Overall job satisfaction for U.S. workers changed little from 2022 to 2023, according to a recent survey from The Conference Board, inching up 0.4 points to 62.7%. However, there was a significant decrease in satisfaction with the financial aspects of the job, including bonuses (-7.6 points), health plans (-7.0), promotions (-5.2), and wages (-5.0).
Job satisfaction also varied depending on when workers changed jobs, their length of employment, and their level of flexibility:
- Workers who switched jobs during the pandemic had notably lower satisfaction than those who remained, with overall job satisfaction decreasing 5.6 percentage points. Discontentment with the quality of leadership, communication, job satisfaction, colleagues, and uncertainty about job stability contributed to this decline.
- A shorter job stay (between six months and three years) also correlated with lower satisfaction. Nearly half of all surveyed workers who planned to switch jobs within six months had only been in their current jobs less than three years.
- On the other hand, job satisfaction increased from 58.2% to 63.6% for workers who passed the three-year threshold at their current job, with satisfaction steadily increasing up until the 10-year mark.
- Job satisfaction was higher for hybrid (65.5%) and fully remote (64.1%) workers than for fully on-site workers (60.2%).
