While there were no big surprises for the retail industry in this year's best employers list, when compared to another recently released workplace study, the Fortune "Best Companies to Work For" list gains much greater significance for U.S. retailers in 2010.
While Fortune was compiling its best employers list, the Conference Board, a non-profit management organization, was doing a study of its own. The Conference Board study revealed that job dissatisfaction in the U.S. is at its highest level in 23 years. According to the 2009 Conference Board job satisfaction study, here's how average American workers feel about their jobs:
- Only 12% are "very satisfied" with their jobs
- Only 34% are satisfied with their paychecks
- Only 28% are satisfied with the non-financial recognition they receive at work
- 22% are hoping to get a new job in the next year
The 13 million people who have no jobs at all probably read those statistics and find it hard to muster much sympathy for the people who still have regular paychecks, no matter how unsatisfying the workplaces behind those paychecks may be. The unemployed would probably also be willing to switch places with the 22% who are eager to leave their unsatisfying jobs so that they can take their turn on the unemployment line. That seems fair.
The most significant thing about this job dissatisfaction survey is... more>
