What's to Blame for Tanking Job Satisfaction?

The Conference Board released its latest survey of Americans' job satisfaction this week and the numbers are not good. The number of Americans who are happy at work has fallen to 45 percent from a high of 61 percent in 1987. Among workers under 25, only 36 percent say they're satisfied.

The results were widely reported with many analysts pointing a finger at the recession, but awesomely outspoken blog Punk Rock HR has another interpretation: "The survey reflects the overall decline of the employee/employer covenant during the past twenty years." The post goes on to have a bit of a rant at employers, creating a list of dubious developments that have not worked out well for employees:

• You asked us to accept 3 percent merit increases.
• You told us we would have company-sponsored health care.
• You changed our retirement plans and offered us a new pension that had the potential to earn more money as the stock market did better.
• You said unions weren't in our best interests.
• You said that it was okay to create a knowledge-based economy and move our manufacturing jobs to China and India.

Hmmmm. I wonder why American workers are dissatisfied with their jobs?

The job market is like the housing market. Movement is frozen. No one can leave a job because of health care, poor credit, and equity (that may or may not really exist) in their company. We are stuck and we are dissatisfied.