WASHINGTON — A new study shows that workers are happier at their current workplaces than in recent years, despite high inflation raising prices across the U.S.
The report comes from consultant company United Minds, which focuses on employee management. The firm surveyed 1,977 adults across 14 countries, working at companies with at least 500 or more U.S. employees.
The report highlights that workers across the globe largely reported more transparent and supportive workplaces than in years past, and more stability in the workplace.
In the past five years, the U.S. and world has grappled with a number of destabilizing events. The coronavirus pandemic upended many workplaces entirely, shifting them to remote work. The #MeToo movement shone a spotlight on gender discrimination and abuse in the workplace. And Black Lives Matter protests raised concerns about racial discrimination in the U.S.
In the years since these high-profile events, United Minds has found that workers feel their jobs have adapted positively, leading to a better working environment.
The group's survey found that 71% of workers agreed that their employer "doesn't tolerate discrimination, microaggression or harassment." Similarly, 70% of respondents said they could be "completely myself at work."
In fact, in almost all of the 40 categories surveyed by United Minds, there was an increase in positive responses from workers.
United Minds partly attributes the changes in work environment to the growing number of younger bosses.
"As Boomer leaders leave the workplace, they are being replaced by Gen X and Millennials, who research suggests have always been more attuned to the needs of employees and the need for an inclusive workplace culture," United Minds noted in their report.
United Minds did find that fewer people recommended their employer to others as a "great place to work." In 2014, 58% of respondents said they would recommend their employer. In 2024, around 49% said they would.
Similarly, 49% of employees actively encouraged others to buy their company's products in 2014, while only 37% said they did in the 2024 survey.
Most significantly, overall job satisfaction among the surveyed workers rose six percentage points over the past decade. Around 67% of workers reported feeling satisfied with their job, although only 31% felt strongly about being content.
While overall job satisfaction is up, employees are more open to new opportunities. Around 40% of employees said they would change jobs tomorrow if another opportunity presented itself, while only 35% reported the same in 2014.
The job market has been rather robust in 2024. May's hiring numbers released by the federal government show strong hiring trends. The U.S. added 272,000 jobs in May, with employers projecting confidence about the economy.
Large hiring numbers usually indicate that it is an "employees market" where companies are competing for a limited number of workers. In that environment, turnover is usually higher as workers seek better opportunities.
