)
In the US, 46% of employees want a better work-life balance.
US job satisfaction statistics show that work-life balance is essential for Americans, as 52% say they’d quit a job that stops them from living a balanced life. This is slightly more common for Americans to say, compared to 48% of global workers.
(Randstad)
Statistics on Job Satisfaction and Why It Matters for Companies
Companies with happy employees have returns between 2.3% and 3.8% above the industry average.
This massive meta-study on job satisfaction covered 339 independent studies, a span of 27 years, 1,882,131 employees and 82,248 business units. The meta-study by the London School of Economics confirms that greater employee happiness, according to statistics, increases returns by 2.3% to 3.8% compared to the rest of the industry.
(LSE)
Just a 1% rise in job ratings increases company revenue by 0.62%–1.01%.
At the same time, the NYU study of job satisfaction data analyzing 1.2 million job reviews shows that a 1% rise in job ratings, and especially sentiments towards management, brings up the value of the company by 0.68-0.73%. It also shows that companies can increase their revenue at the expense of their employees, too — however, those increases are short-lived.
(Science Direct)
Happy employees are 13% more productive.
Job happiness statistics reveal a causal link between happiness and productivity, with a six-month study that tracked the mood of workers at a call center. Moreover, stats on workplace productivity reveal that while happy workers work faster, they are also more successful at customer conversion.
(Oxford University)
56% of workers younger than 24 would quit a job that stopped them from enjoying their lives.
Job satisfaction stats show another 41% say they’ve already quit a job that clashed with their personal life. Similarly,40% would rather not have a job than have a job that makes them unhappy, although numbers on Gen Z suggest this generation is suffering more financially than those before them.
(Randstad)
41% of all employees wouldn’t work for a company that puts no effort into being diverse and inclusive.
Figures on diversity and inclusion in the workplace emphasize how important it is for young employees that their workplace at least makes an effort to improve its culture and hiring policies. In the same vein, 43% would refuse to work for an employer with values misaligning with their own, showing the importance of social awareness for workplace satisfaction.
(Randstad)
The Takeaway
What we can see from these job satisfaction statistics is that employee satisfaction is linked to productivity, efficiency, and, consequently, customer loyalty. Job satisfaction remains high in finance, but it reached the lowest level on record among K-12 teachers. For employees in all industries, health insurance plans remain a source of dissatisfaction, and with the Great Resignation still going strong, employees need to consider improving the benefits they offer.
Job Satisfaction FAQ
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