Tell me how you really feel: findings from a career pulse check survey

As a career coach, I often encounter clients at a time of wanting – wanting a new job, wanting more clarity, or wanting more satisfaction in one way or another. But satisfaction can be a hard thing to nail down; it’s the result of a whole host of factors, and those inputs are different for everyone. Many workers, reeling from a pandemic, economic uncertainty, burnout, political instability, and major shifts in workplace expectations, are reevaluating what satisfaction at work means to them.

To better understand how professionals are navigating this moment, I conducted a career pulse survey to uncover what’s working, what’s not, and what people really want from work.

The survey collected 76 responses from professionals across a wide range of industries, and the results highlight a mix of shared challenges and opportunities, offering a glimpse into how people are finding – or struggling to find – fulfillment at work. Each response serves as a reminder that satisfaction is deeply personal, shaped by values, goals, and circumstances.

Understanding what drives satisfaction is critical for both helping individuals take meaningful steps towards improving their work lives, and for helping employers create sustainable, productive workplace culture. These findings aren’t just data points; they’re a reminder that satisfaction isn’t intangible or impossible to shift; it’s a byproduct of policies, rituals, and habits that we can pay attention to and manipulate.

Key takeaways

Work life balance, company culture, and relationships with colleagues are the greatest drivers of satisfaction for the majority of respondent.
There was no correlation between remote, in-person, or hybrid work arrangements and job satisfaction.
Company leadership and compensation were the greatest contributors to dissatisfaction at work.
The rising cost of living was a significant factor negatively impacting workplace satisfaction, even among high earners.
Of those looking for work, a majority of respondents reported being optimistic about their job search, reflecting the resilience of the job market.

Drivers of satisfaction at work

Overall

A resounding 78.9% of employed respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their current roles. When asked to elaborate on what they enjoy most about their work, many highlighted positive relationships with colleagues and the impact that they have in their roles.

In my work with clients, we often encounter these intrinsic drivers. Understanding what motivates you, whether it’s collaboration, recognition, or a sense of purpose, can significantly enhance one’s job satisfaction.

Salary

At its core, work is a transaction of time and labor in exchange for salary, so I was keen to look at the relationship between compensation and happiness, and the connection is clear as day! Unsurprisingly, most folks that felt satisfied with their salary also felt satisfied with their work overall.

A striking 72% of all respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their salaries, likely reflecting the wage gains many workers have experienced since 2020.
Among this group, 89% also reported overall job satisfaction.

On the flip side, dissatisfaction with compensation had a noticeable impact:

50% of those unhappy with their pay also expressed dissatisfaction at work, compared to just 20% overall.

These findings highlight how compensation plays a pivotal role in shaping employees’ feelings about their jobs.

Remoteness

Curiously, satisfaction remained constant across remote, hybrid, and fully in person work environments. Personally, I was interested to see whether or not remoteness would help or hinder these scores, and the data suggest that satisfaction can be achieved in all three levels of remoteness:

An impressive 85% of respondents reported being satisfied with their work-life balance.
Satisfaction climbed to 89% among fully remote employees, including those with employer-sponsored coworking spaces.
Satisfaction held steady at 85% for hybrid workers.
Even among fully in-person employees, satisfaction remained high at 82%.

These results suggest to me that different approaches work for different companies and people. This might sound obvious, but given how divisive the cultural conversation around remote work can be – a quick scroll of my LinkedIn feed yields a handful of posts advocating for all types of work setups – it seems like there may not be a one size fits all solution.

Job security

Despite a turbulent year marked by layoffs, I was heartened to see how many respondents felt safe and secure in their jobs. I should note: this survey was held in 2024, before the current presidential administration took office and eliminated government and government-adjacent jobs left and right.

79% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their job security.
Satisfaction peaked at 87% among those employed at their current company for seven to ten years.
In contrast, self-employed individuals reported the highest levels of uncertainty, with 46% feeling insecure about their job stability.

These results show that the longer an employee is with a company, the more stable they tend to feel, and since backfilling employees is an enormous cost to employers, it’s clear that incentivizing good workers to continue their employment is of great value to both parties.

Career advancement opportunities

To state the obvious: switching jobs is a pain in the butt, so I expected to see that folks who see themselves with their current employer long term are happier in their jobs. And that’s exactly what the data suggests.

The majority of respondents (70%) expressed satisfaction with their career advancement opportunities.
Of people that reported general satisfaction at work, 75% reported being happy with their career advancement opportunities.
Of people that reported being happy with their career advancement opportunities, 76.2% reported being able to see themselves at their current company long term (defined here as four or more years).
Overall satisfaction peaked at 88% among those at mid-sized companies, as compared to 84% at large companies and 61% at small companies.

Relationships with colleagues

Something that surprised me was the correlation between remote work and satisfaction with one’s relationship with their colleagues:

94% of fully remote respondents reported being happy with their relationships with colleagues.
86% of hybrid workers reported the same.
Fully in-person workers reported the lowest satisfaction at 50%.

Personally, I expected that remote work would negatively impact respondents’ relationships with coworkers, but it’s possible that remote and hybrid setups foster more intentional and meaningful interactions.

Regardless of one’s remoteness, it’s clear that strong relationships are a strong indicator of satisfaction:

82% of people who reported being happy with their work relationships also reported being satisfied at work.

