How satisfied are Australians with their jobs?

The unemployment rate in Australia may be creeping up, but is this a reflection of a low level of satisfaction among those who are still in the workforce?

A recent study from Roy Morgan Research has indicated that while the number of employed Australians may be dwindling, those who are working remain satisfied on the whole with their jobs.

Analysing a pool of almost 10,000 Australians aged 14 and over in paid employment, Roy Morgan Research found that 26.7 per cent of respondents were working more than the standard 40 hours a week. Additionally, one in five of those worked over 60 hours every week.

However, it is worth noting that even those who worked prolonged hours claimed they were satisfied with their jobs. A third of Australians who worked more than 40 hours a week claimed they were "very satisfied" with their job, while an additional 43.9 per cent said they were simply "satisfied".

This is in contrast to the national average, with 42.9 per cent of Australians overall – regardless of their work hours – saying they were satisfied with their work.

Encouragingly, the proportion of workers who stated they were displeased with their job was much lower, with a paltry 2.4 per cent of Australians in paid employment saying they were "very dissatisfied" with their current job.

Norman Morris, industry communications director at Roy Morgan Research, outlined some of the factors that led to a satisfied employee.

He said in a November 20 statement that a healthy work/life balance, in addition to recognition in the workplace, was crucial to "maintaining job satisfaction and optimum performance."

As a recruitment agency, it is important that you match candidates to the right jobs in the first place so they can achieve and maintain a high level of job satisfaction.

The best recruitment software available these days has powerful search functions to locate the best candidates for a particular role, ensuring they find a job they'll enjoy.