What Is the Relationship Between

Job Satisfaction & Age?

by Frances Burks, Demand Media
Younger workers tend to be more dissatisfied with their jobs.
Some job surveys indicate that older workers are more satisfied with their
jobs than younger workers. The higher job satisfaction among older
employees may be due to the perks that come with maintaining a long
career, including higher salaries, better benefits and success in the
workplace.
Conference Board Survey

A 2010 survey of 2,900 people commissioned by the Conference Board

research firm indicates that all Americans are increasingly unhappy with
their jobs no matter their age. However, "Washington Post" writer Carol
Morello reported that some pollsters question Conference Board surveys,
asserting that the phrasings of questions about job satisfaction are open to
interpretation. The respondents were asked to rate their job satisfaction on
a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 indicating the least satisfaction. According to
Morello, just 45 percent of respondents marked a 4 or 5 in their response.
Gallup-Healthways Survey

A 2011 survey done as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index

found that 87.5 percent of nearly 62,000 respondents are satisfied with
their jobs. Senior citizens have the highest level of job satisfaction among
U.S. workers, with nearly 95 percent of seniors reporting that they're
satisfied with their work. Job satisfaction generally increases with age,
according to the survey. For example, 84 percent of survey respondents 18
to 29 reported being satisfied with their jobs. However, 87.5 percent of
respondents 30 to 44 reported being satisfied with their employment.
Older Workers' Satisfaction

Links between job satisfaction and age may still be valid despite differences
in survey results. For example, Morello noted that the head of the University
of Chicago polling center asserted that age is the best measure of job
satisfaction among employees, considering that people in their 50s are
usually the most satisfied with their jobs. People in their 50s have usually
discovered which field they excel in and they've had a history of good work
in their field that has led to promotions and respect from their bosses. As a
result, people who are 50 and older often have more autonomy at work and
earn higher salaries than younger workers do.
Younger Workers' Disatisfaction

"Los Angeles Times" writer Tiffany Hsu reported the Conference Board
survey showed that only about 36 percent of people under age 25 are
satisfied with their jobs. Hsu reported that a workplace consultant tied the
high job dissatisfaction among younger employees to unrealistic
expectations due to their desire to work in an engaging, fast-paced

environment. Their dissatisfaction with their work may result from

discovering that many companies are resistant to change. Furthermore,
younger workers may get frustrated with co-workers who are satisfied with
mediocrity.

The Job Characteristics and

Theories of Job Satisfaction
by Samantha Hanly, Demand Media
Various components are considered necessary to an employee's job
satisfaction. These include pay, promotion, benefits, supervisor personality,
co-workers and safety on the job. These job characteristics affect how an
employee feels on the job. There are other, more subtle influences on
employee job satisfaction, including personality types and elements of
workplace culture.
Personality

According to the authors of Five Factor Model of Personality and Job

Satisfaction, five personality characteristics have a major impact on job
satisfaction. These traits are neuroticism, extraversion, openness to
experience, conscientiousness and agreeableness. Neuroticism is the only
one of the five directly related to lack of job satisfaction. The more neurotic
an individual, the less likely he will be satisfied on his job. On the other
hand, people who have a high degree of any of the other four traits have a
better chance of being satisfied on the job.
Motivational Framework

One theory suggests that an employee's job satisfaction is directly related

to what he thinks he deserves or what he thinks is important, rather than
the fulfillment of his needs. For example, an employee may be able to make
ends meet on a $25,000 salary. If the employee thinks he deserves
$25,000, he will experience job satisfaction. If he thinks he deserves
$32,000 per year, he will be unsatisfied in his employment.
Related Reading: What Are Ways to Improve Job Satisfaction as a
Manager?
Social Influence

The hypothesis of social influence in job satisfaction suggests that

employees want what they think their co-workers want. For example, if the
workplace culture is one in which employees want authority over their
projects, a new hire will feel satisfied when he is given responsibility for a
project. However, a new hire who perceives that other workers are
jockeying for time off will want to see how much time off he can get. The
social influence hypothesis links job satisfaction to getting what you think
others want.
Self-Deception

Amir Erez and Timothy A. Judge of Cornell University conducted research

into the role of self-deception in employee job satisfaction. They found that

employees with a subjective sense of personal well-being were more likely

to experience job satisfaction. They also discovered that employees who
engage in some self-deception were more satisfied in their lives and in their
jobs. The researchers defined self-deception as holding positively biased
views of oneself, ignoring minor criticisms offered by others, discounting
their own failures, avoiding negative thoughts and expecting a high level of
success in their own efforts.

What Causes Job Satisfaction?

by Ann Frederick, Demand Media

Workers in higher-paying jobs report higher satisfaction levels.

Related Articles

What Are the Causes of Job Satisfaction in the Workplace?

