Do you dread Mondays? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone.
According to Gallup, 90% of UK employees are unhappy at work.
The workplace news and insights website HR Grapevine reports that 70% of UK workers were seeking a new job at the start of 2024. The reason? Dissatisfaction with their current positions.
But what exactly is job satisfaction? And how do you go about finding it?
In this article, we look into these topics and more.
Related: How to become a digital nomad
What is job satisfaction?
Job satisfaction is a galactically large topic.
If you’re looking for a bite-sized definition, psychologist Edwin A Locke summed up the concept pretty neatly when he defined it as “a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job or job experiences.”
Beyond this short sentence, though, there are countless explanations and theories.
Let’s look at a couple of the most popular.
Range of Affect Theory
The same Edwin Locke that came up with the concise definition of job satisfaction above also developed a fuller theory of the concept.
Put very simply, his Range of Affect Theory suggested that:
Job satisfaction occurs when what a person wants from a job and what they actually get align.
He also suggested that the positive impact of this alignment is even more pronounced when it’s to do with an aspect of a job that the employee particularly values.
This theory offers some very clear guidance for bosses. It suggests that while it may not always be possible to ensure an employee is pleased with every aspect of their role, it’s important to make sure that their expectations are met in the areas of their job that are most important to them.
Motivator Hygiene Theory
Put forward by psychologist Frederick Herzberg, this theory suggests that job satisfaction is based on two main independent factors — one called hygiene and one called motivation.
The theory states that hygiene factors prevent job dissatisfaction while motivation factors increase job satisfaction.
Hygiene factors include the following:
- The presence of good working relationships with both supervisors and peers
- A good salary
- The availability of clear company policies and admin
- The fairness and competence of supervisors
- Good working conditions, access to tools, temperature and safety
Motivation factors include the following:
- The opportunity for growth
- Daily tasks that aren’t too easy or too difficult
- The autonomy to make decisions
- Getting praised or recognised for reaching goals and doing good work
- Seeing a positive result from work
Other factors in job satisfaction
More recently, the following elements have been said to play a role in job satisfaction in the UK (and there is some crossover with the more complex theories above).
Competent bosses
In October 2023 The Guardian Newspaper published ‘The key to employee satisfaction? Competent bosses.’
In it, Professor Amanda Goodall wrote: “Bosses have the largest effect on employee job satisfaction.
“Line managers need to have a deep understanding about the work of those they manage, and to a high standard. To motivate a team and be a mentor, to identify where someone may need help, and importantly, to assess the work of those being managed, a boss must know what good looks like and how to get there.
“The UK fails in this area. Often in this country, a generalist is put into line management or a key position of power. This is highly undesirable.”
Psychological Safety Climate
Organisational psychologists describe the Psychological Safety Climate as the shared belief amongst workers that their senior management team are committed to protecting their psychological health and safety.
Workers who experience a secure PSC usually feel safe to take a certain degree of risk in their jobs, for example, to:
- Experiment
- Learn and test ideas
- Speak out with new ideas in meetings and team situations without the fear of embarrassment or punishment
They also feel ‘inclusion safety,’ or the experience of feeling accepted as part of a team.
Less time on social media
A recent study in Germany found that employees who reduced their social media use to 30 minutes a day over the course of a week experienced an uptick in job satisfaction.
The study’s leading professor wrote:
“Even after this short period of time, we found that the group that spent 30 minutes less a day on social media significantly improved their job satisfaction and mental health.
“The participants in this group felt less overworked and were more committed on the job than the control group. The effects lasted for at least a week after the end of the experiment and even increased in some cases during this time.”
Free food?
Some studies have found that employees who work for companies that provide free food, such as breakfast, lunch or snacks, tend to classify themselves as ‘happy’ or ‘very happy at work.’ This is in contrast to those who work for companies that don’t provide any food.
The data set here is somewhat limited, though, and there’s a good chance that companies who care about their workers being well-fed will care about other aspects of their wellbeing, too.
What does job satisfaction look like in the UK today?