As a Solutions Engineer with more than a decade of experience, shared:

"The thing I’ve learned is most important in a job is having at least a few really great people that you can lean on. Some people like to have a hard line between work and personal life, but I’m very much the opposite. Many of my favorite colleagues who were my lifeline at work became lifelong friends well after we’ve all left the company."

Company culture

A strong company culture emerged as a key driver of workplace satisfaction.

69% of respondents expressed positive feelings about their organization’s culture.
The connection between culture and overall job satisfaction was clear: 90% of those satisfied with their company culture also reported being satisfied with their job.

Strong company culture is a hard thing to build – it’s a direct result of the policies, rituals, and habits exhibited by all employees at all levels of the organization – but it pays returns. My unsolicited advice to employers: spend time, energy, and money on fostering an intentional company culture.

Obstacles to satisfaction at work

While many respondents reported overall satisfaction with their work, obstacles to contentment surfaced in survey results. Challenges like friction with company leadership, the rising cost of living, and feelings of loneliness emerged as significant barriers to workplace happiness.

Company leadership

When belief in leadership erodes, job satisfaction isn’t far behind.

A notable 42% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their company leadership.
Among this group, 45% also reported dissatisfaction with their job, underscoring the significant impact leadership has on workplace satisfaction.

Many cited micromanagement and a lack of clear communication as reasons for disillusionment with leadership, and noted the positive impact that having the right team size, resources, and communication systems would have on their day-to-day experience.

This data sends a clear message to company heads: poor leadership impacts trust and morale and diminishes employees’ confidence in their abilities and their sense of purpose at work. Conversely, by fostering trust and open communication and rightsizing team resources, leaders can empower employees to thrive, paving the way for better retention and engagement.

Cost of living

The rising cost of living emerged as another contributor to dissatisfaction at work, with many respondents highlighting the financial strain of maintaining a stable lifestyle, particularly in major cities. Even among high earners, the growing expense of housing and daily necessities has become a pervasive source of stress, overshadowing workplace satisfaction for some.

One respondent, a Director at an early-stage startup captured this sentiment:

"Although my day to day work has generally felt a bit more grim than prior periods, the rising cost of living/housing is actually more stressful to me. It is difficult to make the math work out in your favor in major cities at the moment, even if you're a high earner."

For employers, this feedback highlights a critical opportunity to improve employee satisfaction by addressing awarding regular cost of living raises. When employees can trust that they’ll be taken care of, contentment, emotional health, and retention improve.

Loneliness

Loneliness emerged as another significant barrier to workplace satisfaction, and this was of course particularly true for those working remotely or in roles with limited opportunities for social connection. As this freelance operator put it:

“As a team of one, with some part-time advisors, I miss having teammates and the social aspects of work environments. I have sought out some partners and friends that I can use their offices to help make up for this, but it's still lonely.”

As a coach, I hear this all the time. Humans are social creatures, and we thrive on connection. That doesn’t mean that remote work isn’t a great option for some employers, but it does mean that it’s worth it for employers to invest in in-person or virtual collaborative opportunities to help employees feel more engaged and supported. Creating spaces for genuine connection not only boosts morale but also contributes to healthier, more fulfilling work environments.

Using the data

These insights can inform how professionals advocate for what they need at work, and guide leaders in creating sustainable businesses, because satisfied employees are good for the bottom line.

For professionals: take charge of your satisfaction

Identify your key drivers – if company culture and work-life balance contribute most to job satisfaction, consider how well your current role supports those factors. What can you adjust?
Advocate for what matters – if leadership and compensation are pain points, look for ways to engage in conversations about pay, transparency, or professional development.
Explore growth opportunities – seek out ways to build new skills or identify roles that align closely with personal and professional goals.

For employers: focus on retention and engagement

Invest in leadership development – companies that invest in the communication and management skills of their leaders will enjoy stronger engagement and valuable retention.
Build company culture with intention – the link between culture and job satisfaction is undeniable, and contrary to popular belief, culture isn’t some mystical force that can’t be altered. It’s the byproduct of the policies, rituals, and habits (written and unwritten) that leaders encourage. Developing those structures thoughtfully can make all the difference.
Support employees financially and emotionally – employers generate satisfaction when they nurture the whole employee, from paychecks to flexible remote work policies. Employees are three dimensional humans with a complex set of needs; speak to those needs.

For job seekers: navigate your search thoughtfully

You’re interviewing the employer as much as they’re interviewing you – given that leadership and company culture are pivotal to satisfaction, it behooves you to ask targeted questions about management style and workplace values to ensure that the company’s align with yours.
Enter negotiations with information – fair pay is critical to long term satisfaction. Be prepared to advocate for fair compensation, using market data and personal value propositions.
Satisfaction is possible – times are tough, full stop. It can be helpful to be reminded that work can be more than just a necessary evil. It can nourish our lives in rich and meaningful ways, and it’s important to seek out those opportunities for long term satisfaction.

Methodology

This career pulse survey was hosted on Google forms and shared widely on LinkedIn. It received 76 responses from professionals in diverse industries, including tech, education, finance, real estate, and more. Responses were collected between August 1, 2024, and September 3, 2024.