Despite Tough Economy, Most Americans Happy on the Job, National Survey Finds

But National Survey Finds Job-Satisfaction Level Sees Sharp Decline from 2008
RICHMOND, Va.--(Business Wire)--
Americans are happy at work, just not as happy as they used to be.

According to a just-released national survey - the third annual SnagAJob.com
Labor Happiness Index - more than half of the U.S. workforce (58%) says they are
happy on the job, but that figure is down 7 percentage points, a significant
drop from 2008. The survey, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, polled more than
1,000 salaried and hourly employees across the country.

"Even as we continue to face layoffs and other corporate cutbacks, the majority
of the American workforce remains upbeat about their jobs," said Shawn Boyer,
founder and CEO of SnagAJob.com. "But on the whole, we`re not as happy. Ongoing
anxiety about the economy may well be chipping away at the happiness level."

In a climate that has seen 6.7 million U.S. workers lose their jobs (source:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), only one in four (24%) said their happiness
was based on the fact they were employed. A significantly higher percentage
(41%) said they were happy that their jobs give them personal satisfaction or
suit their lifestyle.

Even though many economists see a light at the end of the economic tunnel, the
economy remains at the forefront of most people`s minds. Mirroring last year`s
findings, the economy still is considered by most (56%) to be the No. 1 issue
facing America today, followed by healthcare (15%), immigration (6%), the war
(6%), the environment (5%), terrorism (5%) and the housing market (3%). In the
first SnagAJob.com Labor Happiness Index (2007), Americans were most concerned
about healthcare (21%) and the war in Iraq (20%); only 18 percent cited the
economy as the leading issue.

Most survey respondents (56%) believe that the economic climate has stabilized
but not yet begun to improve, but more than a third of workers (36%) fear that
the worst is yet to come. Only 4 percent think the economy has turned the
corner.

"It`s clear that most Americans are cautiously optimistic about their jobs and
the economy itself," Boyer said. "We believe the economy is moving in the right
direction based on the feedback we`re getting from hiring managers across the
country."

Unhappiness exists

Not everyone is happy, however.

Most of those surveyed (52%) report a decline in job security, saying that their
job is less secure than it was a year ago, and of those, only half (49%)
expressed happiness with their jobs. Conversely, seven in 10 (70%) of those who
think their jobs are secure say they are happy at work.

Although most people decided against making a career change last year (only 18%
switched jobs), of those that did, one-third (33%) said that they chose to do so
proactively because they were looking for a new opportunity. Only 25 percent
reported that they sought new employment because they had been laid off or
dismissed from their previous job.

Women/older workers are happiest

The survey found that women (64%) are among the happiest in the workplace, as
are workers between 34-54 years of age (64%), those over 55 (70%) and those who
are married (62%).

Income levels aren`t necessarily linked with overall job satisfaction. Three in
five (59%) earning less than $25,000 per year say they are happy with their job,
a figure nearly equivalent to those earning at least $50,000 (62%). Education
levels, however, are a factor, as 65 percent of those with a college degree
expressed happiness with their line of work compared to 54 percent of those with
a high school education or less.

Among the least happy are workers 18-34 years old (47%) and those who are not
married (51%).

Looking ahead

When asked what most concerns them in the long-term future, two in five (41%)
expressed concern over saving for retirement, their child`s education or other
large, future expenses. Other financial concerns include worrying about how
their family will be cared for (19%), paying bills (14%), their health (12%),
losing their job (7%) or a lack of job mobility (4%).

Looking to the future, four in five (77%) say they have no plans to look for a
new job now or in the near future and almost three in four (73%) say they are
not proactively thinking of changing their job. Married workers are even more
likely than those who are unmarried to stay put for the time being (79% vs.
61%).

"We`ve seen from past recessions that the hiring rebound can be fairly rapid,"
Boyer said. "If the experts are accurate in predicting the end of the recession
this fall, we expect that the New Year will afford job seekers a better
selection of opportunities and the opportunity for employers to compete for the
most talented employees."

Survey methodologies: SnagAJob.com`s third annual Labor Happiness survey,
conducted July 9-15, 2009 by Ipsos Public Affairs, was culled from a nationally
representative sample of 1,006 randomly-selected working adults aged 18 and over
residing in the U.S. They were interviewed by telephone via Ipsos` U.S.
Telephone Express omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are
considered accurate within +-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what
they would have been had the entire population of working adults in the U.S.
been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other
sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the
sample`s regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S.
population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

About SnagAJob.com:

SnagAJob.com, America`s largest hourly job Web site, has helped connect hourly
workers with quality full-time and part-time jobs in a wide range of industries
since 2000. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., SnagAJob.com also provides both job
seekers and employers with valued insights and a cutting-edge interface that are
unique to hourly employment. That, combined with more than 135 million annual
searches, about 17 million registered job seekers and approximately 100,000
active job postings, makes SnagAJob.com exceptionally qualified to share the
experiences of the hourly workforce with the rest of the country. Current
clients include DISH Network®, Verizon Wireless®, FedEx®, Boston Market®,
Chick-fil-A®, Bed Bath & Beyond®, Michaels® and Jiffy Lube®. Learn more about
the No. 1 source for hourly employment at SnagAJob.com.

For SnagAJob.com
Kelly Vance, 804-788-1414
kvance@hodgespart.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009