Women are more satisfied with their jobs

July 25 2005 - Recent research in Australia and New Zeakand by Human Synergistics, a specialist NZ leadership and culture company, shows that men tend to be more dissatisfied at work.

The study was conducted in April to evaluate employee job satisfaction and staying-power in 182 New Zealand and Australian companies, using Human Synergistics’ Organisational Effectiveness Inventory (OEI). 11,658 individuals were involved and the conclusion was that generally women are much happier in their jobs, and are much more satisfied with their employment, than their male colleagues.

According to Shaun McCarthy, Chairman of Human Synergistics: "The OEI assesses virtually all internal factors and conditions that are likely to impact on an organisation's performance including its structures, systems, technologies and skills or qualities of its leaders. All of these elements contribute to an organisation’s culture and reflect, either positively or negatively, on employee job satisfaction."

"The findings have been interesting. Men tend to be more dissatisfied overall yet tend to stay with a job even though they’re less satisfied! Women, while more satisfied than men in their jobs, say they are very clear about the parameters for that happiness and satisfaction. If certain internal factors change in their employment then they quickly become dissatisfied and will leave an organisation," he said.

Men tended to gain job satisfaction from factors such as:

• receiving respect
• involvement
• fairness of appraisals
• heavy goal emphasis - e.g. when managers encourage high standards and best effort

Women are more relationship-oriented, valuing factors such as:

• consideration
• receiving respect
• respect for their manager
• low use of punishment

Lack of these factors will probably lower job satisfaction for female employees and would influence their decision to leave a job.

One factor was prominent for both men and women. The factor most strongly associated with job satisfaction was the provision of training and development. Both males and females will be dissatisfied in their jobs when there is a lack of adequate training and development.

"Such findings should be taken seriously by employers - the more understanding of the causal factors motivating job fulfillment the less employee dissatisfaction which often leads to costly employee turnover," said Shaun McCarthy.