Employee Satisfaction

What is employee satisfaction? 

Employee satisfaction is a term that is commonly discussed by HR professionals and employers. Employee satisfaction describes how content or happy employees are with their jobs. It is commonly measured by conducting anonymous employee satisfaction surveys regularly where employees are asked to rate their satisfaction in different areas of the job. Depending on the culture of the organization, employee satisfaction feedback can also be obtained by meeting with employees in small groups and asking them questions directly. 

Many factors influence employee satisfaction. Common examples are compensation, benefits, company leadership, company culture, work environment, teamwork, and resources. The specific elements that influence an employee’s job satisfaction depend on the individual. 

Is employee satisfaction the same as employee engagement? 

Employee satisfaction is important because it means employees are happy and content with their jobs. In part, it is a sign of a company’s overall health. However, organizations should also be careful in interpreting employee satisfaction. They should not just rely on having a good employee satisfaction rate. 

Employee satisfaction and employee engagement are concepts that both reflect positive things about the organization. While these two are seemingly similar at first glance, employee satisfaction and employee engagement are not the same. How are they different? 

Employee satisfaction covers the basic needs of the employees. It is a good starting point. However, contentment and satisfaction with a job do not necessarily translate to good work performance. Yes, it is an important indicator for retention but it is not a definite indicator for increased work productivity. An essential factor about employee satisfaction is that satisfied employees must also do their part and provide the work that the business needs. 

On the other hand, employee engagement is the extent to which an employee feels enthusiastic and passionate about their job. Employees who are engaged are more likely to give their best shot and go beyond the bare minimum. Good employee engagement leads to good work performance and productivity.