Kiwi workers who were dissatisfied with their job reported lower overall satisfaction with life, poorer health outcomes, and felt their life was less worthwhile than satisfied workers, Stats NZ said today.
The Survey of working life 2018, conducted between October and December 2018, asked employed people about their work arrangements, employment conditions, and satisfaction with their job and work-life balance. While most people were satisfied with their job, 4.3 percent of workers, or about 113,000 people, were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their main job.
"Although the proportion of Kiwis who were dissatisfied with their job is relatively small, the number of dissatisfied workers is similar to the number of unemployed, and the negative impact on their wellbeing may be just as significant," labour market statistics manager Scott Ussher said.
"Having a job can boost a person's wellbeing, while unemployment tends to have the opposite effect. However, the quality of the jobs people do and how satisfied they are with them are also crucial factors," Mr Ussher said.
A lack of job security, low levels of autonomy, poor workplace relationships, and high levels of work-related stress are some of the job-related factors that were more evident in those who were dissatisfied.
Recent results from the General Social Survey 2018 also showed that people who were dissatisfied with their job had life satisfaction and life worthwhile scores that were similar to those who were unemployed. Those who were satisfied with their jobs, however, scored significantly higher.
Poorer overall health status and mental wellbeing were also more prevalent among dissatisfied workers.
| Mean | |
| Very satisfied/satisfied | 8.0 |
| Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied | 7.1 |
| Dissatisfied/very dissatisfied | 6.9 |
| Unemployed | 7.1 |
| 7.9 | 8.0 |
|---|---|
| 7.0 | 7.3 |
| 6.8 | 7.1 |
| 6.9 | 7.4 |
