Time: U.S. Job Satisfaction Falls to Record Low

[Omaha Steve]

(ORGANIZE)

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1951651,00.html#ixzz0bqMyapON

By AP / JEANNINE AVERSA Tuesday, Jan. 05, 2010

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1951651,00.html#ixzz0bsacsGoF

We can't get no job satisfaction.

Even Americans who are lucky enough to have work in this economy are becoming more unhappy with their jobs, according to a new survey that found only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their work. (See 10 ways your job will change.)

That was the lowest level ever recorded by the Conference Board research group in more than 22 years of studying the issue. In 2008, 49% of those surveyed reported satisfaction with their jobs.


Workers install parts in a GMC terrain in November.
Norm Betts / Bloomberg / Getty

The drop in workers' happiness can be partly blamed on the worst recession since the 1930s, which made it difficult for some people to find challenging and suitable jobs. But worker dissatisfaction has been on the rise for more than two decades. (See pictures of retailers which have gone out of business.)

"It says something troubling about work in America. It is not about the business cycle or one grumpy generation," says Linda Barrington, managing director of human capital at the Conference Board, who helped write the report, which was released Tuesday.

If the job satisfaction trend is not reversed, economists say, it could stifle innovation and hurt America's competitiveness and productivity. And it could make unhappy older workers less inclined to take the time to share their knowledge and skills with younger workers.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1951651,00.html#ixzz0bsajd2MK

FULL story at link.

[Sherman A1]

1. Interesting

something I have seen for a rather long time at my workplace, but we have a generational issue as well in retail grocery (tracing back to the 1980's), which I believe contributes beyond the "must do more with less" mantra of everyone's job these days. Specifically in retail grocery we have a missing generation courtesy of the combined effects of the adoption of the "Wal Mart" Model and the Reagan era anti-union policies. As my generation (the folks in the 50's) nears retirement, we have no one in their 40"s to take our places, There are folks in their 50's and folks in their 30's (and younger who work at lower capped wage tiers), but no one in their 40's to have the experience and accumulated knowledge to immediately step up. This will be particularly interesting in about 5 years as more and more of the older workers (and similar aged managers) retire.

As I find that we have a generational split, not only do we not have a ready to go group right behind the soon to retire, but it is also harder for the older workers to interact (and respect as equal) with a generation that are the same ages or younger than their children.