In 2022, the London and Paris Schools of economics put forward the concept of ‘full earnings’ in regard to job satisfaction.
Researchers from the schools suggested that ‘non-pecuniary’ rewards were just as important as cash income in bringing about job satisfaction. For example, a sense of autonomy at work and the opportunity to see tasks finalised can be deeply satisfying for workers.
The study claimed that when ‘full earnings’ were taken into account, workplace inequality was even greater in the UK than already estimated.
Why is job satisfaction important?
Research has shown that job satisfaction spills over into our home and personal lives and can impact a person’s mood when they get home as well as how well they cope with any negative situations that arise once they have left work.
Multiple studies have also linked low job satisfaction to health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Plus, job dissatisfaction has been linked to burnout.
Job dissatisfaction and burnout
Burnout has been described by the World Health Organisation as an ‘occupational phenomenon’ that leads to a state of physical and emotional exhaustion.
The common signs of burnout include:
- Feeling drained and tired
- Feeling helpless and defeated
- Feeling detached and alone
- Being negative and cynical
- Self-doubt
- Feeling overwhelmed
According to Mental Health UK’s Burnout Report, 93% of adults in the UK experience some of the symptoms of burnout.
The worrying thing is that burnout doesn’t go away on its own.
The underlying issues — workplace stress, job dissatisfaction and a lack of workplace plans to deal with burnout scenarios — have to change before it can be alleviated.
Related: Tips for handling web designer/developer stress
The most satisfying jobs in the UK
Research into job satisfaction has been taking place since the 1930s, so there are dozens of lists and reports on the UK’s most pleasing professions.
The ‘full earnings’ research mentioned above listed the following roles as amongst the most satisfying:
- Chief executives
- Construction workers
- Building trade supervisors
- Plasterers
- Tilers
- Decorators
- Pilots
- Sports coaches
- Fitness instructors
It also indicated that call centre workers, lawyers, IT support workers, local government administrators, hospital porters, kitchen assistants, bar staff, waiting staff and theme park attendants were some of the least satisfied people at work.
Another study, released by the Economic Research team at job search website Glassdoor, suggested that the following workers were amongst the most satisfied in the UK:
- Corporate recruiters
- HR managers
- Full stack engineers
- HR business partners
- UX designers
- Data scientists
- Marketing managers
The market data statistics website, Statistica, meanwhile, has suggested that the following industries have the happiest workers:
- Science and pharmaceuticals
- Creative art and design
- Environment and agriculture
- Charity and voluntary work
- Advertising and PR
- Accountancy
- Legal
- Leisure
- Engineering and manufacturing
- Marketing
Finally, job search site Indeed recently created this list of professions that come with job satisfaction but are also well-paid:
- Nurse practitioner
- Medical manager
- Corporate recruiter
- Marketing manager
- Physical therapist
- Human resources manager
- UX designer
- Software engineer
- Data scientist
- Dentist
- Enterprise architect
- Anaesthetist
So, which are the easiest professions from the above lists to get into?
4 high-satisfaction jobs that are easy to get into
Below are some of the best roles for a career change, taking into consideration factors like speed of re-training and cost to make the switch.
1. Fitness instructor
The fitness industry is growing in the UK. In 2023, the revenue of gyms and fitness centres alone was £1.8 billion, which was 4% more than in 2022.
Fitness instructor jobs come in all shapes and sizes.
To become a personal trainer, you’ll need to take a:
- Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instruction, which will allow you to work in gyms as a fitness instructor
- Level 3 certificate in personal training
Multiple private providers offer the training, and it can take as little as two weeks (full-time) to complete the Level 2 course. Costs start at around £600.
If you’ve got your heart set on a particular discipline of fitness (e.g. yoga or Zumba), you can take a dedicated course without the need for a Certificate in Gym Instruction. There are no prerequisites to becoming a Zumba instructor, for example, and you can qualify in as little as a day!
2. Professional organiser
The demand for professional organisers is on the rise in the UK. The career involves providing organisational services for individuals, families and sometimes businesses, including decluttering, tidying, space organisation and time management support.
