Employers added 136,000 jobs to the U.S. economy in September, resulting in the unemployment rate falling to 3.5%, its lowest level since 1969. While most Americans are no doubt satisfied with the state of the economy, how do they feel about their working conditions? Gallup has been measuring U.S. worker satisfaction across a range of different characteristics for the past two decades. According to its 2019 edition of the research, American workers are generally satisfied with most aspects of their jobs, though there are some areas where improvements could be made.
Satisfaction was highest with the physical safety conditions of the workplace with 74% of those polled saying they were completely satisfied, along with 20% who felt somewhat satisfied. The fractious political landscape doesn't seem to be having an impact on friendships at work and 92% of Americans were positive about relations with their co-workers. Despite warnings of a recession lying just around the corner, most people were also upbeat about their job security with 90% saying they were completely or somewhat satisfied.
When it comes to the areas that need improvement, health insurance benefits offered by employers was cited as the area with the least satisfaction with 64% of Americans content. Likewise, 36% of those polled said they were completely satisfied with the retirement plan offered by their employer with 30% stating they were somewhat satisfied. There is also a sense of frustration in some quarters when it comes to moving up the ladder. 44% felt completely satisfied with their chances for promotion while 29% were somewhat satisfied.