The Job Characteristics and Theories of Job Satisfaction

Dimensions of Job Satisfaction

Job Satisfaction & Motivation Benefits the Workplace

Links Between Motivation & Job Satisfaction

How to Improve Job Satisfaction With Promotions

Most American workers feel satisfied with their jobs, according to a 2011
Gallup survey. The poll found 87.5 percent of employees 18 and older are
satisfied with their work. Gallup says job satisfaction generally increases
with age, and seniors reported the highest level at 94.8 percent. Men and
women reported equal levels of job satisfaction in the 2011 survey.
Although the companys research also links higher income levels to higher
satisfaction levels, pay is not the only major factor that leads to job
satisfaction.
Rewards

Employees are more satisfied when they feel they are rewarded fairly for
the work they do, notes the National Business Research Institute. An
institute survey of more than 15,000 workers found that employees who
feel they are rewarded fairly experience less job-related stress. Rewards
dont mean compensation alone, however. Health insurance, dental
insurance, vacation time and retirement plans also fall into this category.
Opportunities

Workers want to be able to use their skills and abilities in a way that
contributes to the organization, says the Society for Human Resource
Management. In addition to promotional opportunities, workers also want
to be challenged on the job. The National Business Research Institute
recommends employers offer jobs with increasing levels of leadership and
responsibility and give promising employees a role in interesting projects.
Related Reading: Things That Make Job Satisfaction Go Down
Supervision

Job satisfaction increases when employees have a good relationship with

their immediate supervisors. Workers want input on the decisions that
affect them and adequate freedom to do their jobs, advises the NBRI.
Increased autonomy can give employees a greater sense of responsibility
for the outcomes of their work and, in turn, may increase their satisfaction,
the SHRM research finds. Communication between workers and an
organizations leadership also plays a strong role in job satisfaction.
Managers should share information with employees regularly and open the
door for two-way communication. Employees should also have avenues to
share feedback and suggestions with management.
Job Security

Employees enjoy their work more when they arent worried about losing
their jobs. In the SHRM survey, employees of mid-sized and large
businesses placed more weight on job security as a job-satisfaction factor
than workers at small companies did. Male employees considered job
security a more important factor in satisfaction than female staff members
did.
Job satisfaction, like wine, gets better with age

Not happy with your job? Just wait.

A study by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

finds that 9 in 10 workers who are age 50 or older say they are very or
somewhat satisfied with their job. Older workers reported satisfaction
regardless of gender, race, educational level, political ideology and income
level.
Consider Oscar Martinez.
If Disneyland truly is the happiest place on earth, Martinez may be one of its
happiest workers.
Never mind that at 77, the chef already has done a lifetime of work. Or that
he must rise around 3 a.m. each day to catch a city bus in time for breakfast
crowds at Carnation Caf, one of the park's restaurants. With 57 years
under his apron, he is Disneyland's longest-serving employee.
"To me, when I work, I'm happy," said Martinez, who's not sure he ever
wants to retire.
Though research has shown people across age groups are more likely to
report job satisfaction than dissatisfaction, older workers consistently have
expressed more happiness with their work than younger people have.
The AP-NORC survey found significant minorities of people reporting
unwelcome comments at work about their age, being passed over for raises
and promotions, and other negative incidents related to being older. But it
was far more common to note the positive impact of their age.
Six in 10 said colleagues turned to them for advice more often and more
than 4 in 10 said they felt they were receiving more respect at work.
Older workers generally have already climbed the career ladder, increased
their salaries and reached positions where they have greater security, so
more satisfaction makes sense, says Tom Smith, director of the General
Social Survey, one of the most comprehensive polls of American attitudes.
"It increases with age," said Smith, whose biannual survey is conducted by
NORC at the University of Chicago. "The older you are, the more of all these
job-related benefits you're going to have."
Looking at the 40-year history of the GSS, the share of people saying they
are very or moderately satisfied with their jobs rises steadily with each
ascending age group, from just above 80 percent for those under 30 to
about 92 percent for those 65 and older.
But as in the AP-NORC survey, the age gap grows among those who derive
the greatest satisfaction from their work, as 38 percent of young adults
express deep satisfaction compared with 63 percent age 65 and up.
Smith says earlier in life, people are uncertain what career path they want
to take and may be stuck in jobs they despise. Though some older workers
stay on the job out of economic necessity, many others keep working

because they can't imagine quitting and genuinely like their jobs.
Eileen Sievert of Minneapolis can relate.
The French literature professor at the University of Minnesota used to think
she would be retired by 65. But she's 70 now and grown to love her work so
much, it became hard to imagine leaving. She's instead just scaled back her
hours through a phased-retirement program.
"I just like the job," she said. "And you don't want to leave, but you don't
want to stay too long."
Walter Whitmore, 58, of Silver Springs, Ark., feels the same. He says he has
plenty of things to occupy him outside of his account representative job at
a grocery distributor, but having a reason to get out of the house each day
brings a certain level of fulfillment. He sees working as keeping him vibrant.
"It wasn't a goal to live to do nothing. You live to accomplish things," he
said. "You have to maintain that functionality or you turn into Jell-O."
Robert Schuffler, 96, still reports for work most days at the fish market he
opened in Chicago decades ago. He has turned over ownership to a
longtime employee, but he can't imagine not seeing the customers he has
known so long, and who still show up with a warm smile, a kiss for Shuffler
and a shopping list. His job does more than just keep him feeling young: It
keeps him happy.
"It's like some guy would make a million dollars today," he said. "He's very
happy with the day. I'm very happy being here."
Is job satisfaction U-shaped in age?
1. Andrew Clark1,*,
2. Andrew Oswald2 and
3. Peter Warr3

Article first published online: 17 AUG 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8325.1996.tb00600.x
1996 The British Psychological Society
Issue

Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology

Volume 69, Issue 1, pages 5781, March 1996

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Abstract

Cited By

Get PDF (1490K)

It is generally believed that job satisfaction increases linearly with age.

