¶ … Conference Board regarding the level of employee satisfaction in the United States. The report finds that the number of Americans who are satisfied with their jobs is 50%, down from 60% in 1995. Only 14% of those surveyed claimed to be very satisfied. The article them summarizes some of the causes for the decline. Among them are rapid technology changes, changing employee demands and increased productivity demands from the employers. The survey found that younger workers tend to view the role of work in their lives differently than the baby boom generation. The survey also noted no correlation between higher pay and higher job satisfaction. Further demographic and geographic breakdowns of the data were stated. This article is relevant to the topic of employee satisfaction because it paints a picture of the current state of job satisfaction in the U.S., in comparison with a decade previous. Moreover, it helps to outline some of the broader factors that are critical components of job satisfaction and those that are not.

The WSJ article by Kelly Spors outlines the case for improving employee satisfaction in the workplace. Spors compares then argues for and against improving satisfaction. The case against is related to the cost of increasing satisfaction; the author argues that this is not borne out by academic study of the issue. Spors outlines several academic studies that support the notion that employee satisfaction is correlated to corporate success. Among the benefits cited are better retention, improved margins and higher stock price. These benefits are beyond those accrued from having an innovative product or unusually high revenues. In addition to outlining the case for improving employee satisfaction, the research linked to the article provides the basis for further study of each of these issues in depth.

Works Cited

Franco, Lynn. (2005). U.S. Job Satisfaction Keeps Falling. Conference Board. Retrieved November 16, 2008 at http://www.conference-board.org/utilities/pressdetail.cfm?press_id=2582

Spors, Kelly. (2008). Why Employee Satisfaction Bolsters Profitability. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 16, 2008 at http://blogs.wsj.com/independentstreet/2008/09/22/why-employee-satisfaction-bolsters-profitability