What leads to job satisfaction?

A recent Pew Research Center survey reveals that only about half of U.S. workers are extremely or very satisfied with their job overall. Satisfaction levels are also low when it comes to opportunities for training, pay, and promotion. However, the majority of workers express high levels of satisfaction with their relationship with co-workers and their manager, as well as feeling respected and being able to be themselves at work. Most workers also have at least one close friend at work and feel that their contributions are valued.

The survey findings indicate that older workers and those with higher incomes generally have more positive views of their job. Income level plays a significant role in job satisfaction, with higher-income workers reporting higher levels of satisfaction across various aspects of their job. Black workers are more likely to report experiencing discrimination in the workplace due to their race or ethnicity, while women are more likely to report experiencing gender discrimination. Lower-income workers have less access to employer-sponsored benefits compared to their higher-income counterparts. The survey also reveals that paid time off is highly valued by workers, although many report not taking all the time off available to them. The survey was conducted among 5,902 U.S. workers in February 2023 using the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel.