Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: The Right Way

Business owners are aware how essential employee engagement and satisfaction is to their business. Engaged employees are more productive, engaged in their job, and likely to stay with the organization.

It goes without saying that employee engagement should be part of your overarching staff management strategy. But what exactly is employee engagement, and how can you create an engagement plan that will work best for your organization?

Employee engagement is the level of connection an employee feels with their organization and its values. An engaged employee is fully involved and committed to their work and the success of the organization.

However, many organizations struggle to measure team engagement and satisfaction effectively. That’s why your company needs an engagement plan. Helping your employees be engaged at work should be a top priority.

You can measure employee engagement in many ways. Some companies use employee satisfaction surveys, while others track employee turnover or performance metrics. However, one of the most effective ways to measure engagement is by looking at how the employees bond with each other.

Team connection is the degree to which employees feel a connection to their team and its goals. Employees who feel a team connection are more likely to be engaged at work and invest in its success.

To measure team connection, ask your employees questions, like:

Do you feel like you’re part of the team at work?
Do you feel like your team has a single unified goal?
Do you feel like your team members are supportive?

This article will discuss the right way to measure employee engagement and satisfaction. We’ll also provide some tips on improving employee connection and motivation in your organization.

What Makes an Employee Engaged and Satisfied?

The key to a happy and satisfied workforce is engagement. Employees who feel engaged with their work are more productive, motivated, and loyal. Additionally, studies have shown that happy employees increases sales performance and customer satisfaction.

So how can you promote employee happiness in your organization? Employee engagement programs can be a great place to start. Encourage engaged employees, and you can create a healthy work culture that leads to an increase in productivity, loyalty, and engagement.

Here are some tips on how to promote employee happiness in your organization:

Encourage employees to take breaks throughout the day.
Make sure that employees can voice their opinions and be heard.
Encourage employees to socialize with one another.
Encourage employees to set realistic goals and celebrate their accomplishments.
Ensure employees can access the resources they need to do their jobs effectively.
Encourage employees to take pride in their work.
Make sure employees feel like they are part of a team.
Encourage employees to give back to the community.

When employees feel supported, they are likelier to be satisfied with their work. Encourage employees to take pride in their work and feel like they are part of a team. Employees who feel like they’re making a difference are likelier to be satisfied with their work.

It also boosts employee motivation when they see that their company is doing good things for the community and the world. It creates a positive image for the company.

Job Satisfaction Statistics

In the United States, 65 percent of employees are happy with their current position. That number goes up to 70 percent when you look at Canada and the UK.

Many factors go into job satisfaction: salary, workload, company culture, the opportunity for growth, etc. But one of the most important factors is whether or not employees feel like they’re doing meaningful work.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to increase job satisfaction, even if you can’t control all of the factors that go into it.

Many reasons exist why someone may not be happy with their job, but one of the most common is a lack of meaningful work. Employees who feel they’re making a difference are more likely to be satisfied with their work.

Are you looking for ways to increase job satisfaction at your company? Then you’re in the right place. Here are a few things you need to know about job satisfaction statistics and a list of the most and least satisfying jobs in the world.

General Job Satisfaction Statistics

65 percent of employees in the U.S. are happy with their jobs, while 20 percent are passionate.

Here are a few other statistics that are important to mention:

60 percent of employees believe their coworkers are the main contributors to their work happiness: Most employees believe their coworkers are the main reason they’re happy at work. 35 percent believe their supervisors/managers are the reason, and 34 percent believe their company’s culture and values are the reason.
High worker satisfaction companies outperform low worker satisfaction companies by 202 percent: A University of Warwick study found that happy workers are 12 percent more productive than unhappy workers.
45 percent of Millennials are completely happy with their current career path or job: A study by the American Psychological Association found that job satisfaction is highest among Baby Boomers at 51 percent. This was followed by Gen X at 48 percent and Millennials at 45 percent.
74 percent of employees in the US believe company culture is one the biggest contributing factors to job contentment: A study by Glassdoor found that company culture is the number one factor impacting employee satisfaction at 74 percent. Career opportunities affected 61 percent of employees, while compensation & benefits affected 52 percent.
While only 21 percent of employees in Japan say they’re unhappy with their job, the number is actually higher, at 58 percent of employees: The Japanese government’s white paper on labor found that job dissatisfaction in Japan is much higher than reported. 58 percent of employees say they’re dissatisfied. This is, in part, because of the unreasonably high expectations that Japanese managers have for their employees.
57 percent of remote employees are happy with their job: A 2017 study by Owl Labs found that 57 percent of remote employees are happy with their job, compared to 54 percent of on-site employees. This three percent difference may seem small but represents a significant increase in satisfaction rates.
81 percent of Legal industry employees find their job dissatisfying and boring: A study of 2,000 Legal industry employees found that 81 percent of them find their job boring and dissatisfying. This is likely due to the high pressure, untethered misogyny, and long hours associated with working in the legal field.

Most Satisfying Jobs in the World

According to several surveys from PayScale, CareerBliss, and US News & World Report, the 15 top jobs in the world include:

Clergy: People who work in the clergy report high job satisfaction levels. That may be due to the sense of purpose and community that comes with working in a religious organization.
Chiropractor: A chiropractor is a health care professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, with an emphasis on the spine.
Chief Executive: A chief executive is responsible for the overall management of an organization or company. It can be a very stressful but also very-rewarding job.
Dentist: Dentists ranked as the third most satisfying job in a survey of 2,000 employees by CareerBliss. Dentists cited being able to help people and make a difference in their lives as the main reasons for job contentment.
Conservation Scientist: A conservation scientist’s work consists of protecting natural resources and the environment. It’s a highly essential job that can be very satisfying.
Medical and Health Services Manager: In this job, you would be responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating medical and health services. That would include policy development, quality assurance, and patient care.
Firefighter: While many people find their jobs boring, some find them downright exhilarating. Firefighters fall into the latter category. Firefighters combat blazes and rescue individuals from burning buildings – it’s a high-pressure job that requires quick thinking and bravery.
Human Resources Manager: An HR manager’s job is to help a company run smoothly and efficiently by managing its employees.
Physician: Doctors topped the CareerBliss list of happiest jobs for three years in a row and are also high up on lists compiled by PayScale and US News & World Report.
Nurse: Nurses are in high demand due to the aging population and the increasing number of people with chronic conditions.
Physical Therapist: Physical therapists help people recover from injuries and improve their quality of life. They work with patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. PTs typically work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, or nursing homes.
Teachers: Teachers play a vital role in shaping the future of our society. They work with students of all ages and backgrounds, from kindergarteners to college students. Teaching is a demanding profession, but it can also be extremely rewarding.
Software Developer: Software developers create the applications that we use every day. They work with a variety of programming languages and tools to build software that is reliable and easy to use. SDs typically work in offices, but they may also telecommute.
Psychologists: Psychologists study the human mind and behavior. They work in several settings, including hospitals, schools, and private practices. Psychologists use their knowledge to help people understand and cope with mental health issues.
Surgeons: Surgeons are medical doctors who operate on patients to treat diseases and injuries. Surgeons work in hospitals and clinics and often specialize in a particular type of surgery.

What makes these jobs so unique? Well, first off, people who work in these professions find something new to focus on every day, increasing interest levels.

They also include jobs that account for less stress. People working in these professions have more control over their work-life balance and often feel a greater sense of accomplishment. Having a scheduled time when you’re working and not working is, in the long term, better for a person’s health.

In addition, many of these most satisfying jobs are ones where people can move up within the field. There are always opportunities to learn new things and progress in one’s career.

Can you figure out the factor that all these jobs have in common? They help people. It’s rewarding to know you’re making a difference in someone’s life, whether it’s providing them with a service or simply making their day a little brighter. It’s one of the most fulfilling things a person can do.

So, if you’re looking for a job that will make you happy and stressed, consider one of these 15 most satisfying jobs. You might be surprised at how quickly you fall in love with your work.

Least Satisfying Jobs in the World

According to several surveys from PayScale, CareerBliss, and U.S. News & World Report, the 15 worst jobs in the world include:

Parking Lot Attendants: You spend your days outside in all weather conditions, directing traffic and dealing with potentially entitled customers.
Printing Machine Operators: You have to stand for long periods at a time. It is also repetitive and tedious.
Fast Food Cooks: You work in a hot, greasy environment and deal with customers who can be insufferable.
Motorboat Mechanics: You work long hours in a hot, dirty, and noisy environment.
Dishwashers: You spend your shift scrubbing other people’s dirty dishes.
Cafeteria Attendants: You deal with food that has been dropped on the floor in addition to preparing and serving food to customers.
Laundry / Dry Cleaning Workers: You work long hours in a hot and humid environment. It’s not a ‘dry heat’.
Roofers: You work in extreme weather conditions and are exposed to heights.
Bartenders: You deal with customers who are often drunk and disorderly.
Cashiers: You deal with angry, impatient customers waiting in a long line.
Waiters: You serve rude and entitled customers.
Expediters: You work in a fast-paced environment and get paid less.
Home Furnishing Salespersons: You work in a boring sales environment and sometimes deal with angry customers.

The common denominator that makes these jobs tough is, in part, that the minimum wage is not at a minimum. A full-time worker who makes the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour would earn just $15,080 a year. That annual salary is $4,990 below the poverty line for a family of three and $2,870 short of the poverty line for a single person.

And it gets worse. According to the National Employment Law Project, the majority of minimum wage workers are employed by companies that bring in more than $1 billion in annual revenue. In other words, these aren’t small mom-and-pop shops we’re talking about. These large corporations can afford to pay their workers a livable wage, but they don’t.

Another problem that makes these jobs terrible is that they aren’t very flexible. With these jobs, chances are you can’t just pick up and leave whenever you want or need to. You have to work when your boss says so, which means if you have a family emergency or something else comes up, tough luck.

But when someone is barely scraping by, they are less likely to have that same level of engagement. And that’s something that can have a ripple effect throughout an entire company.

These jobs oftentimes don’t offer benefits like health insurance or paid time off. So when workers must choose between working and caring for themselves or their families, they will often choose the latter. That can lead to more absenteeism, which can, in turn, lead to lower quality work.

Finally, many of these jobs also have a high turnover rate. That makes it harder for employees to create relationships with each other. And when employees don’t feel like they have an excellent relationship with their co-workers, it can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

All of these factors can harm a company’s bottom line. And that’s why it’s so crucial for companies to ensure they offer fair pay and good benefits to their workers. Otherwise, they risk losing out on some of their best talents.

How Do You Measure Employee Engagement and Satisfaction?

So, how do you measure employee engagement and satisfaction? Through a survey? While that can be part of it, there are other ways to measure engagement. Let’s look at some of the methods you can use to get an accurate pulse on employee engagement in your organization.

Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is a vital tracking metric because it can significantly impact productivity and profitability. When employees are engaged, they are likelier to be productive and to stay with the company. Therefore, it is essential to ensure your employees are engaged and take steps to improve employee engagement if they are not engaged.

You can measure employee engagement through surveys. You can use an internal survey or an external one. There are pros and cons to both. An internal survey may be more accurate because employees feel more comfortable being honest with their employer. However, an external survey may provide more unbiased results.

Be careful with surveys, though. If not done correctly, they can create more problems than they solve. Make sure you ask the right questions and enable employees to provide honest feedback.

Another way to measure employee engagement is through performance reviews. They can be an amazing method if you have a system in place that is fair and objective. However, it’s crucial to remember that not all employees are comfortable with this type of feedback. You may instead consider using a mix of surveys and performance reviews to get a well-rounded picture of employee engagement.

Measuring employee engagement through team meetings in another avenue to try. It’s an excellent way to gauge engagement– with their work and the company entirely. If employees regularly attend team meetings and participate in discussions, it is a good sign they are engaged.

You could also measure employee engagement through exit interviews. They can be a valuable source of information about why employees are leaving and what you can do to improve engagement.

Finally, you can measure employee engagement through social media, too. If employees are talking about their work on social media, it is a good sign that they are engaged.

Once you have a good understanding of employee engagement levels, you can take steps to improve engagement. If survey results show that employees are not engaged, try to find out why.

Are there specific areas that need improvement? Are there certain employees who are not engaged? Once you have a good understanding of the problem, you can take steps to fix it.

Employee Satisfaction

Measuring and fostering employee satisfaction is essential for two reasons. First, satisfied employees are likelier to be engaged and productive. Second, satisfied employees are less likely to depart the company.

You can use the same survey that you use to measure engagement levels to measure employee satisfaction. In addition, your employee satisfaction survey questions can ask employees specifically about their job satisfaction, salary, and benefits.

You can also look at turnover rates to get an idea of employee satisfaction. If employees leave the company at a high rate, it could be because they are unhappy with their job.

Jobs with the highest satisfaction levels tend to be those offering a good work/life balance, opportunities for career growth, and fair pay. To improve employee satisfaction at your company, start by looking at these areas.

Hopefully, by now, you’ve figured out a solution or two to engage your employees. If not, and you’re in the residential home service industry, Wizard of Sales® is happy to be of service. Book a demo today and we’ll see how we can help!