Worker satisfaction has been in the spotlight lately. From the “Great Resignation” of 2021 to the “Quiet Quitting” trend of 2022, we’ve seen what worker dissatisfaction can do, and in a tight labor market, that matters to employers.
But what do American workers really think of their jobs?
We’ve collected these recent statistics to give a better overview of job satisfaction and employee engagement in the US and globally, how it has changed, and how it differs by generation, region, qualifications, and more.
Key Findings
- 49% of American employees say they are completely satisfied with their jobs.
- Only 21% of employees globally are engaged in their work.
- Nearly 7 in 10 (66%) of American workers say they are completely satisfied with their job security.
- 41% of American workers are very satisfied with their health insurance benefits.
- 36% of employees in the US report being completely satisfied with their salaries.
Job Satisfaction Statistics
Job Satisfaction in the US
Based on recent Gallup survey findings, 49% of employees on a full-time or part-time basis in the US claim to be completely satisfied with their job.
Nearly 9 in 10 (88%) of American employees say they are at least somewhat satisfied with their current job.
The share of American employees completely satisfied with their job has decreased from an all-time peak of 56% in 2020 to 49% in 2022.
Only 4% of employees in the US claimed to be completely dissatisfied with their workplace in 2022[1].
Note: Table excludes “No opinion” responses.
Job Satisfaction By Characteristics
When asked to rate job satisfaction by specific characteristics, American employees reported the highest satisfaction with physical safety standards, with 75% reporting “complete satisfaction”, and the lowest with on-the-job stress: only 36% were completely satisfied with the amount of stress at their workplace[1].
Note: Table excludes “No opinion” responses.
Job Satisfaction Among Digital Workers Worldwide
Digital workers are professionals who use digital technology at their work daily. Digital skills are categorized as:
- Basic (email, word processing)
- Intermediate (data analysis, drag-and-drop applications)
- Advanced (application development, artificial intelligence)
Based on the AWS Global Digital Skills study, advanced digital workers reported higher job satisfaction (72% of respondents ranked their job satisfaction as an 8 or higher on a 10-point scale) than their peers with a lower level of digital skills (48% for intermediate, 43% for basic)[2].
Employee Engagement Statistics
Global Employee Engagement by Year
Employee engagement refers to “the involvement and enthusiasm of employees in their work and workplace”.
In 2021, 21% of employees worldwide reported that they are engaged at work, a 1 percent point increase over the past year.
The share of engaged employees globally has been rising steadily since 2009, from 12% up to an all-time peak of 22% in 2019[3].
Employee Engagement by Region
According to Gallup research, 33% of employees in the United States and Canada are engaged at work, 12 percentage points higher than the global average, the highest figure among regions[4].
Employees in Europe are reported to have the lowest share of engaged employees, at 14%.
Employee Engagement in the US
In 2022, 32% of US full-time and part-time employees said they were engaged at work, while 18% of American employees said they are actively disengaged in the workplace.
Through the survey period from 2020 to 2022, the share of engaged employees ranged between 26% and 36% of employees, meaning the vast majority of employees in the US do not consider themselves to be engaged at their workplace[5].
Employee Engagement in the US by Generation
Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are the generation group with the highest share of engaged employees among the American working population at 33%, 1 or 2 point percent higher than employe in other generation groups.
Over half (54%) of Generation Z and Younger Millennials (born in 1989 or after) claim to be not engaged at their workplace, with a similar share among other generations[6].
Worker satisfaction is a real concern for employers. Recruitment and training are expensive, and in a tight labor market, it’s not always possible for employees to replace workers that leave or scale down their efforts. Understanding the basic patterns of worker satisfaction and dissatisfaction can help employers plan for the future and retain the people they need to succeed.
