When it comes to job satisfaction, employees and employers sometimes view their work experience through a different lens according to a recent survey.
The top five contributors to job satisfaction, according to employees, are as follows:
- compensation/pay
- benefits
- job security
- flexibility to balance work/life issues
- communication between employees and senior management
When human resource professionals were asked to predict the top five contributors to job satisfaction, here was their ordered list:
- relationship with immediate supervisor
- compensation/pay
- management recognition of employee job performance
- benefits
- communication between employees and senior management
Show Me the Money
Employers underestimate the value of compensation and benefits in attracting and retaining high quality employees.
Employers overestimate the value of supervisory relationships and employee recognition programs.
A summary of the survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is available at DiGiTAL50.com.
What to Do Next
So, what if you feel your current employer is not making a significant contribution to your job satisfaction? It could be time to identify another employer. Two recent articles in The Wall Street Journal shed some light on effective job search strategies.
Stand Out: Join the Crowd
The first article encourages passive job seekers to become more visible by joining and participating in professional organizations. To learn how networking can lead to job referrals access If You Want to Stand Out, Join the Crowd.
LinkedIn: The Right Way
The second article explores the value of expanding your network via a service such as LinkedIn. The Right Way to Use LinkedIn offers advise for developing your contacts and enhancing your reputation in the marketplace.
Conclusion
Here is Beantown Web's four-step (JADE) plan to increase your job satisfaction:
- Join a professional network
- Attend networking functions
- Develop your professional contacts
- Enlist your network to help you find a more satisfying job
This FREE event is sponsored by O'Reilly Media, Inc. In addition to learning about Web 2.0 start-ups and making new LinkedIn contacts, you can register to win $300 worth of O'Reilly books of your choosing! Simply send an email to IgniteBoston at oreilly dot com.
