Job Satisfaction: We've Reached A New Low

The pandemic produced something business school gurus called the “Great Resignation.” Workers dissatisfied with their compensation, working conditions, or their boss could quit and quickly find a better gig with better pay and benefits somewhere else. ?

The market was so pro-job seeker that many people changed jobs two or three times a year without any negative career consequences. ?

But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Today, workers know they can’t jump from job to job with impunity. If at all.? Now, many are frustrated and are complaining about their inability to leave their current jobs, as if job hopping was a Constitutional right.? It isn’t, and workers seeking a better deal will need to get in line. ?

The White-Collar recession has replaced the Great Resignation, and the aggrieved employers who felt hard done by in the Great Resignation are having the last laugh. More people are looking for jobs at the management and executive level than there are positions. ?

Employers hate, and I mean deeply hate when the workers achieve a quality of work-life advantage. But not to worry, employers, that employee-favored economy is over, and it won’t be coming back any time soon.

Now, here is the rub:? A recent Gallup poll reveals that only 18 percent of workers surveyed reported that they were satisfied with their current job, down two points from 20 percent a year ago.? We have reached a new low in that category.

Couple these distressing numbers with the perennially depressing polls regarding employee engagement—70 percent of the workers are not, according to Gallup—and you find there is a lot of work to be done at a time when workers feel stuck. Managers say they are being asked to do more—much more—with much less.

These numbers reveal a great opportunity for executives or managers seeking to establish an often-ignored career brand niche. Let me explain.

There is a real cost—rarely reported—for employees who are not engaged and whose morale is approaching resentment. There is a real cost for employee turnover. An enterprising executive or even a front-line manager can make a difference.?

There is an idea that culture must come from the top down, and I believe that to be true. But managers and executives can make a difference with their people, cutting through all the corner office employee relations “noise” and building strong, supportive relationships propelled by a true sense of empathy.? It all centers around how you treat — how you respect —? your employees as something much more than a fungible asset.

This approach can improve finances and bolster employee engagement,? improve productivity, and lift morale.? And you don’t have to ask for permission to do any of that.

Besides, that is the kind of resume accomplishment that wins the support of prospective employers, starting with HR.

Join Our Membership Community and Enhance Your Interviewing Skills

With a super-tight labor market for executives and managers, the person who interviews the best will get the job.? To win, you must be hitting 110 percent on all cylinders.

We can help you achieve that level of performance. John Self has a record of helping executives and managers elevate their interviewing skills across the US.

Become a member of our career community and save up to 40 percent on all of our coaching services, including our two interviewing skills packages.

?