Do Job Titles Deliver Worker Satisfaction?

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Employee satisfaction is a complex dynamic that has seen a steady decline over the last 15 years. While this is not true for all employers – or even most, as a general population employees are less satisfied at work than they were a decade ago.

This is likely related to many factors – including but not limited to cultural shits, the recent recession, an increase in telecommunications and constantly being tied in to work and of course, being expected to do more for the same salary. Of course – all businesses are interested in how they can improve worker satisfaction. Happy employees always outperform unhappy employees.

Unfortunately – we are often trying to increase employee satisfaction without detracting from our bottom line as business owners. With that being said, we have asked questions like “Do job titles deliver worker satisfaction?” and while the answer wasn’t exactly what we hoped, it was promising. Our research shows that while job titles contribute to employee satisfaction, they are not solely responsible for generating happy employees.

As we previously mentioned – employee satisfaction or “ESat” is a complex dynamic that includes the following:

  • Compensation
    • Job title: Directly effects – especially in large companies where there are pay thresholds based on titles.
  • Workload
    • Job title: If you call someone an analyst but they’re also managing people, they will likely feel as though their workload is not commensurate with their job title.
  • Work Perks
    • Job title: Things like tickets, flexibility, working from home, etc. Perhaps your company has a policy that only directors can work remotely – yet your analyst regularly is stuck working in the office until 8pm simply because of a title.
  • Career Pathing
    • Job title: Building your resume – a more impressive title leads to a better career path.
  • Workplace Environment/Culture
    • Job title: Respect – titles relate to the respect that individuals can command from their peers and colleagues.

We essentially identified that an individual’s job title has a trickle effect – we have shown how job titles impact the areas listed above. Particularly important is that job titles directly relate to the respect and authority – perceived or actual – that an employee has and this DOES weigh heavily on their satisfaction. Having a job title that is correctly aligned with their responsibilities and authority is extremely important and critical to an employee’s satisfaction.

Not sure how to align your job titles with responsibilities? Do you need more information or guidance on how to manage the complex structure of Esat? Contact us today for a free consultation!