When one has a job, the factors that most affect satisfaction have little to do with the line of work. In 2014, economists found that a one-percentage-point increase in unemployment lowers national well-being by more than five times as much as a one-point increase in the inflation rate. Several studies have linked a country’s unemployment level with suicide-rate increases.
Using data from the General Social Survey, I found that American adults who reported that they were “very” or “fairly” likely to lose their job in 2018 were more than three times more likely to say they were “not too happy” with their life than people who felt they were “not likely” to be let go. Unemployment is one of the biggest sources of unhappiness people can face. N o doubt a substantial chunk of the job-satisfaction percentage is due to the fact that having any job at all makes people happier. What matters is not so much the “what” of a job, but more the “who” and the “why”: Job satisfaction comes from people, values, and a sense of accomplishment. To be happy at work, you don’t have to hold a fascinating job that represents the pinnacle of your educational achievement or the most prestigious use of your “potential,” and you don’t have to make a lot of money. No way 89 percent of people have this, right?īut this belief is based on a misunderstanding of what brings job satisfaction. They find this statistic surprising because, like so many of us, they generally assume that to be satisfied, you must hold your dream job-one where your skills meet your passions, you make good money, and you are excited to get to work each day. I teach graduate students who have carefully envisioned their ideal career, many of whom are training to enter jobs in business or government. In 2020, despite the fact that millions of Americans had shifted to remote work, 89 percent said they were either “completely” or “somewhat” satisfied. The portion who say they are “completely satisfied” at work has risen dramatically over the past two decades, from 41 percent in 2001 to 55 percent in 2019.
“ How to Build a Life ” is a weekly column by Arthur Brooks, tackling questions of meaning and happiness.Į very year, Gallup asks a sample of American adults what might seem to be a rather loaded question: How much do you like your job? The results may surprise you.
0 kommentar(er)