Many professional organisers set up their own businesses, although there are franchise opportunities out there.
In terms of take-home pay, the UK jobsite Jooble suggests that professional organisers can earn between £25,464 and £84,505 a year, with the average worker taking home around £46,969.
3. Writer
It may come as a surprise, but you don’t actually need to have a degree or even A-levels to make it work as a writer.
Of course, you’ll need to know your its from your it’s and so on, but if you have a natural way with words, you can make this profession work for you with no training.
Clients usually want to see examples of work and past experience, so getting set up on a freelance writing site like Upwork is a good way to start.
Once you’ve got some experience and some good reviews on this site, you can put your prices up and then go in search of work beyond the site.
Related: Creative writing tips for web writers
4. Cake maker
While you can take college courses in cake making, many self-employed cake makers are self-taught, having turned a passion or hobby into a start-up business.
With an eye for cake design and a talent for baking (patience is key), a little practice can go a long way to getting you started in your career.
All you need is to get the right kit (if you don’t already have the right tools) and a few examples of your work, and you can go in hunt of clients.
Consider offering:
- Celebration cakes
- Themed cupcakes for occasions like Valentine’s Day or Halloween
- Cakes for parties, hen dos and baby showers
- Corporate cakes for events like product launches and team building days
You’ll also need a website and posts about your business on local social media community pages to drum up business.
Why not work for yourself?
The UK Household Longitudinal Study ‘Understanding Society’ recently reported that freelancing — aka being your own boss — can improve both well-being and job satisfaction.
All four of the jobs on our short list qualify as self-employment.
“Possibly, this result is explained by the high flexibility that freelancers enjoy in terms of workplace (home-based) and work rhythm,” say study researchers. “According to our data, freelancers indicate more often than the other employment groups to work from home and less often to have a fixed rhythm of work.”
Sheffield and Exeter University also recently found that self-employed people tend to be happier than those who are employed. The freedom that comes with being your own boss boosts both happiness and overall job satisfaction.
Related: British female entrepreneurs backing themselves to be their own boss
Behind every entrepreneur, there’s a website
No small business can afford to go without a website these days. After all, most people start their search for everything from restaurants to gyms and salons online.
A website can help you to:
- Look professional – it takes time and care to set up a website, and this reflects well on the overall quality of your business.
- It can help you find customers – 97% of internet users use search to find information about local businesses.
- It boosts your credibility. Websites are a great way to share testimonials, case studies and reviews from happy clients.
- A website delivers more than social media business pages alone, which come with many branding constraints. With a website, you can brand your site to the nth degree.
Not sure how to introduce your idea to the world? Read How to tell your business’s story (6-minute read).
Thanks to AI, getting a business website is fast
How much do you think it costs to launch a website? Thousands? Hundreds?
With GoDaddy Airo it can cost less than £20 to get a custom website.
All you do is type in a description of your business idea and the app will suggest catchy domain names for you to choose from.
Seconds after you register a domain, GoDaddy Airo™ instantly starts generating content for you, including:
- An eye-catching logo you can easily customise to suit your business
- A complete website with photos and text that will help your business engage and attract customers online (also customisable)
- Social media handles and pre-written social posts
Unless you plan to sell multiple items from your website, your only expense will be your domain name.
UK jobs with highest satisfaction summed up
Mondays don't have to be bring about dread. There are plenty of satisfying jobs out there - ones that put you in a positive emotional state when you think about them.
Whether you want to increase satisfaction levels in your current role or are looking for a position with greater satisfaction, you may want to brush up on the following...
- Rang of Effect Theory
- Motivator Hygiene Theory
- The notion of competent bosses
- Psychological safety climate
- The impact on social media on job satisfaction
Various different jobs have been identified as leading to high satisfaction over the years - from plasterers to fitness instructors. Getting into some of these fields may be easier than you think.
Alternatively, you could take the leap into being your own boss. You can launch that dream you've always had online in no time.
But whatever path you choose, commit to working towards a Monday that feels technicolour rather than boring old blue.
