Job Satisfaction and Commitment on the Decline

Fewer than two-thirds of employees (64%) are satisfied with their jobs, according to the preliminary findings of a new survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting covering over 1,100 UK workers.  This figure represents a reduction of 10% since the survey was conducted three years ago.  Furthermore, fewer than 6 in 10 employees (59%) feel a strong sense of commitment to their organisation - a 5% decline since 2002.

Dr Patrick Gilbert, Head of Organisational Research and Effectiveness at Mercer, commented: "The employment market has become more buoyant in the last two years, so more employees are feeling restless and dissatisfied in their jobs.  With more opportunities available, people often think the grass is greener elsewhere."

He added: "When employment opportunities are limited, employees tend to have lower expectations and feel more satisfied with their jobs."

Mercer, which advises 70% of the FTSE 100 companies, also found that just 6 in 10 employees (60%) are proud to work for their organisation while only 65% believe they have a long-term future with their current employer.  "If employees respect senior management and feel their organisation is performing well, they´re more likely to feel proud and committed," said Dr Gilbert.  "Senior managers can help to build long-term commitment by communicating a clear vision of the company´s future and by defining career paths for their staff.  This approach can have a profound impact on organisational performance as committed employees deliver superior service, leading to improved customer satisfaction and a long-term source of competitive advantage."

Management behaviour

Just half of the survey respondents (50%) thought managers understood the problems facing employees in their jobs. "Organisations that encourage two-way communication are more likely to appreciate the problems facing employees.  Staff loyalty will increase if employers demonstrate empathy and support for their employees," commented Dr Gilbert.   

The survey also found that fewer than half the respondents (46%) felt encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things.  "The culture in many organisations is for management to give orders rather than gather ideas, so employees often feel unable to suggest improvements to work processes.  Organisations that fail to listen to employee suggestions could be missing a trick," said Dr Gilbert. "Employees are closest to operational issues and customer concerns and can provide timely information on how to improve business performance."

Notes to Editors: The results of Mercer´s What´s Working Survey are based on data collected from a survey of 1,119 working adults in Britain representing a broad cross-section of industries.  Respondents completed a survey about their perceptions of their job, organisation, work environment, compensation, benefits and the management of their organisation.  The weighted survey results are representative of the entire British workforce and individual industry sectors.  A similar survey was carried out in the UK in 2002.

Mercer has also carried out the What´s Working Survey in 18 countries where data has been collected from over 20,000 employees working in over 10,000 companies. 

Mercer Human Resource Consulting is the global leader for trusted HR and related financial advice, products, and services, with more than 14,000 employees serving clients in 145 cities and 41 countries and territories worldwide. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., which lists its stock (ticker symbol: MMC) on the New York, Chicago, Pacific, and London stock exchanges.

It is the largest HR consulting firm in the UK, with some 3,000 staff in 15 office locations. Website: www.mercerHR.com/ukpress