Majority of Americans Don’t Like Their Jobs

/in /by

Continuing Research Polls Show Job Engagement, Interest, and Satisfaction is Low Among U.S. Workforce

Pet Store Franchise Insights into the Conference Board

Working in a career pathway or job that you have passion for seems to be an evading sentiment. The pet store franchise, and many other sectors have found something better, but the majority of corporate America work a disgruntled 9-5.

In 1987, the Conference Board–New York Based nonprofit–began polling workers on various aspects of the work experience. The poll included questions on job security, satisfaction, sick leave, health plan, retirement, and the answers to these metrics show workers were significantly happier three decades ago.

There are many nonprofit polls and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analyzes worker contentment, but, objectively, they are all saying the same thing–people don’t like their jobs.  

Worker happiness plunged during the recession, but is slowly rising with 52.3 percent of workers reporting being satisfied with their job overall in 2014, and 50.4 percent in 2016.

This pet store franchise article aims to expound why these statistics are occurring and options for alternatives with more happiness, and more freedom.

What Makes an Employee Happy at Work?

The pet store franchise has our answers on why work is a joyful place, but to explain why others are reporting the opposite of happiness the answers lie in the details of the Conference Board poll.

59 percent of respondents said that “interest in work” gives them satisfaction, while 60.6 percent said the “people at work” is the basis for work happiness.

People need to be in a good team working on something that intrigues them. OK. But what about salaries? Of course many are purely fiscally motivated when their job does not align with their passion.

Those making $125,000 were  of course the most satisfied, reporting a 64.1 percent satisfaction rate with those making $15,000 or less having a 24.4 percent satisfaction rate, which is down over 27 points from reports in 2011.

Those in the middle aren’t reporting better numbers.

Employees earning anywhere from $50,000-$75,000 are also down over 45 percent points with their satisfaction rate falling at 44.4 percent.

The reason many individuals are unhappy with their salaries is because they are overqualified for their position. 50 percent of individuals polled hold a degree in their field, or have experience that should place them higher in the corporate ladder, but because the workforce is so saturated with experienced and educated workers, there simply aren’t enough jobs for everyone who qualifies, or is overqualified.

This results in nationwide low employee morale.  

The Good News

With the advent of technological development two things in the workforce have improved–physical environment and quality of equipment used.

The reasons for reported higher satisfaction is the ability to work remotely from home. Telecommuting has made it easier for 37 percent of the workforce to have a home office, according to Gallup. Also, in the past 30 years, equipment has improved. People are no longer using fax machines that outweigh an elephant.

In the past 30 years almost every industry has benefited from technology, and this includes the pet store franchise which now has access to software, equipment, and applications that expedite many of the old fashioned methods in the grooming industry. But the pet store franchise is not alone, almost every workplace can benefit from tech innovation.

The Bad News

The glass ceiling seems to be firmly above us. Equality in the workplace is happening, but it seems the American workplace is slow to move when it comes to civility. (Not in the pet store franchise).

26.1 percent of the men reported being satisfied with their promotion prospects while women  reported 21.4 percent, both significantly low. The gender gap doesn’t end in this metric. 38.3 percent of male respondents said they were happy with their wages with women falling 4 points underneath their male counterparts.

Men are also happier with their jobs. 47.8 percent reported contentment with women reporting 46.3 percent.

Anything else? Yes. People are also scared of getting fired, and rightfully so.

In 2005 in the pre-recession economical climate, 48.5 percent of American workers felt secure in their position. Layoffs, mergers, and buyouts all led to worker trepidation about their future in the company. After the recession the numbers have gone down almost two points, but still considerably lower than the 59.4 percent of employee expressing satisfaction with job security in the late 80’s.

What are the Options?

There are a number of reasons pointing to why Americans hate their jobs, don’t receive equal work for equal pay, or are constrained by the boundaries of traditional employment.

Hopefully you are not one of these workers. Hopefully you have found a job that you love–a job that harnesses your creative ideas and passions, compensates fairly, and promotional vertical mobility is in your future. If this is you, then you are in the fortunate slim minority.

Luck has nothing to do with it.

Anyone who found themselves in a seemingly fortuitous position entered this position through dedication and hard work, and this is why entrepreneurial ventures lead to people dissenting from the unhappy workplace–franchising. Many are becoming small business owners and opening their own franchise unit.

The pet store franchise allows small business owners to work in a field they love.

Franchise owners control their own schedule, and the people they work with, and delegate to. Success rates are remarkably higher with franchises, making job security something that you can measure. Owners of single unit franchises in the pet store franchise make on average 78K a year, with multi unit owners often making threefold this number.

Many women and minorities are beginning to dominate the franchise sector because it gives them the freedom to use their skills when corporate America wouldn’t.  These are a just a few reasons to explore the idea of owning your own pet store franchise, but for more click here.

Whether you are interested in a pet store franchise, have a job you are content with, or are just curious as to why people hate their jobs, please never settle. The American dream is very real, and very tangible.

We at Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique wish you luck, in all your endeavors.

Follow Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique: