Working for money now isn't as fulfilling as it once was

Making money now is coming with a hefty dose of dissatisfaction. New surveys are showing that job satisfaction hit an all-time low last year. According to the Conference Board, only about 45 percent of employees in the country are content with their current jobs. The recession is mostly to blame for the negative feelings toward employers. Millions of workers were laid off during the economic downturn and existing employees had to pick up the slack, with no extra bonus or pay raise.

Conference Board survey is telling

Job satisfaction has been on a decline since 1987, which is when the Conference Board first began keeping track. Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's Consumer Research Center, (see http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/moneyhappy/212163) said, "What we've seen over the last 22 years is that irrespective of whether the economy is boom or bust, the overall level of satisfaction expressed by the U.S. workers has been steadily declining across every single aspect of the job." Those aspects include job responsibilities, benefits, security, promotions, bonuses, communication, recognition, wages and potential for growth.

The reason for a decline in job satisfaction

One of the main reasons why workers are no longer satisfied with their jobs is that people feel they can't get ahead. Franco said, "Household incomes, adjusted for inflation, have stagnated since 2000. Meanwhile, out-of-pocket costs for health insurance have risen sharply." The added strain of health care has put pressure on workers to expect more from their employers in terms of pay and benefits, neither of which are flourishing. Some people are opting for better-paid but less-rewarding jobs to keep up with the cost of living. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Working for money now isn't as fulfilling as it once was"