However, there are persuasive arguments, and some empirical evidence,
that the relationship is U-shaped, declining from a moderate level in the
early years of employment and then increasing steadily up to retirement.
This paper investigates that relationship, using survey responses from a
large sample of British employees. For overall job satisfaction, satisfaction
with pay, and satisfaction with the work itself, a strongly significant U-shape
is observed. Ordered probit techniques, which take account of the
ordinality of satisfaction data, are used to analyse the relationship between
these forms of satisfaction and a large set of individual and job
characteristics. Despite the inclusion of 80 control variables, significant
coefficients persist for the age and age-squared variables (the latter
representing the non-linear component). The paper thus provides strong
evidence for a U-shaped relationship between age and job satisfaction.
Furthermore, it is shown that a similar age pattern occurs for employees'
context-free mental health, suggesting that both job satisfaction and
context-free mental health are affected by non-job factors of life-stage and
personal circumstances. The importance of changes in expectations with
increasing age is emphasized.

Display Settings: Abstract

Send to:
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1998 Sep;53(5):P287-93.
The age and job satisfaction relationship: does its shape and strength still evade
us?
Bernal D1, Snyder D, McDaniel M.
Author information
Abstract

Many investigations have examined the relationship between age and job
satisfaction. However, various types of relationships have been reported
across studies: positive linear, negative linear, U-shaped, inverted U-shaped
or inverted J-shaped, or no significant relations. Such conflicting results
have left the true nature of the relationship unresolved. The present study
used a large national probability sample of workers (N = 1,095) to
investigate the shape and strength of the age--job satisfaction relationship.
Results indicated a significant but weak positive linear age--job satisfaction
relationship. That is, age failed to explain a substantial proportion of linear
variance in our job satisfaction measure. This indicates that age, as a
chronological variable, is not a viable predictor of job satisfaction. Future
research attempting to explain age differences in job satisfaction should
instead focus its attention on other more pertinent psychological variables
associated with the underlying aging process.

Money, Gender and Job

Satisfaction
By Catherine Rampell

November 18, 2009 5:34 pm November 18, 2009 5:34 pm

Sure, the typical woman earns less than the typical man, even when
controlling for factors like career choice, education and experience.
But hey, money isnt everything, right?
PayScale recently shared with us its analysis of job data broken down by
gender, based on its gigantic database of user-reported salaries. In addition
to wage statistics for men and women, the company also looked at gender
differences among some of the softer job features, including job
satisfaction, for college graduates.
Men and women are about equally likely to say that they are satisfied with
their jobs; about 65 percent of both sexes say they are satisfied. Plus, for
both sexes higher job satisfaction is associated with higher job pay.
But it typically takes a lot less money to get women to say they are satisfied
with their work than it does to get men to say it.
The chart below shows the median salary for male and female college
graduates at various levels of job satisfaction (note that the vertical axis
does not start at zero):

PayScale
The median pay at a given level of job satisfaction, for only people with
bachelors degrees and higher.

At every given level of job satisfaction, the typical man earns more than the
typical woman. In fact, the most professionally satisfied women earn about
as much as the least professionally satisfied men (men who say they hate
their jobs), with both groups earning salaries in the low $50,000s.
The line is also steeper for men than for women, implying that bumping
men into a higher-satisfaction group requires a bigger increase in pay than
women would need to in order to go up a satisfaction level. (Remember,
though, that this is a cross-section of college graduates, and not a
controlled longitudinal study that looks at what happens to a given
persons job satisfaction as his or her salary goes up.)
In other words, perhaps one compensating factor for womens depressed
compensation is that their satisfaction with their jobs is less dependent on
pay.
Its hard to know what to make of this pattern. Does it mean women are
bargaining less aggressively for higher pay because they dont care as
much? Have they resigned themselves to the idea that since they cant earn
as much as men, even for equal work, they need to find other ways to
assess their careers?
Perhaps this difference is reflective of the mens and womens divergent
priorities in their career choices. After all, much of the overall gap between
mens and womens earnings can be explained by the types of careers they
choose (or others might argue, the types of careers available to them).
Women are more disproportionately represented in industries like health
care and education, for example, that are less lucrative than some maledominated fields but that are as public subsidies might indicate
generally viewed as contributing to the public good.
Supporting this theory is another PayScale statistic: Women were more
likely to tell PayScale that say they find their jobs very meaningful than
men were, with 35 percent of women and 27 percent of men describing
their jobs this way.
Womens contentment with their jobs at lower levels of pay, of course, does
not justify paying them less than men for equivalent work. But it may help
explain why the gender pay gap is allowed to persist.