While 10 per cent of Americans may be unemployed as the United States battles its way out of recession, those who have kept their jobs don"t seem to be much happier, according to dpa. Just 45 per cent of US employees are satisfied with their current jobs, according to a survey released Tuesday by the New York-based Conference Board. That is the lowest level since the first survey in 1987, when 61.1 per cent declared themselves happy. In 2005, the last survey, 52 per cent expressed satisfaction with their employment. The Conference Board interviewed 5,000 people at 227 global firms in the United States in 2008-2009. The survey found that 22 per cent of those interviewed did not expect to be in the same job a year from now. Other reasons for dissatisfaction at work included lack of interest, job security and managerial quality. Lynn Franco, director of research, said companies are risking lower productivity levels and ignore the happiness of employees at their own peril. "Through both economic boom and bust during the past two decades, our job satisfaction numbers have shown a consistent downward trend," Franco said. That trend "could spell trouble for the overall engagement of US employees and ultimately employee productivity."
