The ranks of the discontented are swelling. A new Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey found that 75% of the nation's employees are looking for a new job.
Many employees have been "trapped" in their jobs and they're ready for a change. Only half of U.S. workers are happy with their jobs, down from nearly 59 percent in 1995. And only about one in three said they are satisfied with their pay.
Compared to a decade ago, job satisfaction has declined among all types of workers. The long-term drop in job satisfaction has been driven by rapid changes in technology, employers' push for productivity and shifting expectations among workers.
Frustrated by skipped bonuses, promotion policies, skimpy benefits and excess work, many Americans would love to find fresh employment. The bottom line is many of today's workers have already checked out: they're more concerned with where their next job will be than they are about their current performance. And the first ones to leave will probably be the best workers.
Imagine what would happen if 20 or 30% of your best workers left over the next six months. What impact would their departure have on your organization.
John G. Agno, Certified Executive & Business Coach
Source: Conference Board survey by market research firm TNS based upon a representative sample of 5,000 households surveyed in July 2004.
